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PMP Exam Success: Tips and Eligibility

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This article offers tips to help you pass the PMP exam on your first try. We’ll also cover the eligibility criteria for the exam.

Eligibility to Apply for the PMP Exam

Before applying, make sure you meet the following requirements:

  • 35 Hours of Project Management Education: You need to obtain 35 contact hours (Professional Development Units or PDUs) from a PMI-recognized project management training institute. Note: The original article stated 36 hours, but PMI requires 35.
  • Experience: You need a Bachelor’s degree and 4,500 hours of experience in project management, accrued over at least 36 months within the last 8 years.
  • PMI Membership: You can apply whether or not you’re a PMI member. Members get a discount on the exam fee and on retakes (if needed). However, you’ll need to pay for a PMI membership.
  • Official Information: For the most up-to-date details on the PMP exam, visit https://www.pmi.org/.

Tips to Pass the PMP Exam

  • Study the PMBOK Guide: Thoroughly read the latest edition of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide released by PMI. It’s your primary resource.

  • Master the Process Chart: Commit to memory the mapping of project management processes to the five process groups and ten knowledge areas. This chart is essential! Print it a few times, cut out the individual processes, and practice mapping them yourself. You’ll find this chart in the PMBOK Guide and in reputable PMP exam prep books.

  • Know Your Formulas: Memorize all the PMP formulas.

  • Invest in a Good Exam Prep Book: At a minimum, get one of the following PMP exam preparation books:

    1. PMP Exam Prep by Rita Mulcahy
    2. Head First PMP from O’REILLY Media Inc. by Jennifer Greene (PMP) & Andrew Stellman (PMP)