There are No Real PMP® Exam Questions.

There are No Real PMP® Exam Questions

By Nereda Haque, PMP

Trainees studying to pass the PMP® Exam or CAPM® Exam need to understand that the Practice Exam Questions that they receive during class are just that - Practice Exam Questions, meaning not the real thing.

We know there are a lot of various industry certifications you can do where you practice the questions over and over and you will always get the same questions.

Not so with the PMP® or CAPM® Exams. PMI® credentials are highly valued because this Exam has the reputation for being tough, highly analytical, and thorough, to reflect both the knowledge found in the PMBOK® Guide, Version 4 and the industry at large consensus of what is best practices. That is why the education you receive needs to be of the highest quality.

It is best that you prepare well for everything so you can handle any questions that you might receive. Don't spend all your time on EVM. Understand alegbra and understand the meanings and memorize your formulas. Spread your learning out among all of the information you are to study. I see people spend 80% of their learning time on EVM and they will neglect the Risk Management Knowledge area, for Example. This is a big mistake.

The Project Management Institute does not conduct their Exam using repetitive Exam Questions. It is likely that you will never see the same question that you practiced. You may see some similar or familar questions in the PMP® Exam or some simple Inputs, Outputs, Tools & Techniques, Definitions, Styles of the Project Management, Organizational Environment, etc. However, expect a large share of the PMP® Exam questions designed to evaluate what you understand.

That is why at SmartPath LLC, our motto is: "Understand it! Don't Cram It!" We have a learning system based on understanding so you will be able to pick out the right answers to the questions without cramming. Understand in the "key" to your success.

The Practice Exam is designed to help you understand how to analyze the Exam questions. It is very important that you understand why you got a question wrong. Also, if you cannot understand the context of the question, it may be that your Exam Prep training was inadequate and you should seek to find a company like SmartPath LLC who offers exam-focused materials that will help you understand the concepts, the connections, the roles and tasks of a project manager, as well as the context of the questions. Only after you understand concepts, connections, roles and tasks can you determine what a question is really asking.

After class, and after you understand why you got a question wrong, Exam practice questions should be used to practice picking out context - determining keys words that help you determine the answer. Practicing this will help you create speed so you can get through the questions on time.