PMP: Complexity of Project Management Professional Examination

Project Management Professional certification (PMP) is one of the most required and an esteemed certification in the market.

There are so many other certifications, but it’s not easy to pass the PMP exam by just reading about it. You must have a scenario-based experience on the concepts to clear the exam. That’s the reason PMP exam is mostly highly valued in the certification market.

Find out what it takes to pass the PMP certification exam so read on.

What is the complexity level of the PMP certification exam?

The certification exam is a very complex exam, not because of the program or knowledge one needs understand and learn, but because it doesn’t only test your knowledge, but also your ability to use that knowledge in different scenario-based situations.

A prospective candidate cannot pass the exam by only cramming the material, he should also know how to apply it into day to day project activities. Another aspect of PMP exam is that time is indeed quite short. You have to complete 200 questions in 240 minutes, hence if you get stuck on a question, it becomes more and more difficult to finish on time.

The degree of complexity is something that can’t be measured by any unit, but for most people it is the toughest exam they have ever written, while for others it is quite complex but not too complex. It also depends how prepared you are. A well-prepared candidate may find it less complex than an ill-prepared person.

Hence, the heart of the matter is that PMP is a complex exam, but definitely not an impossible to pass it.

How long does it take to prepare for the PMP certification exam?

There’s no particular stipulated time on how long it would take to prepare for it. It depends on the following factors which include, but not limited to:

1. What preparation study materials are being used by the prospective candidate.
2. How the prospective candidate grasps the concepts in the 35-hour mandatory training.
3. The kind of the training the prospective candidate receives.
4. How many hours the candidate puts aside for studying for the exam.
5. The professional background and previous project management knowledge of the candidate.
6. And last, but not the least, how committed and focused the candidate is on passing the exam on first attempt