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THE COMPLETE PMP ®

CERTIFICATION GUIDE
The ultimate guide for navigating the process of
becoming a PMP certified professional.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Are you interested in earning your Project Management Professional

(PMP)® certification, but you’re unsure how to start the process?

While this is a big step for your career, it doesn’t have to be a complex one. This is the ultimate guide on PMP
certification and it can be your roadmap for navigating this process. Explore some common questions you
might have about PMP certification, and learn what steps you need to take to become a PMP credential holder.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. How Do I Know if I Am Ready to Get My PMP® Certification? ...................................................... 2

2. How Do I Earn 35 Hours of Project Management Education? ..................................................... 3-4

3. How Do I Choose the Right PMP® Exam Prep Course? .................................................................. 5

4. Am I Ready to Apply for the PMP® Exam? ....................................................................................... 6

5. How Much Does the PMP® Certification Exam Cost?..................................................................... 7

6. What If I Am Audited? ........................................................................................................................ 8

7. What Should I Know Before Taking the PMP® Exam? .................................................................... 9

8. How Do I Maintain My PMP® Credential? ....................................................................................... 10

9. What Should I Expect Now That I Am Certified? ............................................................................. 11

© Copyright 2020, All rights reserved. Project Management Academy® and PMA® are registered trademarks of Educate 360, LLC. PMI, PMBOK, PMP and CAPM. The PMI TALENT TRIANGLE and the PMI Talent Triangle
logo, and the PMI Registered Education Provider logo are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

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PPAAGGEE 11 | T H E C O M P L E T E P M P ® C E R T I F I C A T I O N G U I D E
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1 | HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM READY TO GET MY PMP CERTIFICATION?

1
HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM READY TO
GET MY PMP® CERTIFICATION?

Before you sign up for your PMP exam, there are a few prerequisites
you have to meet in order to be eligible.

There are two paths to meeting the initial qualifications. You must have either a secondary degree or 4-year
degree with the following experience, plus a formal project management education:

S ECO NDARY DEG R EE* 4 -YE AR DE GRE E

OR

*A high school diploma or Your job title doesn’t need

associate degree to be project manager

In addition to meeting either of those requirements, all applicants must have at least 35
contact hours of accredited or formal project management education. If you meet the criteria
listed above, you’re eligible to take the PMP exam.

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2 | HOW DO I EARN 35 HOURS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE?

HOW DO I EARN 35 HOURS OF

PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE?

Earning your project management education hours is a requirement of the

certification application process.

These exam prep courses ensure you’re up to speed on the most current project management strategies, as well
as give you the knowledge you need to pass the exam. It’s imperative you choose an exam prep course provider
who not only prepares you to pass the PMP exam, but also prepares you for your future as a certified project
manager. Here is the criteria you should use when evaluating exam prep providers to partner with:

EXPERIENCE
The PMP exam requires more from its participants than having a surface-level knowledge of project manage-
ment. Instead, you need a comprehensive understanding of the profession. To gain this understanding, you
need access to the best PMP certification training resources. Evaluate the different exam prep companies
you’re considering to determine which ones feature these best resources, including years of experience helping
project managers pass their certification exams.

One important aspect to consider is whether or not the exam prep courses provided have been reviewed and
approved by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Project Management Academy is a Premier member of
PMI's Authorized Training Partner (ATP) program. PMI ATP status is awarded to only established, high-quality,
financially-sound project management education providers who are aligned to PMI core values, have mature
business practices and offer courses aligned to the PMI Talent Triangle®. Training organizations that carry the
PMI ATP Program Logo are a reflection of PMI and thus must undergo an extensive evaluation of their compa-
nies in order to be admitted to the Program. PMI’s Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.) program was replaced
by the ATP program in 2021.

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2 | HOW DO I EARN 35 HOURS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE?

COURSE MATERIALS
Course materials will be your greatest resource during the PMP exam prep process. Your study approach should
go beyond a simple booklet, and should be as thorough as possible. Look for a PMP exam prep provider that
offers as many of the following course materials as possible:

PMP Exam Prep Coursebook Mock Exam

A PMP® Exam Strategy Guide Sample PM Forms & Templates

PMI® Authorized PMP Exam Prep Student Manual PMP Exam Prep Book of Exercises

PMP Exam Quick Study Guides Video-on-Demand Lectures

PMI Process Map & Key Formulas Practice Questions

Each of these materials will play a role in not only preparing you for your the exam, but enabling you to success-
fully pass it.

COMPLETION CERTIFICATE
A certificate of completion proves you satisfied the requirements of the course and now possess the 35
hours of project management education required to apply to take the exam. In the event that you’re audited (a
scenario which is explored in section 6), you must be able to prove that you met the education requirements
outlined by PMI.

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3 | HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT PMP EXAM PREP COURSE?

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT PMP

EXAM PREP COURSE?

Now that you know what requirements you must meet to be able to sit for the PMP certification exam, you need
to choose the right exam prep course to get ready. Every person is different, so it’s important to keep your own
learning style in mind as you evaluate courses. You have a few different course options, including:

IN-PERSON TRAINING
With in-person PMP certification training, you attend exam prep sessions in a classroom setting at a specified
time. You’ll receive printed versions of the training materials, and it’s likely you’ll also have access to online
training materials you can reference later. These courses closely align with the needs of a traditional classroom
learner, where lessons and discussions are led by an instructor.

LIVE, VIRTUAL TRAINING

If you need a more flexible training option, you can prepare for the exam entirely online. Virtual training sessions
still feature live instruction with a training professional, and you have access to all the same materials as you
would in a classroom setting. The only difference is that they are offered online. You can complete all the
essential training from the comfort of your own office or home.

IN-HOUSE TRAINING
Many companies choose to offer private group training for their aspiring PMP certification holders. In these
courses, certified instructors will conduct a private training class either in-person at your facility or virtually to
accommodate remote team members. This is a great solution if companies have multiple employees who want
to pursue their PMP certification.

Beware of free PMP certification training providers as they often have lower pass rates and less qualified
instructors. Before choosing your course provider, look at PMP certification training reviews or PMP boot camp
reviews online. These reviews give insight into both the nature of the courses offered and the success rate of
the participants. When it comes to PMP certification training, one size doesn’t fit all. So, be sure to choose the
course option that best suits your schedule and your learning style.

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4 | AM I READY TO APPLY FOR THE PMP® EXAM?

AM I READY TO APPLY FOR THE PMP® EXAM?

If you’ve satisfied the prerequisites, then yes; you’re eligible for the PMP
certification exam!

Now, it’s time to begin the application process. The PMP Exam Application process can be intimidating at
first glance but PMI provides a helpful video to guide you through the process.

Check out the PMP Exam Application Demonstration Video. You will be asked to submit your academic educa-
tion details, your professional education details (i.e., the 35 hours are achieved by completing your PMP Exam
Prep course), and describe your past project management experiences. As noted earlier, your job title does not
need to be “project manager” to qualify but it is recommended that you use project management language and
terminology to describe your past experiences.

The first step is to create an account on Project Management Institute’s website in order to initiate a PMP
application. It’s important to note that once you start your application, you are unable to cancel it and have 90
days to complete it once you begin. Once it is submitted, PMI will take up to 5 days to conduct an application
completeness review. Once your application is approved, you submit your credential fee (explored in section 5)
to PMI so you can be positioned to schedule your exam. Once your application detailing how you meet the exam
requirements has been approved, you have one year to take the PMP certification exam.

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5 | HOW MUCH DOES THE PMP® CERTIFICATION EXAM COST?

HOW MUCH DOES THE PMP®

CERTIFICATION EXAM COST?

The PMP certification exam is both a time and a monetary investment.

However, a small investment now will greatly benefit you in the long run. One way to cut the costs associated
with the exam is to pay for a PMI membership, which is $139 annually and entitles you to testing discounts. The
costs for the PMP certification exam are listed below:

FIRST EXAM ATTEMPT EXAM RE-TAKE CCR

(Continuing Certification Renewal)

Non-Member Price: $555 Non-Member Price: $375 Non-Member Price: $150

Member Price: $405 Member Price: $275 Member Price: $60

* See Continuing Certification Requirements section for more information.

If you’re concerned about the cost of the testing and exam prep, you could talk to your employer about covering
the cost. PMP certification is a great investment for employers, as PMP certification holders are equipped to
effectively manage projects to be completed in time and on budget.

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6 | WHAT IF I AM AUDITED?

WHAT IF I AM AUDITED?

While dealing with an application audit is one of the lesser known

outcomes of this process, it’s a real possibility for some exam candidates.

PMI has the right to audit any candidate at random to ensure that they actually meet the exam requirements as
reported. In fact, you can even be audited by PMI after you have received your certification. And, if you fail to
meet audit requirements, you will not receive a refund for your exam costs. So, how does the audit process
work? If you’re selected for an audit, PMI will alert you via email with directions on how to submit your materials,
including the following documentation:

• Copies of your diploma or global equivalent

• Signatures from your supervisor(s) verifying your project management hours
• Copies of certificates and/or letters from the training institute(s) for the 35 hours of PM education
recorded on your application

Once you receive an audit notification, you have 90 days to submit the materials. After your documentation is
submitted, it should take about five to seven business days for PMI to review your audit.

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7 | WHAT SHOULD I KNOW BEFORE TAKING THE PMP® EXAM?

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW BEFORE TAKING

THE PMP® EXAM?

You’ve finally made it to exam day! Before you sit for the actual PMP certification exam, you need to know a few
things, the first of which is how the test is scored. There are three scoring domains, with each carrying a
different percentage of your total score. The percentage breakdown looks like this:

SCORING DOMAINS ON THE PMP EXAM About half of the examination will
represent predictive PM approaches and
the other half will represent agile or
People
hybrid approaches.
42%

Process Predictive, agile, and hybrid approaches

50% will be found throughout the three
Business
Environment domain areas listed above and are not
Business Environment isolated to any particular domain or task.
8%

You also need to be prepared for the length of the test. You have 230 minutes (3 hours and 50 minutes) to answer:

175 Scored questions 25 Pre-test, unscored questions

Fortunately, once the test is completed, you’ll find out whether you passed or failed instantly. There’s no long
waiting period to see how you did. If you pass, this also means that you can capitalize on the PMP certification
immediately. Put it on your resume, because you’re now officially a PMP credential holder. Congratulations!

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 8 | HOW DO I MAINTAIN MY PMP® CREDENTIAL?

HOW DO I MAINTAIN MY PMP® CREDENTIAL?

Passing the PMP certification exam isn’t the end of your journey;
it’s just the beginning.

Earning the PMP certification isn’t a one-time action. You must take regular steps to maintain your credential.
While this may seem like a hassle, it’s actually in your best interest to maintain the certification. Ongoing educa-
tion ensures that you’re always current on the best project management strategies, and you’re staying
up-to-date on industry trends.

The PMI Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program helps project managers to continue their learn-
ing and better hone their skills. You can also focus on areas that need improvement, so you’re proficient in all
essential project management skills. And, since recording your professional development activities is part of
the CCR process, you have an incentive to actually keep learning. So, how do you maintain your PMP credential?
Let’s look at the requirements for renewing the PMP certification.

CCR REQUIREMENTS
Here’s where Professional Development Units (PDUs) come back into play. Every three years, you must show
that you have earned 60 additional PDUs to maintain your credentials. You must continue to pursue PDUs
through a couple of different avenues:

Education – You must engage in Giving Back to the Profession – You must

learning opportunities focused on earn these by volunteering, creating knowledge,

the PMI Talent Triangle®. and/or working as a professional (8 max.)

As part of completing the CCR education requirements, you must earn at least 8 technical, 8 leadership, and 8
business/strategic PDUs. The remaining 11 may be applied to any area of the Talent Triangle.

UNDERSTANDING PDUS
Before you can start earning PDUs, you have to understand exactly what they are. PDUs measure approved
professional learning and development activities, and they cover areas outlined in the PMI Talent Triangle®:
technical project management, leadership, strategic and business management. These three areas are viewed
as the core pillars of effective project management. One PDU is equivalent to one hour spent engaging in project
management activities that fall into one of these three categories.

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 9 | WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT NOW THAT I AM CERTIFIED?

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT NOW

THAT I AM CERTIFIED?

Once you’re a PMP credential holder, all of your hard work pays off!

In the United States, you can expect to earn 25% more than your peers without the certification, and you’ll likely
experience greater job security. According to PMI, the median base salary for those who have worked in project
management for five up to ten years was $95,000. That salary is about $25,000 less than PMP credential
holders with the same amount of experience.

Earning the PMP certification is a huge accomplishment you should take pride in; you’re now among the best in
the project management profession!

Contact us for more information

about our training in-person, virtual,
or in-house training programs

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Project Management Academy® and PMA® are registered marks of Educate 360, LLC.