1.) What do I have to
do to become certified?
2.) When and where is
the exam given?
3.) If I just read the
PMBOK, is that enough to pass the exam?
4.) How do I get a copy
of the PMBOK?
5.) Where can
I find practice exams?
6.) What if I
don’t have the required experience yet? Is there any other certification
I could receive?
7.) What are the PMINJ
PMP classes like?
8.) What is the
pass rate for students who take the PMINJ Chapter Prep Class?
9.) If I only
get 20 hours from PMINJ Prep Class, how do I get the rest of the 35 hours?
10.) I took a
project management course in the past but I don’t have a certificate verifying
it. Can I claim the course for the training requirement?
11.) I have an
MBA. Will that count towards the 35 hour of training?
12.) How often are
the prep classes held?
13.) Can I pre-register
for an upcoming class?
14.) I notice
that PMI is offering additional certifications. Does PMINJ offer prep
classes for those as well?
15.) I am interested
in the CAPM certification. Is there a separate prep course for that,
or can I take the PMP Prep course?
16.) Do I have to take
the test again to stay certified?
17.) Is there
a way to get state funding for project management training for people who
are unemployed?
18.) Do I need to be
a member of PMI to become a PMP?
19.) I heard
the exam is changing. Can you tell me about that?
20.) I’ve done
a lot of studying on Third Edition, but am taking my exam after June 30th.
Has all my studying been a waste?
21.) What is
the difference between version 3 and 4 of the PMBOK?
1.) What do I
have to do to become PMP certified?
In order to receive the PMP certification,
you must first fulfill certain criteria that allow you to be eligible to
sit for the PMP exam. For candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree,
the criteria are 4500 hours of project management experience and 35 hours
of training. (Candidates with only a high school diploma must have
7500 hours of project management experience and 35 hours of training.)
Candidates must complete an application
demonstrating that they have the required experience and training hours.
After PMI approves the application, candidates then have one year in which
to sit for the exam. The application can be completed online at the
PMI website. For more information go to:
PMI / Career Development / PMP
It is also strongly recommended that
you download the
PMP Handbook where an enormous amount of information
regarding certification can be found.
2.) When and where
is the exam given?
The exam is a 4 hour, 200 question
(all multiple-choice), computer-based test administered by ProMetric Testing
Centers and is given every day of the year with the exception of some national
holidays. Once you are eligible to take the exam, you schedule it yourself.
When you receive your eligibility information from PMI, you will receive
additional information about how to schedule the exam. In addition,
information about exam locations are also provided in the
PMP Handbook.
3.) If I
just read the PMBOK, is that enough to pass the exam?
The “foundation” document for the
exam is “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” (PMBOK®
Guide.) This is the internationally recognized ANSI standard for project
management and is the basis for the exam. However, questions are not
solely from the PMBOK; you will need a broad understanding of project management
principles and techniques. Read as much as you can, take an overview
project management course, take an exam review course. Take as many
practice tests as you can.
A good study guide to help with understanding
the types of questions asked on the exam is also suggested, however, PMINJ
cannot endorse any particular study guide. Go to the PMI online bookstore
and type “PMP exam prep” into the search engine. Ask your colleagues
at PMI meetings what study guides they used. If after preparing you
feel very unsure about a particular knowledge area, consider buying a book
that covers that particular area.
4.) How do I get
a copy of the PMBOK?
PMI members can view the PMBOK online,
or a copy can be purchased through the
PMI Marketplace.
5.) Where
can I find practice exams?
PMINJ Chapter cannot endorse any
particular websites offering practice exams, but you will find many sources
by just using your internet browser search engine. And talking to others
preparing for the exam. Joining a study group is good for sharing resources
as well. (PMINJ Study Groups)
6.) What
if I don’t have the required experience yet? Is there any other certification
I could receive?
Yes, the Certified Associate in Project
Management (CAPM) has a pre-requisite of 1500 hours of project management
experience OR 23 hours of training. You would still have to pass the
CAPM exam which is 150 multiple-choice questions.
7.) What are the
PMINJ PMP classes like?
The class is intended for those individuals
who have done nearly all of their preparation for the PMP Exam. It is
a high-level comprehensive review of all the PMBOK knowledge areas to get
you focused before the exam and it is expected that students already understand
the basics of all the knowledge areas. It is possible to also take
the course as a first step overview, so long as there is the understanding
that the class is exam focused and will not go into great detail about any
one area.
The classes are held over 2.5 Saturdays.
Each day is divided into (approximate) 1.5 hour segments each of which aligns
with a specific knowledge area of the PMBOK® Guide, with sample questions
and study tips provided in each segment, and a practice exam at the end of
the 2.5 days. The class is taught by experienced PMPs and provides attendees
with the information that will help them pass the PMP Examination.
You will earn 20 contact hours of training towards the 35 hours required
for PMP eligibility.
8.) What
is the pass rate for students who take the PMINJ Chapter Prep Class?
This prep class is not a “boot camp”
type class where students take the exam right afterwards. Everyone
takes the exam on their own schedule, some people decide not to take it.
For this reason it is very difficult to get accurate statistics. However,
we get a great deal of very positive feedback from former students who have
passed their exam, stating that the class was instrumental in helping them
achieve their PMP.
9.) If I
only get 20 hours from PMINJ Prep Class, how do I get the rest of the 35
hours?
PMINJ cannot endorse or recommend
other training organizations. Visit
PMI Registered Education Providers to search for
a course or training organization
Universities in the area also offer
many good programs. Most of them also offer off-campus and distance
learning options.
There is also no “backwards” time
limit on courses that you may have taken. So if you think back to a
course you may have had in the past, either through your company or some
other training organization, you may find that you already meet the requirement.
10.) I
took a project management course in the past but I don’t have a certificate
verifying it. Can I claim the course for the training requirement?
You do not need to attach certificates
to your application. However if your application is audited (approximately
10% of applications are audited) you will need to provide proof.
11.) I
have an MBA. Will that count towards the 35 hour of training?
Undoubtedly there are many courses
within an MBA curriculum that will count. So long as the course is
related to project management either hard skills (project selection techniques,
risk management, cost management, etc.) or soft skills (communications, leadership,
conflict, etc.) it would count towards the 35 hours.
12.) How often
are the prep classes held?
Classes are conducted three times
a year - typically October, March, June. The schedules for the
classes are not set very far in advance, so we usually don’t have exact dates
until 6-8 weeks prior to a particular class. If you wish to be notified
when those dates become available, send an email to training(:@:)pminj.org
13.) Can I pre-register
for an upcoming class?
You can send email to training(:@:)pminj.org
to get on the list to be notified as soon as registration for the next class
is opened.
14.) I
notice that PMI is offering additional certifications. Does PMINJ offer
prep classes for those as well?
At this time we are only offering
prep classes for the PMP certification. Plans for other certification
prep courses are longer term goals.
15.) I
am interested in the CAPM certification. Is there a separate prep course
for that, or can I take the PMP Prep course?
There is not a separate course for
CAPM exam. The foundation for the questions on both PMP and CAPM exams
is the same. The questions on the CAPM exam are a bit more straightforward,
and the exam consists of 150 questions instead of the 200 questions for the
PMP exam. Therefore by taking the PMP prep course you will be more
than prepared for the CAPM exam.
16.) Do I have
to take the test again to stay certified?
No. The Continuing Certification
Requirements (CCR) for maintaining your PMP certification is that you must
earn 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) every three years. For
details on how to report and earn PDUs, go to PMI / Career Development
It is also recommended that
you download the CCR Handbook for further details about the re-certification
process. The Handbook will delineate activities that are and are not
eligible for PDUs.
17.) Is
there a way to get state funding for project management training for people
who are unemployed?
Yes. Other people have done
this successfully. The process takes about one and a half months
and you must have been unemployed for at least 3 months before you will be
approved for education funds. The first step is to register at your
Career Stop Center.
You will then be asked to take a
basic skills test. The next step will be to meet with a counselor to
review the course you want to take. The counselor will explain which
courses are eligible and how to determine eligibility. PMP Prep courses
have been approved in the past. A good idea is to bring copies of job
descriptions with you that read “PMP required” or “PMP Preferred.” Keep
in mind that funding will be for the class only, NOT the exam.
You can contact one of our members, Lou Piombino (loup.pm(:@:)gmail.com )
if you have additional questions about this process.
Some of the county contact information
for The NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development:
Professional Service Groups (1st
# is phone; 2nd is fax)
| Camden |
(856) 614-3174 |
(856) 489-3691 |
| Dover |
(973) 361-1034 |
(973) 361-8727 |
| Hackensack |
(201) 329-9600 Ext. 5755 |
(201) 996-8884 |
| Neptune |
(732) 775-1566 Ext. 124 |
(732) 775-1557 |
| New Brunswick |
(732) 418-3304 |
(732) 937-4504 |
| Pleasantville |
(609) 645-6602 |
(609) 813-3930 |
| Somerville |
(908) 704-8114 |
(908) 575-3227 |
| Trenton |
(609) 292-7535 |
(609) 292-6618 |
| Vineland |
(856) 696-6293 |
(856) 696-6308 |
| Westampton |
(856) 518-0275 |
(609) 518-0266 |
18.) Do I need
to be a member of PMI to become a PMP?
No, you do not need to be a member
of PMI to attain your PMP certification. However, you will find the
benefits of meeting and networking with other Project Managers a valuable
asset to your career. As well, by attending PMI events and local PMI
chapter events, you will earn PDUs which are required to maintain your PMP
certification (see question 16.) And all fees (event registration,
book purchases, PMP exam, etc.) are discounted with membership.
19.) I
heard the exam is changing. Can you tell me about that?
The exam has been based on PMBOK
Third Edition for the past 3 years. Starting on July 1, 2009 the exam
will be updated to align with PMBOK Fourth Edition. So if you are taking
your exam after June 30, 2009 you will want to study the PMBOK Fourth Edition.
20.) I’ve
done a lot of studying on Third Edition, but am taking my exam after June
30th. Has all my studying been a waste?
No, of course not. There are
some processes that have been added and some have been combined, deleted,
or moved. But the basic project management concepts are the same.
Specific changes between the Third and Fourth editions are identified in Appendix
A of the Fourth Edition. PMI members can view PMBOK4 online. (This link is currently not
working because of technical difficulties.)
21.) What
is the difference between version 3 and 4 of the PMBOK?
The PMBOK4 has an appendix A that
identifies the differences between the versions. Also, a document by
Germán Bernate summarizes the differences between PMBOK 3rd and 4th
editions very concisely. You can
download the document here.
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