You can get familiar with the CAPM exams if you’re trying to break into the field of project management. The CAPM test, however, is what, and why is it significant? Everything you need to know about the CAPM test, including what it is, how to prepare for it, and how it may advance your career, will be covered in this article. Let IT Exams show you right now!
Introduction
Project management is a developing industry, and those who thrive in it can get great rewards. You may assist yourself break into this fascinating area by passing the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam.
What Is The CAPM Exam?
The Project Management Institute (PMI) certifies individuals by administering the Certified Associate in Project Management test, sometimes known as the CAPM exam. The test gauges a candidate’s familiarity with the concepts, methods, and jargon of project management. It is intended for anyone who wants to learn more about project management or who wants to pursue a career in it.
Why Is It Important To Take The CAPM Exam?
Oh, if you are considering whether “Is is CAPM worth it?“, then there are multiple reasons for you to make up your mind right away. First and foremost, having a CAPM certification indicates that you possess fundamental knowledge of project management ideas and processes, which is extremely useful for entry-level or junior project management employment. Moreover, due to its worldwide credentials, getting CAPM certification can boost your reputation and marketability in the job market.
Another reason for taking the CAPM EXAM is that preparing for and taking the CAPM exams can provide you with a structured framework so that you can understand the project management concepts and terminology more easily. This can improve your ability to communicate effectively with other project team members. Last but not least, the process of studying for the CAPM exam can also help you identify areas of strength and weakness in your project management knowledge, which can help you focus on your professional development efforts moving forward.
Eligibility Requirements For The CAPM Exam
Following are CAPM requirements to apply for the exam, which are outlined by PMI. Let’s take a look!
Educational Requirements
The following are the educational prerequisites for the CAPM exam:
- Candidates must have a high school diploma or its international equivalent.
- Associate’s Degree or above: Candidates with an associate’s degree or above, or the worldwide equivalent, can also fulfill the educational criterion.
- Project Management Education: Candidates must have completed 23 hours of project management education in addition to a high school diploma or higher education degree. Formal schooling, online courses, and training programs are all options for obtaining this education. The education must cover the ten project management knowledge areas described in the PMBOK Guide.
Project Management Education
Candidates must have completed 23 hours of project management education to fulfill the project management education requirement for the CAPM examinations. This education must include the ten project management knowledge areas specified in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide, which is a generally accepted project management standard.
Formal education, such as college or university courses, online courses, training programs, or other types of continuing education, can be earned for project management. PMI also offers its own online courses and study materials that can be used to meet the project management education requirement for the CAPM exams.
Application
Candidates must apply and pay the application cost to the Project Management Institute (PMI). The application contains details about the candidate’s education and project management experience.
Exam Fee
The fee that candidates must pay in order to take the CAPM test is up to whether or not they are a member of PMI. If you are on then the price you have to pay is only $225 USD, but if you are not a member then the fee is $75D more, which is $300 US.
In order to help them study for the test, candidates have the option to pay for additional books or courses. In addition to a number of outside sources, PMI offers its own educational programs and materials.
10 Tips For Preparing And Passing The CAPM Exam
The CAPM test can be difficult to prepare for, but with the appropriate strategy, applicants can improve their chances of success. Here are some pointers to help you prepare for the CAPM exam:
1. Avoid procrastination.
Procrastination was my main issue in the past. To give myself a head start, I started studying for the exam before I even applied for it. What was the ultimate result? Studying for the sake of studying. So I applied and paid for the exam so that I could have a set date. What did it accomplish? It gave me a reason to live. Nothing was ambiguous anymore. I had a deadline for taking the exam, and I needed to finish studying before then. That alone was sufficient reason to keep me from delaying.
2. Determine your Ideal Study Habits
Hard work in the classroom isn’t the only criterion for passing the exam with flying colors. Not everyone can absorb the same amount of knowledge, and we all have our own study habits to consider. That is why it is critical to determine yours.
Self-directed vs. Guided
According to the CAPM manual, there is a risk that your qualifications will be audited. While not all candidates are audited, it is beneficial to prepare for one of the audit components, which is the project management education validation. This often necessitates certifications or letters of success from Registered Education Providers demonstrating that you have completed legitimate training. Why is this being discussed under the section on study habits? This is because people are often torn between guided and self-directed courses. Whatever choice you choose, be sure the final result is a certificate of completion or something similar to indicate you finished the course.
Guided course
Many Registered Education Providers provide classroom courses as well as online courses that are facilitated. Guided courses are often expensive, but they are jam-packed with material that is structured in a trendy and worthwhile manner. Furthermore, these institutions frequently offer “cheat sheets” that they’ve refined through the years. These are distributed to pupils in the hopes that they will pass and give the school or establishment a good name.
Self-directed
There are additional course providers who give self-paced PMI training. This is accomplished through massive video collections, flash presentations, audiobooks, and other techniques. It is commonly understood that not everyone has the time to drop everything and go to a class. As a result, PMI recognizes self-directed courses as well. The beautiful thing about self-directed courses is that memberships generally last a long time, so you may go back and refresh yourself as required. Furthermore, several of these courses already include practice examinations.
Cramming vs. Time Management
You can encode either Project Management experience or education at the CAPM application stage. PMI will assess your application within 24 hours after submission. When your qualifications are judged complete, your one-year eligibility for the test begins. This implies that you must take the test within a year. Make sure you plan your time effectively throughout that time. If you have a full-time job or are still in school, studying for CAPM on the side might be difficult. If you are prone to slip-ups, try to squeeze in at least one hour of study time every day. Even if your speed is modest, doing so will keep you on target. This is in contrast to setting aside a specific amount of time, say two months, before the exam for focused study. If an emergency occurs or you do not manage your time correctly, you will run out of time, causing you needless worry.
Cramming isn’t always a negative thing. In fact, some individuals flourish when they cram. Even if you believe you are the same, relying on it too heavily will not suffice. Allow ample time for studying ahead of time. Go through your review or training materials twice or three times. Even if this does not provide you with in-depth knowledge, it should provide a solid framework for you to enhance your personal learning.
3. Use the most recent materials.
Getting the incorrect materials is one of the most common blunders. The PMBOK, or Project Management Body of Knowledge, is now in its fifth version, with a sixth edition set to be issued in the third quarter of 2017. As a result, your study materials should only refer to the most recent version. Look for this information in the prologue, acknowledgment, or introductory part of books, as well as the first few chapters of audiobooks and instructional videos.
4. Use more than one reference resource
Please do not state that you will just study the PMBOK guide throughout this time period. There are certainly well-known publishers who produce physical and electronic books at an alarming rate and for good cause. They have a plethora of talented and educated authors at their disposal. However, keep in mind that having more than one reference source is usually a smart idea. It can even be useful to you since you will be able to observe the same item from numerous angles. For example, one book may concentrate on knowledge areas and how process groups interact with them, whereas another would concentrate on process groups and how knowledge areas interact with them. While it may appear repetitious, it improves your understanding and retention of information.
5. Examine the CAPM Exam Outline
The test subject outline outlines how the exam will be divided. For example, an 11% weight in Project Scope Management equates to 16.5 or 17 questions on that topic. Keep the exam outline near at hand as it will come in handy during reviewing. You will be more skilled at determining where your gaps are if you go over the portions in sequential and random order.
6. Obtain “real-world experience”
Because the test will include situational questions, real-world experience is essential. You’ll be asked questions such as, “What would you do if the programmer backed out during the training phase?”
- Directly hire a coder
- Examine the HR management strategy
- Develop a junior programmer
- Delegate authority to idle encoders.
You must have “been there” to answer questions like that. This may not be applicable to everyone, especially if you are a student, but it is critical. If you are already a professional, inquire as to whether your organization has a PMO or a Project Management Office. If there isn’t one, there may be a Project Management department that you may question about. If you’re lucky, one of them will accept you as an intern or expose you to some of their techniques. That would also be a terrific stepping stone if you passed the exam.
Don’t worry if your firm isn’t yet “projectized” or matrix, or if you’re still researching. Real-world experience may be beyond your physical grasp, but it does not preclude you from gaining a virtual comprehension of it. Most e-books and self-paced films include realistic examples of real-world tasks. They may also provide an example at the start and utilize the same example throughout the project. This gives the impression that you are the project manager. Make sure you follow the example and remember it during the exam.
7. Take practice exams
The CAPM exam has 150 multiple-choice questions and you are allotted 3 hours to complete it. That’s 180 minutes to cover 150 questions which gives you exactly 1.2 minutes or 72 seconds per question. For those that come across the same type of exam before, don’t be complacent. PMI is not your everyday college or university. Sure, there is a 25% chance to get the right answer but you’ll be sweating your palms off just figuring out the correct one. This is because the answers they provide are so tricky that you are, more or less, left with 2 really good answers and only minor wording practically separates the two.
It is worth noting that the 150-item exam is comprised of 15 “unscored or experimental questions”. These questions are randomly spread out throughout the exam. There is really no telling when one question belongs to this category as they are extremely relevant to CAPM. Now, you might wonder why PMI would even bother to do such. This is actually one way for them to validate if such questions are valid for inclusion in future exams. As such, your score is actually dependent on the other 135 questions. However, as there is no way to pinpoint which one is scored vs unscored, keep a mindset that there are 150 scored questions.
On this website, we provide numerous free CAPM Practice Tests 2023 to help candidates get 100% ready for their coming exams. Check it out!
8. Stop trying to remember everything.
The CAPM is only a little bit about memorizing. In fact, I can confidently say that there are only 2 benefits of memorizing. First, you need to memorize the formulas for questions requiring calculation but they are only a handful. Second, it is good to know the exact wording used by the PMBOK guide as there are indeed questions that use made-up terms. By knowing if it is made up or not, you are already increasing your chances of getting the right answer by eliminating faulty choices.
Besides those 2 reasons, the fact that PMI is confident enough to keep the entire exam totally multiple-choice should already give you pause. They are so confident in their ability to go beyond terminologies, concepts, and diagrams that they’ll give you 4 choices and that’s that. However, nothing will be done by the book. You need to analyze and understand the question well so you can decipher the answer. Now pile on that the 72 seconds per question limit and you’re in for the time of your life.
Be prepared to take on calculations, situational questions, identification of tools and techniques as well as knowledge areas and process groups. The majority of the questions will have 2 or more right answers and also a good number of them will have extraneous information. This means that while there may be many “givens” they are not needed to determine a solution.
PMI will test you on application, knowledge, and analysis so be forewarned. Still, just know that it’s nothing that prior studying and preparation can take care of.
9. Communicate with other students
There are numerous online communities out there for pretty much anything you fancy. Online forums and study groups are perfect places for one to get queries answered, raise concerns, seek mentorship, and more. Plus, there will undoubtedly be a couple of folks out there who’d be willing to point you to additional resources that you’d have otherwise ignored or share tips to make your studying even easier.
10. Consider joining a PMI chapter
You can take the exam without being a PMI member. However, it comes at a higher price and you miss out on all the benefits. If you are planning on taking the exam and joining PMI to avail of the discount, consider also the local chapter. Local chapters meet up and have regular sessions, workshops, activities, and events. These chapters are great ways to build your network and also find study groups. Plus, you can also find mentors here who can give you tips on how to successfully pass the exam. Best of all, a wealth of project managers are at your disposal. Take the opportunity to ask about their real-world experience and get any of your CAPM questions answered by professionals in the actual PM field.
The CAPM exam is indeed challenging and worthwhile to pursue. Many people who attempt to take the exam fail only because they did not prepare sufficiently. We hope that with these tips, you are empowered to tackle this entry-level exam and join the project management profession with credentials that back your knowledge.
What The CAPM Exam Cover
The CAPM exam covers a range of topics related to project management. The questions on the exam are based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide, which is a widely recognized standard for project management. The PMBOK Guide covers 10 knowledge areas of project management, including project integration management, project scope management, project schedule management, project cost management, project quality management, project resource management, project communications management, project risk management, project procurement management, and project stakeholder management.
The exam format and structure is also an important aspect of the CAPM exam. The exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions, and candidates have three hours to complete the exam. The questions are designed to test the candidate’s knowledge and understanding of the PMBOK Guide and its applications in project management. Understanding the exam format and structure can help candidates focus their preparation efforts and feel more confident on exam day.
4 Test-Taking Strategies For Passing The CAPM Exam
Passing the CAPM exam requires thorough preparation and a solid understanding of project management concepts. Here are some tips to help you succeed:
- Specific test-day techniques include getting enough sleep the night before, eating a good meal, dressing comfortably, and arriving early.
- Before beginning the test, many people prefer to use the given paper to jot down formulae, lists of processes with their inputs and outputs, and tools and strategies that will be beneficial during the exam.
- Breaks are not included in the three hours permitted for the exam, so plan on taking one or two.
- Don’t spend too much time on a single question; mark it for review and move on.
You may improve your chances of passing the CAPM test and reaching your project management objectives by following these guidelines and putting in the required work.
What To Do After The CAPM Exam?
You may enhance your project management career in a variety of ways after earning the CAPM certification. To begin, you can accumulate project management experience hours in order to meet the PMI requirements for becoming a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Getting hands-on project management experience can help you advance your career and increase your job opportunities and earning potential.
It is also critical to network with other project management specialists after passing the CAPM exam. You may get insights into the business and further your career by forming collaborations and learning about new opportunities.
It’s also vital to stay current on the latest trends and best practices in project management. Continuing your education through professional development classes, seminars, and reading industry periodicals may help you stay current in your business and demonstrate your commitment to professional growth.
Obtaining further certifications, such as the PMP, can also help you demonstrate your skills while also broadening your job prospects and earning potential in project management.
Finally, applying your project management knowledge and abilities in your current job or as a volunteer will allow you to gain practical experience and build a portfolio of successful projects to offer prospective employers. You may advance your career and achieve your professional goals by furthering your project management talents, knowledge, and experience.
How To Maintain The Certification After Passing The CAPM Exam
After completing the CAPM test, you will be awarded a five-year CAPM certification. Every three years, you must earn and report a minimum of 15 Professional Development Units (PDUs) to retain your CAPM certification.
PDUs may be obtained by participating in professional development activities such as attending conferences, taking courses, participating in webinars, and volunteering. To assist you to manage and submit your PDUs, PMI offers an online tool called the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) system.
You must connect to the PMI CCR system and report your earned PDUs to renew your CAPM certification. PMI will also charge you a renewal fee. Your CAPM certification will be renewed for another five years once your renewal is processed and your PDUs are validated.
Maintaining your CAPM certification is critical for demonstrating your dedication to professional development and maintaining your reputation as a project management expert.
FAQs
How long does it take to prepare for the CAPM exam?
The time it takes to prepare for the CAPM test depends on a number of factors, including your past experience and knowledge of project management principles, your study habits, and the tools you use to prepare.
In general, PMI advises that applicants prepare for the CAPM test for at least 35 hours. Reading the PMBOK Guide and other study tools, taking practice examinations, and examining areas where you may require extra study are all part of this process.
Candidates with a good foundation in project management ideas or expertise in a comparable industry may be able to prepare for the exam in less time. Others may need additional time to study and review the content, especially if they are new to project management or have a weak foundation in the field.
What is the passing score for the CAPM exam?
The CAPM test passing score is not a defined number or percentage. The test has a scaled scoring system, which means that the passing score varies significantly based on the edition of the exam you take.
PMI does, however, give some information on the estimated amount of questions that must be successfully answered in order to pass the test. To pass the CAPM test, applicants should strive to answer at least 61% of the exam questions correctly, according to PMI.
Can I retake the CAPM exam if I don’t pass on the first try?
Yes, if you do not pass the CAPM test on your first attempt, you may repeat it. PMI enables applicants to retake the test up to three times throughout their one-year qualifying term, with a 90-day gap between attempts.
If you do not pass the test on your first try, it is advised that you go through your exam results and identify areas where you may need to study further. You may use this feedback to fine-tune your study strategy and concentrate on areas where you may have difficulty.
You may also wish to look for extra study materials or enroll in a CAPM test prep course to assist you prepare more efficiently for your second try. You can improve your chances of passing the CAPM test on consecutive attempts by devoting more time and effort to your exam preparation.
Is the CAPM exam available online?
Yes, PMI currently allows applicants to take the CAPM test online. A computer with a steady internet connection, a webcam, and a microphone can be used to take the online proctored test from a candidate’s home or office.
Candidates must complete the technical criteria and follow PMI’s online proctoring standards in order to take the CAPM test online. These regulations include taking the exam in a quiet and secluded location, not utilizing any unlawful materials or resources, and not talking with anyone else throughout the exam.
What is the cost of the CAPM exam?
The cost of the CAPM test varies based on whether or not you are a PMI member, as well as your region. The following are the current CAPM exam fees:
- PMI membership is $225 USD.
- Fee for non-members: $300 USD
It’s also worth mentioning that PMI gives a student member discount on the CAPM test. This charge is $150 USD for PMI student members.
Furthermore, there may be extra expenses if you need to postpone or cancel your exam appointment. For the most up-to-date information on test costs and rules, contact PMI directly.
Final Words
In conclusion, the CAPM exam is an important step for those who are interested in pursuing a career in project management. While the exam may seem daunting at first, with the right preparation and study resources, candidates can feel confident in their ability to pass the exam.
By reviewing the eligibility requirements, exam format and topics, study resources, and tips for passing the exam, candidates can create a solid plan for their CAPM exam preparation. It’s important to dedicate enough time and effort to studying and to seek out additional help if needed.
Remember that passing the CAPM exams is just the first step in your project management career journey. Once you’ve passed the exam, you can continue to gain experience and knowledge in the field and work towards achieving higher levels of certification, such as the PMP.
We hope this guide has been helpful in your CAPM exam preparation. Good luck with your exam!
