An alumna of Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University ( SRCC) and is currently working with Mindvalley as an experience manager. She is a CAPM and is preparing for PMP certification. She is a Bharatanatyam dancer and a writer by passion.
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PMP Exam: Pattern, Updates, Pass Rate, Preparation
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In this article
- What is PMP Exam?
- Why PMP Exam is Important?
- PMP Exam Eligibility Criteria
- How Much Does PMP Exam Cost?
- PMP Exam Syllabus
- PMP Exam Pattern
- Scheduling and Taking the Exam
- How to Take PMP Exam Online?
- Using KnowledgeHut's PMP Course as a Tool to Pass the Exam
- How long is the PMP Exam?
- How Long Does It Take To Get PMP Certification?
- What Is the Timeline for the PMP Certification Process?
- What to Do After Getting PMP Certification?
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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If you’re wondering how long is the PMP exam, you very likely already know the great potential a PMP® certification offers for the certification holding project management professionals. PMI’s own research compiled into the Talent Gap report highlights 25 million new project professionals will be required by the global economy by the year 2030.
This is an important finding to consider if you’re uncertain of the career promise of a PMP® certification. But what does it take to get a PMP certification? Can anyone get one? How exactly will the certification benefit you? We will delve deep into these questions in detail, but first, let us see why PMP certification has gained importance in recent times and how much of a difference it can make to your career. Understand everything you need to know to get PMP certified.
Get to know more about project description.
If you have a reasonable amount of experience your best option would be to get enrolled for pmp training and certification. There are many training providers that offer comprehensive training based on PMI’s guidelines. Getting a PMP Certification takes involves extensive preparation, and you will need support from your trainers or from people who have done it before.
Project Management is a fast-growing field. Identifying the best project management courses can be tricky if you are new to it. PMI estimates 2.2 million project-related roles will need to be filled every year. These roles include many high-paying jobs at leading companies around the world. Getting noticed at the top project-related jobs will not be easy. Having a certification in project management will certainly help you get noticed. There are many certifications available in project management issued by different bodies.
Know more about importance of project charter.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
It is true that a PMP Certification can benefit anyone in their career as a project manager. If you intend to build a career in project management, PMP is always a safe bet. PMP Certification may not be an option for every professional though. PMP has stringent standards of eligibility to take the PMP test.
Academic
To apply for a PMP certification you need to have at least a high school diploma, an associate degree, or an equivalent qualification. If you have a four-year degree, you get relaxation for your professional eligibility.
Professional
You need at least three years of experience in leading projects if you hold a four-year degree. If you hold an associate degree, high school diploma, or an equivalent qualification you will need at least 5 years of experience in leading projects.
Training
There is a requirement of 35 hours of Project Management Training that you should undergo to qualify for PMP certification. This requirement is met if you hold an active CAPM Certification. The 35 hours of training is part of PMP Training programs.
Exam
Once you ensure that you meet all the eligibility criteria and you have finished your training, then you should start preparing for the PMP exam. You must clear the PMP exam to get a PMP certification.
Get to know more about characteristics of project management.
How to clear the PMP Exam?
PMP Exam has the reputation of being hard to clear. This is a reputation based on many professionals being unable to clear the exam. PMP exam covers an extensive syllabus and hence needs comprehensive preparation. This preparation can take a few months. This should be done in a consistent and scheduled manner so that you could cover all the topics in the syllabus.
Once your preparation is complete you should also try doing a few practice tests to make sure that you’re familiar with the exam format. It will also give you an idea of how to manage your time while writing the exam.
How long is the PMP Exam?
The PMP Exam can be attempted at a physical center or online. Under both formats, the duration of the exam and number of questions will remain the same.
The PMP Exam has 180 questions. You will get 230 minutes to answer all the questions. You do not have the provision to take a break if you are taking the test at a physical center. For the online version you can avail yourself of two breaks of 10 minutes each after 60 questions and 120 questions each. Your break time will not count as a part of the 230 minutes you are allowed to complete the exam. Note that after the break, you cannot review the questions before break.
Note: You cannot review the questions attempted before the break.
How Long Does It Take To Get PMP Certification?
PMP certification process starts by checking your eligibility and extends till learning how to renew your certification every three years.
If you meet the academic and eligibility criteria of the PMP Certification. The remaining steps can be categorized as below:
Training: 35 Hours
As a part of meeting the eligibility requirements, you should complete 35 hours of live training with one of PMI’s Authorized Training Partners (ATP). While holding an active CAPM certification makes this step optional, the training will also prepare you to plan and prepare for the PMP Exam.
Exam Preparation: 2 to 4 months
This part of the process in terms of duration is up to you. If you have a good understanding of all the concepts and have enough time to prepare rigorously a month may be enough time. Similarly, if you don’t have enough time due to your work or other commitments your preparation may extend to six months or more. 2 to 4 months gives you enough time to cover all the topics while retaining your learning.
Your exam preparation should include practice exams in the PMP exam format. In terms of topics to be covered PMI has categorized them into three and apportioned what percentage of questions you can expect from each domain.
| Domain | Proportion of questions |
|---|---|
| People | 42% |
| Process | 50% |
| Business Environment | 8% |
Schedule the PMP exam in a way that gives you enough time to prepare and practice.
PMP Exam: 230 minutes
The PMP Exam needs to be completed in 230 minutes during which you will have to answer 180 questions. These questions will be in any of the following four formats.
- Multiple choice
- Multiple responses
- Fill-in-the-blank
- Matching
- Hot spot
The last two categories are new additions that have been added in the year 2021.
Certification: 2 to 4 weeks
Once you pass the PMP exam you are considered PMP certified, and you are free to use the PMP designation. PMI will take anywhere between two to four weeks to send you the actual certificate.
Renewal: 3 Years
Your PMP certification has a validity of three years after which it will need to be renewed. You may not have to take the exam though if you accumulate 60 PDUs in the space of 3 years. Doing an advanced course by PMI or attending PMI events are ways through which you can attain these PDUs.
Top Cities where Knowledgehut Conduct PMP Certification Training Course Online
What Is the Timeline for the PMP Certification Process?
PMP certification process
How does one go through the process of getting a PMP certification? Follow these steps.
Where to start?
Ensure you meet the eligibility requirements and complete the 35-hour long PMP training from an Authorized Training Partner. Login to PMI website and fill the PMP application. You are given a time of 90 days to fill your application.
What is the review?
PMI takes up to 5 days to review your application and to confirm if you meet the eligibility to appear for the PMP exam.
What is PMP Audit?
Some applicants are selected for audit. In this process, PMI will verify your academic and professional qualifications. You will be given up to 90 days to submit all the necessary documents. PMI will take 5 to 7 days to complete the audit.
Is my application complete once PMI approves it?
After PMI gives the go-ahead, you can pay the exam fees and schedule your exam.
When can I take the exam?
You must schedule the exam within 1 year of the application approval date. You can take the PMP exam up to 3 times in the span of 1 year. You can check the exam fees according to your location on the PMI page.
How long is the PMP exam?
The PMP Exam lasts for 230 minutes, the exam will have 180 questions. PMI does not publish a minimum pass percentage. Scoring around 80% is considered enough to pass. The pass percentage is decided based on the difficulty of an exam.
How long does it take to get PMP Exam results?
You will know if you have passed the PMP exam immediately once you complete your exam.
When do I get certified?
As soon as you pass the PMP exam you can use the PMP designation and PMP will provide you digital credentials. PMI will take 2 to 4 weeks to send the physical certificate.
What to Do After Getting PMP Certification
Once you get PMP certified you could use the credential to get noticed by recruiters and get lucrative jobs in project leadership roles. KnowledgeHut PMP certification training is one of the best Project Management certification training courses available on the market. Your PMP certification comes with a validity of 3 years. You could opt to build on your skills by doing more advanced certifications like PgMP®, PfMP®, PMI-ACP® etc.
The most significant portion of your time in acquiring your PMP certification will be spent in preparation for the exam. To improve your chances of success, you can reach out to your training provider for additional support. You could join a local PMI chapter and find project professionals to guide you or find other candidates to coordinate your preparation with.
Project management is an evolving discipline. While many of the practices have been in use for decades, there are always new methods and tools to work with. To be an effective project manager in a leading organization you will need to understand both the old and new methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How long is PMP and how many questions?
The PMP exam is 230 minutes long, it contains 180 questions.
Q. How many minutes is the PMP exam?
The PMP exam lasts for 230 minutes in both the physical and online versions.
Q. How many questions can you miss on PMP?
There isn’t any guideline on the pass percentage required for PMP exams. The number of correct answers needed to pass the exam may vary depending on the difficulty level of the exam. You should aim to answer as many questions as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who Conducts the PMP Certification Exam?
The PMP certification is conducted by the Project Management Institute ( PMI). PMI is a globally recognised authority for project managers and reflects the gold standard in project management principles.
2. How many attempts are allowed for the PMP Exam?
In a given year, you can attempt the PMP exam 3 times. If you fail the exam 3 times in a year, you must wait for a year to be eligible for the exam again.
3. Can I clear the PMP Certification Exam without experience?
In order to be eligible for the exam, one must have 36 months or 60 months of work experience. The experience need not be as a project manager leading a project, but any role in which you were directly involved in the management of a project is eligible to be counted as experience for PMP.
4. How long is PMP and how many questions?
The PMP exam is 230 minutes long, it contains 180 questions.
5. How many minutes is the PMP exam?
The PMP exam lasts for 230 minutes in both the physical and online versions.
6. How many questions can you miss on PMP?
There isn’t any guideline on the pass percentage required for PMP exams. The number of correct answers needed to pass the exam may vary depending on the difficulty level of the exam. You should aim to answer as many questions as possible.
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