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Study Tips for Passing the PMP® Exam

Last Updated March 11, 2019

A woman sitting in a library studying on her computer and a blue banner that says "PMP Study Tips".

The Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is one of the most recognizable and versatile certifications for project managers, applicable across the world and in many industries. It can help strengthen a project manager’s networking capabilities and overall earning potential, but for many, passing the PMP® exam and earning the certification means devoting significant effort toward preparation and study time.

Fortunately, there are several tips and techniques that can help cut down on study time, improve focus and encourage content retention when preparing for the exam.

The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is designed to maximize efficiency and minimize fatigue by working for short intervals of time then taking consistent breaks in between. For example, someone studying for the PMP® exam might set a timer for 25 minutes. During this interval, the studier would completely devote that time to absorbing content and preparing for the test. No texts. No emails. No distractions.

Once the 25 minutes is up, the studier takes a three-to five-minute break to walk around, refresh a beverage, check a voicemail or simply get away from the PMP® exam materials. Then the process repeats, and after four intervals, the studier can take a 15- or 30-minute break to recharge. Even just one or two of these intervals per day can help boost productivity and reduce weariness.

Distributed Practice

Distributed Practice builds on the Pomodoro Technique and the concept of interval-based studying by providing a high-level view of the benefits of a distributed study effort. Massed practice, or cramming for an exam, doesn’t encourage any type of long-term learning or retention. Instead, those who schedule short study intervals over a long period of time typically come away with a greater understanding of the material.

Distributed Practice can be implemented very simply, but it often takes determination to maintain. Someone studying for the PMP® exam should schedule study times on a week-to-week basis. Carve time out of the day to apply the Pomodoro Technique, and reserve a day or two to revitalize and refresh.

Retrieval Practice

This strategy is already widely utilized, but it’s used primarily to assess and test, and almost never to learn. Retrieval Practice is focused on getting information out of a learner’s head, instead of cramming information into it. Many students highlight important passages in textbooks, review notes or reread assigned passages to promote retention, but these strategies emphasize only memorization. They typically do not illustrate an understanding of the material.

Generally, the act of studying and then retrieving information promotes a long-term understanding of concepts and thoughts. A project manager studying for the PMP® exam might involve a friend in the study process – someone to ask questions about the material to encourage information retrieval. This can help improve learners’ complex thinking and application skills, their organization of knowledge and their transfer of knowledge to new concepts.

These techniques are simple ways to maximize time and effort. They emphasize planning, organization and concentration, and together, they just might provide the edge required to pass the PMP® exam and join the nearly three million certified Project Management Professionals across the world.

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