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PMP Smart Start Guide

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100% found this document useful (1 vote)
152 views

PMP Smart Start Guide

Uploaded by

Transfeo Parala
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 61

Welcome To Your

PMP®
Smart Start Guide
• Guaranteed to Pass the PMP Exam

• Accelerated Prep in only 4 days

• 98% Pass Rate

• 17 Year Track Record


Why Do Cheetah Students Become
The Most Successful PMPs?

Cheetah students pass the PMP exam after only four days
of prep. Without Cheetah, most students spend six months
studying and have a 40% failure rate.

As a result of Cheetah’s proven accelerated learning


techniques, our students become top earners in their field.
Cheetah’s PMP students typically earn $250k more (in 15 year
period) than other PMPs who did not go through Cheetah.

According to Corporate Annual Reports, 90% of public companies


who use Cheetah Learning increase corporate earnings and
improve profitability within one year of implementing
Cheetah’s Accelerated Approach to the PMP.

Independent Academic Researchers have found Cheetah stu-


dents significantly increase their abilities to achieve their oth-
er life goals after taking the course.

The Cheetah Learning Accelerated Exam Prep program is trans-


ferable, practical, and applicable - empowering every area of
your life.
Let’s Get Started...

Congratulations, you’ve taken the first step to becoming PMP certified.

How Will This Guide Help Me?


This Smart Start Guide will quickly get you up to speed on everything you
need to become PMP certified. It’s the only FREE resource of its scope out
there, today. It’s practical, comprehensive, and up-to-date (we update it
several times each year as new information and regulations are rolled out).

We share it with you so that you fully understand what is required to pass
the PMP exam before committing to our highly-focused, immersive 4-day
course. We trust you’ll find it useful - the valuable content is why millions
of engineers and project managers have downloaded and used this guide
since its very first release in July 2001!

How to Get The Most Value:


Take 30 minutes to sit down and have a look through this guide. Settle into
your favorite chair, grab a delicious beverage, and perhaps a notepad or
tablet to take some notes.

For easy navigation, we’ve divided this document into five sections to quickly
guide you through each vital part of the PMP exam. If you feel like you
already grasp one area, feel free to skip to the section you’re most interested
in. Subsections and page numbers provided in the table of contents on the
following page.

Section 1: What is a PMP?


Section 2: Why is becoming a PMP valuable?
Section 3: How Do I Become PMP Certified?
Section 4: How do I prepare for the Exam?
Section 5: What is the Cheetah Difference?

We understand life is busy.


If you don’t have the time to read this document, call a
Cheetah Success Coach for a free PMP Readiness Assessment:
855-286-9900
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1: What is a PMP? ........................................................................................ 6


The Science of Project Management ............................................................................... 7
The PMP Credential ........................................................................................................... 8

Section 2: Why Becoming a PMP is Valuable ....................................................... 10

Section 3: How do I Become PMP Certified? ........................................................ 13


Educational and Experiential Requirements ................................................................ 14
Project Management Body of Knowledge .................................................................... 16
Accelerating your PMP Application Process ................................................................. 18
Experience Verification Form ......................................................................................... 19
Application Processing Time .......................................................................................... 20
Eligibility Duration ........................................................................................................... 20
Contact Hours of Project Management Education ...................................................... 21
PMI Professional Development Program ..................................................................... 22

Section 4: How Do I Prepare for the PMP Exam? ................................................ 24


Computer-Based Examination Administration ............................................................ 24
Passing Score ................................................................................................................... 28
Re-Examination ................................................................................................................ 30
Exam Questions ............................................................................................................... 30
Preparation and Study .................................................................................................... 35
Updates to the PMP® Certification Exam .................................................................... 40
Self Study or Commercial Prep ………............................................................................. 41
Types of Courses ............................................................................................................. 42

Section 5: What is the Cheetah Difference? ........................................................ 46


Joining PMI ........................................................................................................................ 49
About Cheetah Exam Prep for the PMP......................................................................... 49
Class Offerings .................................................................................................................. 50
Cost Comparison and EMV.............................................................................................. 50
What Does it Take to Be a Cheetah Student ................................................................. 53
Covered Costs ................................................................................................................... 54
Exam Scheduling is important …….................................................................................. 55
Cheetah’s Guarantee ....................................................................................................... 56
Retaking the PMP exam with Cheetah ………................................................................. 58
Cheetah’s Success Rate ……............................................................................................. 59
Cheetah Learning is You Best Chance to Pass the PMP ……........................................ 60
How to Register……........................................................................................................... 61
SECTION 1
What is a PMP®?

PMP stands for Project Management Professional, which is the most prestigious
and globally recognized certification in Project Management. You’ll find that once
you obtain your PMP certification you’ll be in demand in almost any industry,
because all industries need project managers.

Even more importantly, becoming a PMP can improve your self-efficacy (your belief
in your ability to achieve your goals) and can significantly impact your life in a
positive way - that is, if you do it correctly.

For example, two years ago, a PhD candidate did their doctoral thesis on how
becoming a PMP improved self-efficacy, and the only company with a sufficient
sample size was Cheetah Learning.

During her research, she discovered that those who completed our comprehensive
and immersive 4-day program dramatically improved students’ self-efficacy.

Healthy self-efficacy is an incredibly valuable skill, which is why many Cheetah


Learning alumni: have become leaders in their respective industries, and why
the largest and most prestigious organizations count on Cheetah Learning to both

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help their staff become PMP certified and improve individual self-efficacy at the
same time.

When publicly traded companies hire Cheetah onsite to help their staff become
PMP certified, they improve their return on equity by at least 20% - this is why we
do very little advertising and 95% of our business is word-of-mouth.

The Success of our Cheetah Students speaks for us.

The Science Of Project Management

There is no “secret” to Project Management success - it’s the science of


getting things done. To understand how it works, it’s helpful to look at its history
and evolution over time.

As long as humans have walked the earth, projects have existed and evolved with
us. Project Management was born in the days of World War II, maturing with the
emerging space program.

As you can imagine, the space program had enormous unknowns and overwhelm-
ing logistics to overcome - it needed Project Management. And the brains behind
those efforts developed new methods of planning, execution, and control for their
expansive projects. These techniques were the very first vestiges of standardized
Project Management - some of those concepts and tools are still used today!

Did You Know?

According to PMI’s Project Management Salary Survey Sixth Edition, despite


recessions affecting many professions, Project Managers have reported salary
increases. The survey indicated that PMP certification clearly carries added
value. Overall, PMPs earned on average a 20% higher salary than non-PMPs.

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The PMI and PMBOK

In 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) was established to advance the
science of Project Management, create industry standards, and promote
professional responsibility.

Fifteen years later, a small handful of Project Managers became the world’s first
PMPs, and shortly after that, the PMI published the industry’s first comprehensive
set of accepted Project Management standards, known as The Project Management
Body of Knowledge (the PMBOK Guide).

Since then the PMBOK® Guide has been updated every 4-5 years, with the most re-
cent update in January 2018 with the release of The PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition.

ANSI and Industry Standards

In September 1999, The PMBOK® Guide became a formal American National


Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard, ANSI/PMI 99-001-1999. With the PMBOK Guide
serving as an ANSI Standard, industries worldwide received a Project Management
common language and uniform tools and techniques to manage projects.

Although the ANSI Standard was quickly embraced worldwide by industries,


governments, institutions, and academia, there is still a lot of catching up to do.
PMI estimates there are 20 million professionals currently working in Project
Management throughout the world; however, less than 5% are PMP certified.

The PMP Program

The PMI does extraordinary work to advance the science and application of modern
Project Management. Its most significant accomplishments and ongoing programs is the
formal certification of Project Managers: the Project Management Professional program.

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This PMP program helps ensure the highest professional and ethical standards
within the community of practicing Project Management Professionals.

Earning the PMP credential:


• increases career options
• gives you ability to influence the successful outcome of projects you undertake
• provides more opportunities for increasing your salary.

It also offers similar benefits for organizations who employ people who are PMP certified.

What does all this mean for you?


It means there is a rapidly growing demand for Project Management Professionals
to lead the world’s industries using effective Project Management techniques. If you
want to see the real scope, check out a few of the large, web-based employment
sites and search for “PMP” or “PMI” and see how many employers are looking for
PMP/PMI-certified Project Managers.

The numbers may surprise you, and if you check back again in a week, most likely the
number will have grown. Many governments around the world will only pursue contracts
for projects that are run by PMP’s. And most of the big national and international
companies have mandates which require their Project Managers must be PMP certified.

The PMP is now THE TICKET to entry for the Project Management profession for the
best jobs worldwide. And for good reason - PMPs deliver consistent, measurable value.

Did You Know?


In Harold Kerzner’s must-read book, “In Search of Excellence in Project
Management,” he studies 200 of the world’s top corporations. His findings
indicate that only 29 of the 200 companies achieve his highest rating as
“excellent or on the right track.” We have a long way to go before a high Project
Management maturity level is achieved throughout the industry as a whole.

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SECTION 2
Why Becoming a PMP is Valuable

While Information Technology has led the way in Project Management certification,
ALL organizations and sectors in today’s fast paced, business-oriented world can
benefit tremendously by adopting modern Project Management techniques to
quickly and efficiently reach milestones and complete projects.

For example, take a look at the marketing department in a standard company.

Marketing expenditures typically account for 10-20% of a company’s gross revenue,


so a company generating $100 million in revenue spends $20 million in marketing.
However, most marketing professionals have minimal Project Management skills,
yet they’re managing multi-million dollar projects!

Over the past 30 years, research studies consistently show that projects managed
without using modern Project Management techniques have a 75% failure rate.

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Couldn’t marketing professionals drive significant improvement in their organizations’
marketing projects by becoming certified in Project Management? Definitely!

And it’s not just the marketing department that could benefit. The same can
be said for professionals who work in engineering, product development, and
facilities management – all areas of an organization where projects are the
lifeblood of the business.

At Cheetah Learning, we have helped people from a wide variety of professions


become PMP certified and have some amazing success stories about how people
have dramatically improved their careers with this certification.

• Jim the HR manager who, on a whim, decided to become PMP certified and in
two years became the Executive Director of Human Relations with a $40,000
pay raise.

• Elijah, an Environmental Consultant, who became PMP certified to improve


business and saw a jump in revenue from $250,000 to $750,000 in just six months.

• Leslie, the middle-school teacher, who went through the program and is
now leading curriculum development projects for her school district.

Obtaining the PMP credential was the unifying critical element that enabled these
professionals to launch into their successful career paths.

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This table shows which parts of an organization gain the most by having
certified PMPs.

Time Spent on Money Spent Value Of PMPs


Department
Projects Overall On Projects In The Department

New Product Development High High High

Marketing Moderate High High

Sales Low Low Low

Customer Service Low Low Low

Engineering High High High

Manufacturing & Production Low Moderate Moderate

Information Technology High High High

Human Resources Moderate Moderate Moderate

Finance Moderate High High

Accounting Low Low Low

Administration Low Low Low

Legal Moderate High High

Did You Know?


Various studies indicate that only 25% of all projects worldwide succeed in
achieving budget, schedule, and quality objectives. However, these same
studies indicate a 75% success rate for projects that employ modern Project
Management concepts, tools, and techniques. These facts, coupled with the
now ANSI standard, are the driving forces behind today’s enormous interest in
modern Project Management.

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SECTION 3
How Do I Become PMP Certified?

The stated purpose and goal of PMI’s Project Management Certification Program is
the development, maintenance, evaluation, promotion, and administration of a rigorous,
examination-based, professional certification program of the highest caliber.

In 2006, the PMP credential process received ISO 17024 accreditation.

The certification program supports the international community of Project Manage-


ment Professionals and is designed to objectively assess and measure professional
knowledge. This is no trivial matter. Can you imagine a world where everyone spoke
a different language in how to get things done? It would be very difficult to work
together. When you all speak the same language, it is much easier to organize and
complete projects across organizational lines and cultures.

When you study to become a PMP through Cheetah Learning, you develop a strong
foundation in the agreed-upon terminology and processes that are internationally
accepted for practicing project management.

Joining the community of PMPs worldwide is a significant step in your ability


to deliver outstanding value. And it’s a crucial skill to have in today’s
globally-connected age.

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Educational and Experiential Requirements

To achieve PMP certification, you must satisfy all the educational and experiential
requirements established by PMI and must demonstrate an acceptable and valid
level of understanding and knowledge about Project Management that is tested by
the PMP certification examination.

Our accelerated online or classroom programs, Cheetah Exam Prep® for the PMP®,
assists you every step of the way to move you quickly and easily through the exam
prep process, starting with eligibility requirements.

You’ll learn how to position your project efforts using the correct PMI terminology
to ensure your valid experience meets the rigid eligibility requirements from
the PMP Exam. Once we help you confirm your eligibility, we thoroughly prepare
you for the exam which you sit for the fifth and final day of class.

You can choose to qualify in one of two categories:

Requirements for Category 1


At the time of application, you must…
• hold a baccalaureate or equivalent university degree
• have a minimum of 4,500 hours of Project Management experience within the
five Project Management Process groups (These groups are explained later in
this section)
• have Experience Verification Form(s) which show a total of at least 4,500 hours
have project dates which indicate you have at least three years of Project
Management experience within an eight year period prior to the application
• indicate at least 36 unique (non-overlapping) months of Project Management
experience on the Experience Verification Form(s) to satisfy the three year
requirement.

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The required documentation is…
• the date of completion of your baccalaureate or equivalent university degree
• an Experience Verification Form(s) meeting criteria listed above
• thirty-five (35) hours of PM training prior to applying for PMP eligibility

Cheetah Tip!
If you register for Cheetah’s Accelerated Exam Prep for the PMP online or
classroom course, we offer an online course that when successfully completed
(as verified by a course completion certificate) may be used to satisfy this
requirement, if needed. This is only available to people who register and pay
for Cheetah’s Exam Prep for the PMP course.)

Requirements for Category 2


You can qualify under this category if at the time of application, you…
• do not hold a baccalaureate or equivalent university degree but instead hold a
high school diploma or equivalent secondary school credential
• have a minimum of 7,500 hours of Project Management experience within the
five process groups (These groups are explained later in this section)
• have Experience Verification Form(s) which show a total of at least 7,500 hours
• have project dates which indicate that you have at least five years of Project
Management experience within the eight year period prior to the application
• indicate at least 60 unique (non-overlapping) months of Project Management
experience on the Experience Verification Form(s) to satisfy the five year
requirement

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The required documentation is…
• an Experience Verification Form(s) meeting criteria listed above
• thirty-five (35) hours of PM training prior to applying for PMP eligibility

Cheetah Tip!
If you register for Cheetah’s Accelerated Exam Prep for the PMP online or
classroom course, we offer an online course that when successfully completed
(as verified by a course completion certificate) may be used to satisfy this
requirement, if needed. This is only available to people who register and pay
for Cheetah’s Exam Prep for the PMP course.)

If you are unable to meet the requirements to sit for the PMP exam, consider earning
your CAPM® certification. Our Project Management Fundamentals Online Certificate
Program is designed to help you prepare for, and pass, the CAPM® exam. Then,
you’ll be one step ahead and will be ready to successfully pass the PMP Exam once
you meet the requirements.

Project Management Body of Knowledge

PMBOK
The Project Management Institute created an ANSI standard document called the
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) - now in its sixth edition.

Initially, this document may seem quite daunting.

The PMBOK includes the tools, techniques and processes required by a Project
Manager and breaks these processes into the various stages necessary to best
manage projects.

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To pass the PMP exam, you will need to know not only the contents of this
document but also how to apply it as a practicing Project Manager.

Cheetah Learning specializes in helping you learn just that in our 4-day Accelerated
Prep Course. As one of our former students said, “The techniques Cheetah uses is
like tattooing the PMBOK on your frontal lobes.”

Project Management Process Groups


Initiating Processes: Recognizing that a project or phase should begin and committing
to do so.

Planning Processes: Devising and maintaining a workable scheme to accomplish


the business needs that the project was undertaken to address.

Executing Processes: Coordinating people and other resources to carry out the plan.

Monitoring and Controlling Processes: Ensuring that project objectives are met by
monitoring and measuring progress and taking corrective action when necessary.

Closing Processes: Formalizing acceptance of the projector phase and bringing it to


an orderly end.

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Knowledge Areas

There are ten knowledge areas with tools, techniques, and processes you must
know - not only what they are, but how to use them correctly at various project
stages. The PMP exam is designed so that you will be able to synthesize your
practical working knowledge with all the contents of the PMBOK as well as a
number of other industry standard references.

Just understanding the PMBOK is not sufficient to pass the PMP exam.

You must also have real world experience doing projects, and guess what - most
people do. Completing projects is a part of life, but being able to translate that ex-
perience is a crucial skill to passing this exam. The Cheetah Accelerated Exam Prep
Program gives you this ability and includes over fifty other references to make sure
you have the best chance of passing the exam.

Accelerating Your Application Process

As mentioned above, the eligibility application includes your examination applica-


tion with appropriate fee and your Experience Verification Forms which will detail
your Project Management work experience and educational background.

Your application and documentation must be in English and must be thorough and
accurate. With the Cheetah process we show you how to reduce the time needed to
file your application from eight hours to two hours.

For example, meet Daisy, a marketing executive for a specialty pet food company.
She, and her fellow execs, were encouraged to become PMP certified, but she had a
hard time getting her application accepted and stressed over it for several hours.

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Here’s what she had to say about using Cheetah Learning:

“My eligibility application got audited by PMI. As you can well imagine, being in
marketing, and not traditional project management I was worried! Thank god, Jean
of Cheetah Learning had reviewed my eligibility application. It was just matter of
submitting the documentation I had already done. It passed with flying colors.”

Experience Verification Form

The Experience Verification Form has to summarize your project experience (in-
cluding project names and companies). However, your project experience must be
summarized within the framework of the 5 Project Management Process Groups,
outlined above.

Cheetah Tip!
If you are already a Cheetah student and you have questions about
filling this out, contact our Cheetah Success Coaches for help or send
your questions to askjean@cheetahlearning.com.

Click on our Work Verification Spreadsheet link to see a sample in your


pre-course material for your Cheetah Exam Prep program.

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File Your Information Online

Go directly to PMI’s PMP Certification website. This online form is available through
PMI to file your application. It’s best to first become a member before filing this
form as the exam fee drops for members.

Application Processing Time

PMI states it will process your certification application within 5 to 10 working days.
You will find it usually is much faster when filing online. Occasionally, PMI does
experience delays during “peak demand” periods. At those times, it can take up
to six weeks to process your application.

Once your application is submitted you will be asked for exam payment (you pay
PMI directly for the exam as they grant the certification). They will respond to your
exam payment with an Eligibility Letter that includes information you will use to
schedule your exam at www.prometric.com.

NOTE: Approximately 10% of those completing the eligibility application are


selected for a random audit that must be completed before your eligibility is
confirmed. To ensure you pass the random audit, you should have one of our
trained Cheetah Success Coaches review your eligibility application prior to
submitting it.

Eligibility Duration

You must take the PMP exam within one year of receiving your approval to test.
When the one-year test window expires, you have to apply and pay again. You can
request a partial refund if you decide not to take the exam after you have been
approved. PMI will, however, retain $200 to cover processing costs.

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Contact Hours of Project Management Education

You are required to have a minimum of 35 hours of formal Project Management


training prior to applying for eligibility, and these contact hours must be documented
and completed at the time of application. Training from a wide variety of sources
is considered valid, so most likely you already have some form of Project
Management training.

If you don’t have the 35 hours, we offer a free online course that satisfies this
requirement. People must register and pay for our online or classroom Cheetah
Accelerated Exam Prep Program to qualify and must successfully complete the
course (as verified by a course completion certificate) before reporting and
submitting an application to PMI.

The course hours may include content on project quality, scope, schedule, cost,
resources, communications, risk, procurement, and integration management.
You can satisfy the educational requirements by demonstrating the successful
completion of courses, workshops and training sessions offered by one or more
of the following types of education providers:

1. PMI Component Organizations (Courses offered by PMI R.E.P.s, PMI Components


(chapters, specific interest groups, colleges), or PMI, are pre-approved for
contact hours in fulfillment of the educational eligibility requirement).

2. Employer/company-sponsored programs

3. Training companies or consultants

4. Distance-learning companies, including an end-of-course assessment

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NOTE: One hour of classroom instruction equals one contact hour. If you
have completed a university or college course on Project Management that
met for three hours per week for 15 weeks, you would document 45 contact
hours. If only a portion of a course dealt with Project Management, then only
the hours spent on project management can be applied toward the total.

PMI Chapter meetings and self-study does not satisfy the education requirements.
However, if at least one hour of a chapter meeting is spent conducting a
learning activity, the hours(s) spent in that activity can be counted towards the
educational eligibility requirement. Refer to the PMI Credential Examination
Policies & Procedures section in this handbook for details on next steps after
you submit your application.

PMI Professional Development Program

Once you have successfully completed the process and passed the PMP exam, you
are officially PMP certified.

Keep in mind that you must still satisfy PMI’s Professional Development
Program to maintain your certification.

You must earn a minimum of 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) every


three years, including meeting hours in PMI’s Talent Triangle categories, and agree
to adhere to PMI’s Project Management Professional Code of Professional Conduct.

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Cheetah Learning offers online, cutting-edge Project Management courses
that allow you to earn your PDUs whenever it’s convenient, including a
prepaid option which helps you easily earn your 60 PDUs.

Detailed information on the program is included in the email you receive from
Cheetah Learning once you pass the exam. Those PMP’s who support their credential
by taking Cheetah’s PDU courses are some of the highest paid Project Managers -
earning twice what their counterparts make with the same experience level.

It makes sense why - the more relevant professional continuing education translates
into more effectiveness. When you are a PMP for over a decade, it means you’ve
been through three professional development cycles.

We also offer a number of free career development tools to our PMP students. Our
goal is to ensure that our students are the most successful people on the planet. Be
sure to share our goals along with your own when you meet with your employer to
discuss your PMP training options.

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SECTION 4
How Do I Prepare for the PMP Exam?

Once you get your eligibility letter, it’s time to focus on the PMP exam.
For many PMP candidates, the exam is the most challenging part of the
certification process. So let’s take a look at what you’ll encounter.

Computer-based Examination Administration

The PMP exam is offered via computer at approximately 1,700 testing centers
worldwide, with 300 in North America. The testing centers in North America
are operated by the Prometric organization.

Your PMP eligibility letter will contain detailed testing information you’ll need
to schedule your test session. Once you have this, it’s your responsibility to
schedule your exam with a Prometric testing center. This can be done by
telephone, or by going to www.prometric.com once Prometric has processed
your online application.

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Upon arrival at the testing facility, you’ll be asked to sign in, and you’ll be
called by the exam proctor in the order you signed in. You must present your
eligibility letter and two forms of ID to begin the test.

One form of identification must be government-issued, with a picture and a


signature (driver’s license, passport), and the other can be a credit card or PMI
membership card, as long as it contains a signature.

We guarantee you will pass the PMP exam - we do more than just teach you
about Project Management. While our methodologies may seem unusual
compared with conventional professional education, they’re well proven and
probably not like anything you’ve experienced before. Trust in our process
and proven success, and you will pass the PMP exam - guaranteed.

Cheetah Tip!
There is a science to preparing people for the PMP exam. The key is
not in the “what”, it’s in the “how” of using accelerated learning in our
curriculum design. Others may offer a 4 day “boot camp”, but that is
not what Cheetah’s program is.

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You will be given a locker outside the testing rooms for storing personal belongings.
Many testing centers also require you to completely empty your pockets before
testing; this means no keys, no writing instruments, no wallets - nothing at all in any
pockets. Many testing centers also deny you access to storage lockers during the
exam, so any snacks and water (you will need these) should be kept outside or on
top of lockers.

Once personal belongings are stowed away, you’ll be given earplugs, scratch paper,
and two pencils (or an erasable tablet and suitable pen). PMI has added a calculator
function to the exam, and will not allow you to bring a programmable calculator to
the test. The proctor then takes you to your specific testing station, which is
separated from the other stations by partitions that look like office cubicle walls.

Depending on the testing center, the room may be dimly or brightly lit, and you
may have a desk lamp. It might be hot or cold, so dress in layers just in case. The
computer screen is normally 19” to give you a large viewing area, and the test
questions are presented one at a time in plain black and white to avoid screen
clutter. Some candidates find the screen to be little too close for easy viewing,
so bring any glasses or reading aids you might need.

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If you have special considerations, such as ADD, a visual impairment, cerebral palsy,
etc., you can contact PMI and request special consideration. You will usually be
asked to provide a doctor’s note specifying the condition and request additional
time or help - such as a reader if you have a visual impairment. In our experience,
PMI is generous about giving extended time for the test and providing any
necessary resources. The consideration must be approved and in place before
you receive your eligibility. The testing center cannot provide special consideration
unless you are verified beforehand as eligible. Do not be shy about requesting this
consideration, as you want to pass the test the first time.

Once you’re situated at your testing station, your proctor will help you begin the
examination process. You’ll be given the option to use a computer tutorial prior to
beginning the exam, which we highly recommend. Time spent on the tutorial does
not count against your allotted test time, and the tutorial can greatly help you get
acclimated to the testing environment. As you begin the exam, a clock also starts to
show you how much time you have remaining to complete the exam. Total allotted
time for the exam is 4 hours.

Cheetah Tip!
When people can absorb new information in at least three different
formats and contexts, they can more quickly and easily recall that
information. When studying for the PMP exam, find a variety of formats
that present the information on the test and review your study
material as least three times.

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Passing Score

The PMP exam has 200 multiple-choice questions, with 175 of those items scored
and 25 un-scored. All questions are drawn randomly from a bank of thousands of
possible questions, and therefore no two exams will be identical.

NOTE: The 25 un-scored items are placed randomly throughout the exam
and not counted against your grade. However, you will not know which
questions are un-scored.

There are two levels of information provided on your score sheet. One is the overall
examination results, which tells you whether you passed or failed. The other is a
diagnostic representation of your proficiency level in different domains. Each
domain is accompanied by one of three possible proficiency levels: proficient,
moderately proficient, or below proficient. There is not a minimum or maximum
number of domains in which you need to demonstrate proficiency in order to pass
the exam - pass/fail is determined by overall score only.

Professionals from our Cheetah Exam Prep for the PMP course who score very high
on the exam have a wide range and depth of PM experiences. They have the ability
to completely immerse themselves in the four-day classroom or four-week online
program, and also properly implement the techniques taught in the program to
relax and focus during the exam.

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Cheetah Tip!
When people submit their PMP eligibility application online with PMI, it
takes approximately 5-10 days for PMI to respond by requesting payment
for the exam. You will pay PMI for the exam as they grant the certificates.
Once you pay PMI for your exam, you will either be informed you were
chosen for a random audit or be issued an eligibility letter which includes
information you need to schedule your exam at www.prometric.com

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Re-examination

If you don’t pass the exam on your first attempt, you can take it again. You will just
need to submit a re-examination form to PMI. There is no waiting period to submit
the form or to retake the exam, and you can usually reschedule your exam within
two weeks. However, there is a time limit to submit re-examination forms; forms
must be submitted within one year from the original test date.

Once PMI processes the re-examination fee, they’ll send you a new eligibility letter
containing testing information and identification code. You are allowed to test three
times per year, and If you don’t pass in these three attempts, you must wait a year
to reapply to sit for the exam again. The re-examination fee is $275.00 USD for PMI
members and $375.00 USD for non-members.

Exam Questions

Be careful if you’re practicing with an exam database that gives you short questions
with five answers. That is the previous format when the exam was 320 fact-oriented,
multiple-choice questions, and is not applicable to the current exam format. Thank
goodness PMI took a different approach!

With the old exam, candidates were given eight hours to complete the exam. So if
you knew your facts and figures, you could whip through the exam questions pretty
easily. With the new format, all of this has changed.

Today’s exam is designed to fully test your understanding of modern Project


Management concepts, standards, tools, and techniques – not to see if you can
regurgitate a boatload of facts and figures. The questions are designed to test both
your understanding of concepts and your practical application abilities, so you will
see a wide variety of question types.

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Exam Tip!

Being relaxed is the best way to pass this exam. Eat an adequate high
protein, low carb meal before the exam, learn stress-reduction techniques
for when things get tense. Drive to the exam location several days before
your exam to be sure you know how to get there. Lastly, make sure to
bring healthy snacks and water for your breaks.

The exam includes some simple, factual questions such as these two examples:

Which of the following is used to ensure the description of the product


of the project is correct and complete?

A. Verify Scope
B. Procurement Audit
C. Configuration Management
D. Project Management Information System

Your most recent project status report contains the following information:
EV=3,500, AC=4,500 and PV=4,200. The schedule variance is:

A. +1,000
B. +700
C. -700
D. -1,000

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Many questions will require you to eliminate the incorrect answer, such as:

Inputs to develop schedule include all of the following except:

A. Network Diagrams
B. Risk Register
C. Activity Resource Requirements
D. Project Scope Statement

PMIS is a tool in which of the following processes:

A. Perform Integrated Change Control


B. Direct and Manage Project Execution
C. Monitor and Control Project Work
D. Develop Schedule

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There are also some fill-in-the-blank type questions. The examples up to this
point represent the easier types of questions on the exam. The more difficult
questions, which comprise most of the exam, ar e those that present a
hypothetical situation and then ask you for the best response. Here is an example:

You’ve been hired to manage a multinational team of engineers to build


a bridge across an isthmus. The team completed the project on time and
within budget. At the ribbon cutting ceremonies, you are presented with
the keys to the city and a vacation package for two. Your most appropriate
action would be to:

A. Gracefully accept both


B. Accept the key to the city but decline the vacation for two
C. Accept both but return the vacation for two in private after the ceremony
D. Decline both

These questions can be very challenging, especially if you’re anxious and tired. First,
the question itself is long and drawn out, then it requires you to make a judgment
call rather than offering concrete answers. With this type of question, you must stay
focused, clearly understand what is being asked, and use a combination of your
training and practical experience to select the best answer.

In the example question above, all four options are logical, but one is better than
the others. Here the best answer is the second one, according to PMI’s Code of
Ethics and Professional Conduct. Many candidates get this type of question wrong
because they either fail to fully understand what the question asks, or they don’t
understand the concepts behind PMI’s Standards. Our programs will have you well
familiar with these types of questions and ready to navigate the exam with confidence.

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If you have studied the right materials, know The PMBOK® Guide, can draw on a
solid experiential background in Project Management, and stay focused throughout
the exam, you will do fine with all question types.

Cheetah Tip!
You do not have to start the exam when you first sit down. We recommend
you do the tutorial first, then start the exam. Cheetah test takers are able
to quickly record the key PM concepts and equations on scratch paper
provided by the test center when they first arrive. This keeps them calm
when they encounter difficult questions that require working through
complex calculations or thought processes. It also makes them feel less
rushed to get their answers down before they forget them.

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Preparation and Study

There is an unlimited amount of advice within the Project Management community


concerning what to study and how to prepare to successfully pass the PMP exam,
including scores of good reference books and commercial exam prep courses available.

Regardless of the approach and sources of information you decide to use,


there are two basic musts:

1. You must have an effective combination of both practical experience and formal
training in modern Project Management to pass the PMP exam. You cannot
succeed without both.

2. Assuming you satisfy the experiential criteria for certification, you must acquire
formal training in modern Project Management concepts, standards, tools, and
techniques. Most candidates who take the exam have solid experience and
training in several Project Management areas.

Exam Tip!
During the test, mark the questions on the computer if you don’t immediately
know the answer, so you can easily find them when you go back to check
them later. By the time Cheetah students get to the exam, they’re already in
the habit of recording whether they knew the answer immediately, could
narrow their choices or had no idea. This allows them to focus on the questions
they know and move through the exam quickly, leaving time to go back to the
ones they marked. Not only does this save time during the exam, but it builds
your confidence as you answer the easier questions first and your mind is
clear for the more difficult ones.

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The PMP exam requires a thorough understanding in all areas of Project Management
in order to pass. As relatively few candidates have a comprehensive understanding
of all areas of Project Management, chances are you’ll need some formal training to
reinforce your weaker areas and ensure you’re up to date on the proper PMI terminology.

A general outline of areas in which you must have a thorough understanding


is provided by the current PMBOK® Guide:

• Project Management Context and Framework


• Project Management Processes and the Five Process Groups
• Multiple sets of Inputs/Tools and Techniques/Outputs
• 49 Defined Project Management Processes
• 45 Common Project Management Acronyms
• Over 385 Project Management Term Definitions
• All Ten Project Management Knowledge Areas
1. Project Integration Management
2. Project Scope Management
3. Project Schedule Management
4. Project Cost Management
5. Project Quality Management
6. Project Resource Management
7. Project Communications Management
8. Project Risk Management
9. Project Procurement Management
10. Project Stakeholder Management

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A thorough understanding of and working skills with:

• Network Diagramming
• Earned Value Analysis
• Project Scheduling
• General Management Practices
• Change Control Systems
• Work Authorization Systems
• Work Breakdown Structures
• Strategic Business Planning
• Project Task Interdependencies
• Estimating
• General Accounting Standards
• Quality Control
• Quality Assurance
• Conflict Management
• Motivation Theory
• Communications Management
• Risk Management
• Contracts Administration
• Procurement Management
• PMP Professional Responsibility

Cheetah Tip!
Make sure the PMP exam method that you use reflects the information in the
PMBOK Guide - Sixth Edition. This is the most recent PMBOK book and the basis
of the current PMP exam.

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There are many sources of information and training available to help you prepare
for the exam. The important thing to recognize is that your sources need to include
all of the listed items.

The PMBOK® Guide is essential in preparing for your PMP exam..You must know it
inside and out, understanding that The PMBOK® Guide is an industry standard. It is
not a teaching guide or textbook, so it may initially be difficult to read and intuitively
understand, but remember that it is crucial for success. You cannot learn modern
Project Management from The PMBOK® Guide alone, but it is an indispensable tool
you must be familiar with.

Successful preparation requires supplementing your PMBOK® Guide studies with


other materials that address the basics of modern Project Management. There are
many excellent texts and desk references available, written by experts in Project
Management - some offer in-depth and comprehensive information, while others
are good for quick answers to common Project Management tools and techniques.
Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling (8th
edition, 2001) by Harold Kerzner, Ph.D., provides most of the supplementary
information you’ll need to be successful. It is a 1,200-page, small-print text that
takes some time to master, so plan to spend lots of time with this book. It is also a
good idea to focus your supplemental study only on those areas that track with

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The PMBOK® Guide. Use The PMBOK® Guide to identify the areas you need to
study and then go to the other PM references for that supplemental information.
About 1/6th of the questions on the PMP exam address Professional Responsibility.
The best single source of study material in this area is PMI’s Code of Ethics and
Professional Conduct, available at PMI’s web site. The concept and practice of
respecting cultural differences is an integral part of Professional Responsibility, so
any material that addresses this topic may be a good source for supplemental study.

Exam Tip!
You have a little more than one minute per question during the exam. The
best strategy is to answer the easy questions first since you don’t score more
points by answering the hard ones.

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Updates to the PMP® Certification Exam

PMI updated the PMBOK to the sixth edition in 2017, and they released the newest
exam March 25, 2018.

The Sixth Edition continues to reflect the evolving knowledge within the
profession of project management and represents generally recognized good
practices in the profession. The major changes from the 5th edition to the 6th
edition PMBOK are the following:

• Two Knowledge Area names were changed to reflect the work that is done:
Time Management was changed to Project Schedule Management, and
Human Resource Management was changed to Project Resource Management
to address both team resources and physical resources.

• Some processes were eliminated, moved or added: Close Procurements was


eliminated; Estimate Activity Resources was moved to Project Resource
Management; and Manage Project Knowledge, Control Resources, and
Implement Risk Responses were added.

• Each Knowledge Area now includes material on key concepts, trends and
emerging practices, tailoring considerations, and input on agile/adaptive
environments.

• Nine process names were changed to improve consistency across the process
and improve clarity.

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Self Study or Commercial Prep

Surveys indicate that 10% of all candidates take the self-guided study approach.
With this method, you get back what you put into it - if you’re confident you can
learn and assimilate all the material you need to know to clear the exam, and you
can put in several hours per day for several months, you may want to try this route.

It’s not the fastest, but if you have more time than money (and you can’t make mon-
ey from your time), then it’s the way to go. The worst that will happen is you spend
three-to-six months studying and don’t pass the exam. Self-guided study certainly
works for some candidates, but for most, it represents the longest and riskiest path.

Cheetah Tip!
Find out the qualifications of the company offering the exam prep. How many
years have they been in business? How often do they cancel classes? How
often do their teachers teach their PMP prep course? How often do they
update their training material and how do they do it? How often do they
update their exam questions? Don’t just believe what you read - find out from
former students, colleagues, friends, and family what they have heard.

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Types of Courses

If passing the exam after investing hours of study time is important to you, then
you should consider a prep course. But make sure your time is well spent - some
prep courses provide the same information you get in this guide and not much
more, and there are many seminars and development courses from which to choose.

There are a variety of options for commercial training, and there are pros and cons
to consider with each approach. For example, the majority of PMP prep courses are
two or three days in length, cost about $1,700 (without travel costs), and promise
the world in their promotional materials. However, all they really do is direct you
on what to study and provide you with their recommended study materials, much
of which we cover in this guide - you will likely have to spend a few hundred hours
studying on your own.

Before signing up for one of these programs, talk directly with the provider to
clearly understand what you’re getting.

Many guarantee that you will pass using their method, but there are all types
of hoops you have to jump through to validate the guarantee in terms of
precourse and post-course studying.

They also over promote their pass rates and simply rely on their students to
accurately report their own scores.

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We have also discovered over the years (as did the PhD candidate studying PMP
exam prep providers) - all the other PMP exam prep providers just do not hold all
that many courses per year. If they did, she would have included them in her
research. Yet their websites list numerous courses with venues that are TBD. Buyer
beware here - if the venue is TBD, there is a high probability they will take your
money, cancel the class for which you registered, and talk you into taking one they
will be holding at a later time. Also, there is very much a science to preparing for
this exam, and it’s not the type of thing you can teach once or twice a year and give
your students the best chance of passing. You need a coach that lives and breathes PMP.

At Cheetah Learning, our PMP coaches teach the PMP course fifteen to thirty
times a year. Additionally, their pay is based, in part, on whether their
students pass(which we verify with PMI). So our pass rates are the ONLY
documented pass rates in the industry that undergo a full, internal audit.
Ask the provider you’re considering about their instructors: not just how
often they teach, but also how they are compensated and audited.

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Several providers offer hundreds of sample exam questions, typically available
online or on mobile phone apps, to help you prepare. Practicing with sample test
questions is a valuable and very effective technique to help prepare for the exam
and should be included in any PMP exam-prep program. However, this is certainly
not an effective stand-alone study method.

Be careful of any commercially available exam questions as many are based


on old exams - we have had numerous students come to us through the years that
had used these exam banks, were doing very well on their practice exams, yet still
failed the real exam. It can be very disorienting to prepare extensively using
outdated test question and then find a completely different types of questions
on the exam. Imagine spending all those hours studying the wrong stuff...

Remember that no commercial training groups know what questions are on


any given exam. If they claim to or claim they have written the exam, be careful.
If you use their material you may violate PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional
Conduct and lose the PMP certification you worked so hard to attain. PMI has
very strict rules against sharing with others what was on the exam.

It is much more important to fully understand the standards, concepts, tools,


and techniques, and how to synthesize your experience related to the PMI way.
This way, you are prepared to effectively tackle any question presented in any
format. If you’re using one of these tools to prepare and you easily score in the high
90s, then the questions are not representative of what you’ll see on the exam, and
your resource is not going to help you much.

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Some providers offer online options to get you through the certification process.
These approaches give you access to their content and some are even instructor
backed. You must be disciplined to complete these programs, and some recom-
mend you set aside at least 16 weeks to go through them.

It is important that you clearly understand what you’re getting into with a PMP
Exam Prep program.

More than one-third of our students come to Cheetah after having gone
through someone else’s exam prep course and finding it ineffective.

Knowing your options is important, especially when deciding with your employer
which PMP prep is right for you and your organization.

Cheetah Tip!
We participate in a variety of social media forums where we hear a
number of different “takes” on the PMP exam. Some people say the
first 50 questions are the hardest; others say the first 10 questions were
especially challenging or that there were many long and complex questions
throughout. Each PMP exam is randomly generated so there is no “typical”
test. To ensure Cheetah students are prepared for whatever is on their
particular exam, we prepare them in two ways.

First, they learn how to stay relaxed and focused even under difficult
situations. Second, Cheetah instructors and training developers are
constantly reviewing the most current edition of The PMBOK® Guide and
integrating fresh, updated material into our course. For these reasons, we
believe Cheetah offers you the best chance to pass the PMP exam.

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SECTION 5
What Is The Cheetah Difference?

With our complete immersion approach, Cheetah Learning is your


hands-down-best chance to pass the PMP, and it’s what our students from
the largest and most prestigious companies from around the world know.

Cheetah Exam Prep classes for the PMP (both online and classroom courses)
are designed to prevent the retention leaks that occur when you continually
start and stop the study process. In our four-day classroom course, you study
the right material in the most efficient way to stimulate instant recall and
accelerate learning.

One of Cheetah’s alumni, Pat McNabb, commented about the Cheetah


Exam Prep course:

“....the attitude of importance, encouragement, and 24-hour-a-day focus is like


a wave that sweeps you up and helps carry you through the exam. Someone
asked me what I thought about taking a series of Saturday classes in prep for
the exam. My thought is that this kind of learning would be too diluted to have
the same impact of the solid four-day infusion that Cheetah delivers.”

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Cheetah’s four-week online course follows the same accelerated learning principles
and delivers the same successful results.

Cheetah Tip!
There are a number of honest and reputable companies that offer PMP
exam prep programs, but don’t fall for deceptive advertising tactics.
Ask the following questions:

1. Do you guarantee I will pass the exam? If so, find out the terms of their
guarantee.

2. How do you document your pass rates? Many companies make


undocumented claims about pass rates. If they don’t verify each student’s
results, be careful. Also, ask how their instructors are compensated. Cheetah
PMP coaches are compensated based on verified pass rates for their
students, and the Cheetah pass rate is internally audited.

3. Do most people take the test immediately after the prep program? If the
prep provider doesn’t encourage you to take the exam immediately
following the course, be guaranteed that you will have to do more
studying after their program.

4. Do I need to purchase extra prep material in addition to what I get in class?


With Cheetah, all you need is a copy of the PMBOK Guide (which many
Project Managers already have). Most other training companies give you a
large list of materials you need to purchase, then leave you on your own
to study. This can end up costing you more money and time than you
initially budgeted, and may reduce your chances of passing the exam. At
Cheetah, you learn how to pass the PMP exam - guaranteed. You just
need to show up.

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Cheetah Alumni, Jon Stevens, said:
“...by the time I finished the course, I was averaging just below 90% on the practice
tests and feeling very confident for the exam... I would recommend the Cheetah
online PMP exam-prep course to anyone.”

Cheetah’s approach is modeled on accelerated learning techniques that have been


proven over the course of 40 years, and it is supported by more than a dozen certified
Cheetah PMP coaches - the most in the industry - who are certified in coaching
people using accelerated learning principles.

Cheetah’s method offers the highest level of assurance that you will pass the exam,
even with your busy schedule. Cheetah’s very first accelerated exam prep course
launched the week of 9/11 in 2001 - and we all remember the tragic events of that
day. As our nation mourned and came together with a singularity of purpose that
superseded all other priorities at that moment in time, our first group of students
all passed the PMP exam. Even with all your responsibilities and obligations,
Cheetah will get you a passing score.

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If you do not pass the exam after completing our course, you’ll be immediately
enrolled in our momentum course, work one-on-one with your classroom instructor,
and register to retake the exam within thirty days. This has proven to be very
successful, and the small fraction of our students who don’t pass on the first
attempt have little problem passing on the second.

Joining PMI

Although there is no requirement to be a PMI member for PMP certification, it


makes sense to join. Annual membership fees are low, and you receive numerous
benefits - including an immediate $150 USD discount on your certification exam
fee - the discount alone pays for your first year. As a member, you are part of the
world’s largest network of Project Management Professionals, and can enjoy the benefits
of staying well informed and networking with other professionals in the field.

About Cheetah Exam Prep for the PMP

We have extensive information about the online, classroom, and virtual Cheetah
Exam Prep for the PMP courses on our website at www.cheetahlearning.com.
You also can call our Cheetah Success Coaches at 855-286-9900.

Cheetah Tip!
Most people find the examination process very stressful, but those who go
through the exam after the Cheetah Exam Prep course are encouraged and
supported by following our diet, exercise, lifestyle, and attitude plan to
significantly decrease their stress levels. Our program also improves their
focus and concentration, even under the most difficult circumstances. Course
participants say they have never felt better - passing the exam is sure to help
with that overall feeling of wellbeing.

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Class Offerings

We offer our classroom program weekly in cities throughout the United States and
onsite at clients’ facilities. We also offer a virtual classroom program eight times
throughout the year. Check the current schedule by visiting our website at www.
cheetahlearning.com or calling 855-286-9900.

If you have a minimum of eight candidates who are interested in participating in


the program, we will consider hosting a public course in your area. Contact us to
see if we can add your city to our event calendar. Since we also teach this course
in-house, we can organize a class at your company if you have 10 or more candidates
for certification - providing all the benefits of our public classes along with cost savings.

If you can’t make it to one of our classroom locations, be sure to learn about
our four-day Virtual Live classes where you set yourself up at your own home
office or kitchen table.

Or, consider our Online Cheetah Exam Prep for the PMP exam courses where,
instead of four days in the classroom, you can go through the same preparation
over a four-week period, spending 12 to 14 hours per week studying.

Cost Comparison and EMV

During our exam-prep PMP course, students learn how to analyze the risk of
different project options known as Expected Monetary Value analysis.

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Getting the PMP certification is a project - it’s a temporary endeavor, unique, and
has a definite beginning and end. There are two ways of completing that project;
you can choose between the Cheetah accelerated approach and the traditional
approach (self-study). Each approach has associated risks, and these risk “events”
can have either a positive or a negative impact on individual results. Let’s take a
look at those risk events.

The four basic risk events associated with pursuing the PMP are:

1. Passing the PMP exam


2. Failing the PMP exam
3. Studying for the PMP exam
4. Taking a PMP exam-prep course.

These risk events can happen whether you choose Cheetah’s accelerated approach
or the traditional approach. For each risk event, there exists a probability that it will
occur and an associated cost (or gain) for that risk event.

The expected monetary value (US pricing) for each risk event is calculated by
multiplying the probability of the risk event times the cost (or gain) of that risk event
occurring. With this information, we can calculate the expected monetary value for
the risk events associated with each PMP pursuit option, and determine an overall
expected monetary value for the accelerated PMP pursuit approach vs. the tradi-
tional PMP pursuit approach.

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The example below shows the Expected Monetary Value Analysis for the Cheetah
PMP Exam Prep vs. the Traditional Approach for getting the PMP certification. A
positive number represents a gain while a negative number represents a loss.

The Expected Monetary Value Analysis shows that with the Cheetah approach to
pursuing the PMP, there is an associated $13,475 gain. With the traditional
approach, there is only an associated $1900 gain. This makes the Cheetah approach
an $11,575 better option.

Probability Impact Expected Probability Impact Expected


Risk Event of Occurring ($) Monetary of Occurring ($) Monetary
Value (P x I) Value (P x I)

Pass the +$20,000 60% +$20,000


98% (our
(typical pay +19,600 (standard (typical pay +12,000
Test pass rate)
raise) pass rate) raise)

-$275 (avs 40% -$275 (avs


Fail the 2% (our -$110
cost to re- -$5.50 (standard cost to re-
fail rate)
Test take exam) fail rate) take exam)
80% (% of
100% (our -$2,000 (40 -$9,000 (180
Study for people who
course is a hours X -$2,000 hours X -$7,200
the Test study this
week long. $50/hr) $50/hr)
much)
-$3,350 (avs -$3,350 90% (% of -$3,100 (avs
Take a 100% (cost cost of (avs people who spend on
-$2,790
Course of course) classroom classroom take a prep competitive
course) cost) materials
course)

Gain/Loss $13,475 USD $1,900 USD

The Gold Standard in PM Education

52 | 855-286-9900 | www.cheetahlearning.com | © Copyright 2018 Cheetah Learning.


What Does it Take to Be a Cheetah Student?

If you know how to get things done, you’ll be more inclined to want to use Cheetah
to become PMP certified. Imagine if you had one Project Manager approach you
and say, “This project has a 60% chance of being successful, and it’s going to take
me six months.” Then you have another Project Manager approach you who says,
“This project has a 98% chance of being successful, and it will take me a week.”

Who would you think was the better Project Manager? If you choose the
second project manager, you have what it takes to be a Cheetah student.

We have seen numerous companies come and go in our decades of helping people
become PMP certified. Most stay in business three years or less because they don’t
have Cheetah’s success rate or follow-up programs. Many may look well established
and claim they have a similar program as Cheetah, but they just are not offering
classes as often to as many students or achieving the consistent success we do
here at Cheetah.

We know this based on feedback from students who come to us after evaluating
other options. We are well into our second decade of helping people just like you
become PMP Certified - if you’re serious about your success in Project Management,
tell your employer that Cheetah Learning is not only your best chance of passing
the PMP, but the most logical choice from the three perspectives that drive all
projects — cost, schedule, and quality.

The Gold Standard in PM Education

© Copyright 2018 Cheetah Learning. | www.cheetahlearning.com | 855-286-9900 | 53


Covered Costs

The cost of the classroom Cheetah Exam Prep for the PMP course is shown once
you click on the Register for Class link next to your selected class, and the same
goes for the Online Course cost once you click on the Register PMP Exam Prep
Online Course link, both found on www.cheetahlearning.com.

The cost of the four-day class includes all class materials, equipment, lunch,
mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. This is in addition to the expert
coaching by PMP exam trainers who are available at the students’
convenience for more than 14 hours per day, PLUS a guarantee that you
will pass the exam.

You just need to bring a copy of The PMBOK® Guide with you, along with a person-
al listening device for our alpha accelerated recordings. Our course cost does not
include the price PMI charges to take the exam - you are required to pay the exam
fee directly to PMI once you receive approval to test, and you are responsible for
scheduling your own exam date.

The Gold Standard in PM Education

54 | 855-286-9900 | www.cheetahlearning.com | © Copyright 2018 Cheetah Learning.


Cheetah’s price reflects very high value – a 12-year 98% audited success rate
that requires four days of your valuable time.

You need just one week to complete all exam preparation work and take the actual
PMP exam. Once you factor in the cost of study materials, class fees, and study
hours, other exam preparation options are considerably more costly and time
consuming. The online course cost covers all materials, and unlimited online access
to your instructor for the four week prep time. The course cost does not include the
fee PMI charges to take the exam.

Exam Scheduling is Important

We highly recommend you schedule your exam on the Friday morning immediately
following the last day of class (or the next day after completing the online course)
at the Prometric test facility most convenient to our prep facility, or to your home
if you choose online prep. Once registered for a classroom course, we provide you
a list of the Prometric testing centers nearest to our facility. Our online course kit
provides a link to where you can view all Prometric locations and test times.

In the event that your eligibility application isn’t in on time to reserve a seat at
the exam location for that Friday, we suggest you schedule your exam early the
following week, when you return to your hometown.

The Gold Standard in PM Education

© Copyright 2018 Cheetah Learning. | www.cheetahlearning.com | 855-286-9900 | 55


Cheetah’s Guarantee

We guarantee that you will pass the PMP® exam after fully participating* in
Cheetah Learning's accelerated PMP® exam preparation program.

Our method involves a highly specialized approach to learning that relies on


candidate participation in all vital areas, we can only offer this guarantee if you fully
participate in the program. Just as we couldn’t guarantee your car would run
without any number of single components (keys, fuel, battery, etc.), we can make
no guarantee of our process without your full participation.

While it's best to take the exam the day after class ends, to be part of the guarantee
you must take your exam within 7 days of the last day of class. If you do not pass
your exam, Cheetah Learning will provide you with a momentum program to help
you shore up your weak areas and guide you through the process of rescheduling
your exam. You must take the retake exam within 30 days of the first exam, and
if you need to test for a third time, you must take that exam within 30 days of the
second exam.

In the event you are still not a PMP after a third attempt to pass the exam (all three
attempts must be after attending and fully participating* in the Cheetah Exam
Prep® or the PMP® Exam Classroom course), we will refund the entire course fee
to the party who paid for the course.

The Gold Standard in PM Education

56 | 855-286-9900 | www.cheetahlearning.com | © Copyright 2018 Cheetah Learning.


*Fully participating means that you…

• have a Cheetah Success Coach review your PMI eligibility application information
before you submit it to PMI to ensure that, if you get audited, your application
will pass the audit.

• show up with your approval letter from PMI and your exam scheduled within
7 days of the last day of class (day 5 of the class week is best for success).

• have your Memory Map 100% memorized so that you can recreate it in 15
minutes on the first morning of class (you will be graded on this - you can use
abbreviations as long as you know what they mean).

• show up with a copy of the PMBOK® Guide and the Cheetah Alpha Accelerator
Files downloaded onto a personal listening device.

• participate in all classroom activities including arriving on time, returning from


breaks on time, and staying until class is dismissed.

• keep electronics (smartphones, tablets, laptops etc) off during class (NOT set on
silent or vibrate).

• return any Cheetah Property such as your Knowledge Area Exam booklet and any
items your coach may have loaned you directly to your coach before the end of class.

• take the exam within 7 days of the last day of class.

• if you do not pass your exam, you must retake the exam within 30 days of your
most recent attempt. your coach will provide you with momentum activities
which you will need to complete as described.

• if you do not pass your retake exam, you must take another retake exam within
30 days of the previous exam.

The Gold Standard in PM Education

© Copyright 2018 Cheetah Learning. | www.cheetahlearning.com | 855-286-9900 | 57


Retaking the PMP Exam with Cheetah

In the unlikely event you are not able to pass the PMP exam on your first attempt,
notify your PMP Coach immediately so that he or she can provide customized tips
based on your actual exam results (fax or email your score sheet from the Prometric
testing center to your PMP coach) and access to Cheetah Learning’s Momentum
Program where you will use your classroom materials to prepare for your exam retake.

Your coach will be able to tell if you had trouble in a particular area of knowledge,
or if you had a test-taking technique issue. She or he will guide you through the
process of rescheduling your second or third exam and participating in the online
momentum program. Please note that you must take the second exam and/or third
exam within 30 calendar days of the most recent exam date.

In the unlikely event you do not pass the PMP exam after your third attempt and
have fully participated in the program, Cheetah Learning will fully refund the fee
you paid us to take the course.

If you do not pass the exam Cheetah Learning will either


(a) extend your online access to our exam-prep class for an additional four
weeks or
(b) provide you with a promotion code to receive a $750 USD discount off our
four-day exam prep classroom course at any of the scheduled locations in
the United States.

Our four-week, exam-prep course guarantee is valid ONLY if you complete the
pre-course work in two weeks, the Exam Prep Online course in four weeks, and
you take your second exam within 30 calendar days of failing the first time.

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58 | 855-286-9900 | www.cheetahlearning.com | © Copyright 2018 Cheetah Learning.


Cheetah’s Success Rate

Since we started offering this program, tens of thousands of participants - most of


who are now PMPs - have gone through our Cheetah Exam Prep for the PMP exam.

We know what you need to know to pass the exam; we have it down to a science.
This is not an “add on” course for us like it is for many PMP Exam Prep providers or
for companies that have tried to copy our program to offer it in-house as their own.

Interestingly, we still get a great number of students from companies that have
created their own “Cheetah-like” PMP Exam Prep program. They just can’t afford the
hit to their career if they don’t pass the exam.

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Preparing people to be QUICKLY successful with the PMP exam is what we do.
We have the most Accelerated PMP courses offered worldwide, and we are also
the fastest at rolling in new changes to the course to ensure our pass rate
remains stellar.

We are the best because we put all our energy into making sure our students
are the most successful people on the planet.

We are the best because we put all our energy into making sure our students are
the most successful people on the planet.

Cheetah Exam Prep for the PMP is the course to take if you need to earn your PMP
and want the assurance that you will pass the PMP exam the day immediately
following your course.

Cheetah Learning is Your Best Chance to Pass the PMP Exam

Cheetah supports a 98% pass rate by tracking each and every student who
comes to class. We verify they have passed by having them fax their score sheet to
their Cheetah Coach AND check to make sure their name is listed on the PMI registry.

Since our PMP coaches are paid, in part, based on their students’ success, all our
pass rates are audited as part of their compensation. We support our students,
if they do not pass the first time, to make sure they stay focused and attain
their certification.

The Gold Standard in PM Education

60 | 855-286-9900 | www.cheetahlearning.com | © Copyright 2018 Cheetah Learning.


You can register at our web site,

www.cheetahlearning.com
or by contacting our registration hotline toll free:

• in the United States at 855-286-9900


• outside the United States at 604.536.2531

Once you register and pay, you have access to our online orientation
kit to speed you through the PMP certification application and prepare
you to pass the exam after four days in our classroom course, or four
weeks in our online class.

We look forward to becoming part


of YOUR ongoing success story!

“If you had charged me $10,000 for this, I would have been happy
to pay it. This was the best course I ever took. PERIOD.”

-J. C., PMP, Project Manager | Jade Kat Project Management Inc.
(Ottawa, Canada)

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