As part of Velopi’s Blended Learning Solution, we provide our CAPM^® and PMP^® exam preparation students with access to our online exam simulator. Students are offered a range of trial exams that sharpen their knowledge of the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) and prepare them psychologically for the actual CAPM^® or PMP^® exam.

On this page:

• Benefits of Simulated Exams for CAPM® and PMP® Candidates
• Specialized Knowledge Area Exams and Matching Quizzes
• Analyzing Results and Tips for Exam Success

Benefits of Simulated Exams for CAPM® and PMP® Candidates

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM^®) exam students are offered two, 150-question exams that both have a time-limit of three hours. While the questions themselves will give you a good idea of what to expect in the real CAPM^® exam, the principal benefit of doing this is to experience what a three-hour, multiple-choice, online exam is like. Some candidates will be able to fly through this, perhaps finishing it in half the time. However, others will find themselves losing concentration and will need to take breaks during the exam. Taking the simulator’s exams will allow you decide what type of student you are.

This endurance test is even more significant for PMP^® exam candidates because this will be a four-hour exam. However, many of the PMP^® exam questions are scenario-based and require a bit of thought before answering. Essentially, the main difference between the CAPM^® and PMP^® exams (apart from their lengths) is that the CAPM^® exam is a test of knowledge, whereas the PMP^® exam tests knowledge and experience. In other words, expect plenty of: “You are the project manager. What will you do in this situation?” questions.

Specialized Knowledge Area Exams and Matching Quizzes

These scenario-based questions require more thought and will tire you out faster than simply recalling interesting facts from the PMBOK^® Guide. By doing the Velopi simulated PMP^® exams, you will appreciate just how much is involved. Many very accomplished project managers have failed the PMP^® exam simply because they did not plan their exam strategy. While it might be possible to sit a CAPM^® exam without a break, the PMP^® exam will definitely require a “pit-stop strategy”. We know, for instance, that meetings should be restricted to two-hours in length, because people lose concentration after that. What will your concentration levels be like after 100 PMP^® exam questions? Thanks to the Velopi PMI Exam Simulator, you will learn your own limits and will have your PMP^® exam strategy in mind long before you attempt the real thing.

Velopi provides three simulated 200-question PMP^® exams. Just like the CAPM^® exams, the Velopi student can take these as often as s/he likes. At the end of these exams, all the questions and their correct answers are displayed, along with the rationale behind the correct answers. If these are not clear to you, then your Velopi course instructor is only an e-mail or phone call away. Several of our questions have been revised thanks to queries raised by our students. Remember, you have to be an experienced project manager before you can sit the PMP^® exam, so our students are not just passive attendees. We have learned a lot from their interpretations of questions.

Another type of test we offer our PMP^® exam candidates is the specialized, knowledge area exam. For each of the PMBOK^® Guide’s knowledge areas, we provide a timed exam, similar to those done at the end of each class module. However, the simulator offers exams of up to 50 questions. These are ideal if there is an area that you feel weak on. At the end of your exam attempt, the correct answers and detailed explanations are provided.

Analyzing Results and Tips for Exam Success

Finally, both CAPM^® and PMP^® exam preparation students are given access to our “Matching Quizzes”. These are light-hearted exercises that test your knowledge of the process groups and knowledge areas. Do you know which process has what input? Do you know which process uses what tool or technique? They are excellent ways of crystalizing your inputs / tools & techniques / outputs knowledge.

Another useful aspect of Velopi’s simulated CAPM^® and PMP^® exams is the “Analyze” facility. This breaks down the results of your exam attempt by knowledge area and process group. This will highlight areas you are weak in and will focus your study on those areas. When you get your results at the end of an attempt, there will be a big “Analyze” button on the screen. Press that for your breakdown.

Another useful tip during these CAPM^® and PMP^® exam simulations is to note those questions you feel you definitely got right, those you are not sure of and those that you genuinely do not have an answer for. Then you can confirm that the ones you thought were right actually are and learn about the ones you are uncertain about. A problem with multiple-choice exams is that you can get a lot of questions right through lucky guesses. This is why Velopi recommends that you attempt several of these PMP^® exams before the big day – an excellent score in one could be balanced by a very poor score in another. However, once you get a feel for the type of question being asked, you will find your confidence level growing and the number of answers you know are right increasing.

To learn more about Velopi’s Blended Learning Solution for PMP^® and CAPM^® exam preparation and our range of project management courses available in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway, please visit our training page or contact us directly.

We’re here to help.