Passed CAPM yesterday

Submitted by KABANERJI on Wed, 06/16/2010 - 06:16

I passed my CAPM in the first attempt yesterday. I was running short of the required number of project management hours for PMP and hence preferred to appear CAPM first. I was audited for my CAPM application and I am grateful to pmzilla.com for valuable advice I got from here regarding audit process.


The exam was more difficult than I had imagined it to be. Started with PMBOK (3 nice reads), went through various websites, particularly PMRoadTrip, GunaTools, Rita Mulcahy Book Theory part only, DeepfriedPMP, Kim Heldman, Chowdary's notes that were obtained here etc, this went on for six weeks.


Last two weeks devoted to simulated tests and memorizing the 42 processes, ITTOs, Formulae. Though the way Rita Mulcahy is written is not something I liked, I must say the questions are great! Please note, you have to yourself identify the gaps in your knowledge and fill them up. Nobody can do this for you except your own self. One more important thing you must take care of -- If you happen to be working as a Project Manager, you have to forget your world and your office processes. This exam is about the PMBOK processes, if you fail to recognize that, you are at high risk zone already. 


Learn to read and comprehend very fast - this will help you in the exam. Do not get bothered if you feel the answer given in your simulated test during preparations is wrong, but do spend time to verify whether it is wrong or not, it is worth it. Remember to go through deep breathing techniques while at the exam to relieve your stress and nervousness. Last but not the least -- DO NOT IGNORE THE ITTOs. You may not be able to remember all of them, but you must have the rough idea.


I ended answering all questions in two hours flat, took another 15 minutes to review the 12 questions I had marked for review. I got BP in one - Procurement Management. I got MP in 3 -- Project Life Cycle and Organization, Project Management Processes and Project Quality Management. I got Proficient in the rest of the 8 chapters. Hope to do better in my PMP attempt next year with your good wishes. 


I am very grateful to pmzilla and its various members for the excellent tips they have been providing. The really helped me a lot. Highly recommended!!! 


 


  

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PMP Exam Tips, Tricks and Lessons Learnt.
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The PMP Guru's picture

The PMP Guru

Wed, 06/16/2010 - 15:35

Congratulations KABANERJI:

Thanks for your Lesson Learned.

Can you please give a little more explanation of the Difference Between PMP and CaPM as alot of people asking me. Also I would appreciate about the questions, I have heard CaPM exam is not like PMP as it is about memorization of the PMBOK guide and there are no tricky questions like PMP has.

Kind regards,

The PMP Guru

http://thepmpguru.wordpress.com/

chowdary2104's picture

chowdary2104

Thu, 06/17/2010 - 04:57

Congratulationss Banerji for your grand success.


Wish you all the best for PMP...


Regards,


Lakshmi VR Chowdary A, PMP

coolvenk

Mon, 12/03/2012 - 13:28

 sir i need little bit advice iam planning to project management 
in canada which will lead to pmp or camp certification.
can u just le me know does camp is too difficult to passand does it include maths,

if so how complex maths is involved.

KABANERJI

Thu, 06/17/2010 - 21:05

Differences between CAPM and PMP. I have been in close contact with many PMPs, often interviewing them personally to know in vivid details about this. I have myself done the CAPM (Certified Associate of Project Management) now. I will give you my observation and my opinion, experts from the field may please comment and add to this.


Essentially type of questions are different. Most of the CAPM questions are direct whereas in PMP they are situational. Number of questions is less by 50 in CAPM and time is less by an hour in CAPM, that I think is the big difference. I feel questions are different because I have tried to quiz PMPs right after the exam in order to learn what type of questions were asked in test. Being conscious of the Professional Ethics of PMI members, I always tried to get to know only the type of question and NOT the exact question. Hence I say the type of questions are different.


Memorizing the PMBOK is not the necessity for CAPM, but understanding of the whole big picture along with details of every process is important. I did go through some resources on the web that give you the basic differences between CAPM and PMP. Even there I could not find much stress on memory.  


As far as toughness goes, I had real tough time with some of the questions in CAPM. But on the other hand I may be dumb and not smart enough to solve those questions. On the whole, I felt CAPM was tough. I also noticed some questions were very efficiently designed to distract your attention from the real answer and play with useless data provided as is the case in PMP. There are many situational questions in CAPM as well, so do not get me wrong. What is the exact difference in toughness of the questions in either case can be actually told correctly by someone who has cleared both the exams. To conclude, I feel CAPM is easier than PMP, but both need quite a lot of preparations to clear.

The PMP Guru's picture

The PMP Guru

Fri, 06/18/2010 - 04:47

Thanks for your input, Although I personally am not upto CaPM and never will but since so many people asks.

I have heard from people that the CaPM is purely based on the Memorzation of the PMBOK Guide. I mean it talks about the processes, Definitions etc from the PMBOK and very few situational.

jayvipin

Mon, 10/18/2010 - 10:29

Hi Banerji,


 


Intailly let me express my wishes to you for clearing CAPM...Cheers.


I have also enrolled myself for the CAPM exam , but am confused to what study material should i refer.


Will really appreciate if you can throw some light of exp on this .


 


Awaiting your response.


 


Regards,


Vipin.


 


 


 

hakim_mudassar

Mon, 07/25/2011 - 19:48

I mean, think about it I understand the PMBOK (to a large extent considering the good scroing on tests) & I remember the fact,s wont I just go for PMP. My question is why to go through CAPM when I can understand & pass the PMP ( all thanks to the wonderful HFPMP book ) , sure you need 3 yrs of exp having work done related to all the 5 process group because the designition does not matter as per PMP rules its the role that matters. Dont get me wrong but I clearly dont understand the significance of CAPM over PMP or even giving CAPM then PMP. My statements are clearly in terms of inquiring the actual purpose & not to be judgemental to point CAPM exam or the CAPM exam takers being wrong.  :)

harneetkaursohi

Sat, 12/17/2011 - 05:21

 Hi Bannerjee,

I am preparing for CAPM.I am going through PMBOK and also Rita Mulcahy's book.I want to ask you that did you go through the questions software provided by Rita??

Can you suggest me some links where i can find chapter wise questions for CAPM?

Please reply soon

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Harneet

funatiqek

Fri, 02/15/2019 - 14:35

I never listen that this test is passed in the first attempts when I join this field. But I passed it in just order essay one attempts yesterday that moment was very special foe me and my family also.