CAPM Practice Exam: The Best CAPM Practice Test To Pass
Are you ready to prove that you can manage projects? The PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)? certification is a great way to show that you are confident working in a project environment.
The CAPM certification gives you the edge as a professional. However, preparing for the test can be a challenge. There is no pass mark available from PMI so it can be hard to know if you are ready. That’s why taking a CAPM exam simulator - or several - is essential to help you prepare.
Numerous test takers suggest in their CAPM exam prep tips to use an exam simulator to show you what to expect, help you plan your time and make studying much easier.
Before we go into that, let’s review the benefits of using a CAPM exam simulator to support your studies.
Why Do You Need a CAPM Practice Exam?
The world of work is becoming increasingly ‘projectized’: in other words, we are doing more work as projects. Research on the future of project management shows that project-based work, greater collaboration, and virtual teams are all trends we must learn to manage… and that’s where project managers come in.
One of the benefits of CAPM is that employers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate they have the knowledge and experience to work in this environment. You want to maximize your study time and pass on your first attempt, right? That’s where an exam simulator can help.
The top 5 reasons that people use practice questions as part of their exam prep, according to the many conversations we’ve had with students, are:
1. Practice with realistic questions
You can find sample questions online and in books, but many are designed simply to test your recall of key concepts and are not representative of what you will find in the ‘real’ CAPM certification exam.
Your exam simulator must have questions similar to those you’ll experience when taking your test because that will help you understand how you will likely perform on the day. The best sample questions mirror the tone, format, phrasing, and difficulty level you should expect in the test.
2. Practice managing your exam time
The CAPM exam is three hours long. There are 150 questions to answer. You can do the math: that’s one question every 1.2 minutes, assuming you don’t need time to check your answers.
Of course, most people want to leave time to check their answers and go back to questions they skipped, so it’s important to practice managing your exam time. A simulator helps you do that by getting you used to the speed expected to make it to the end of the assessment.
3. Study faster and focus on areas for development
Very few students can study full-time, so it’s common to squeeze your study hours into evenings, weekends, and other pockets of time you can find during the day. If you are looking for how to make time for professional development , a top tip is to focus your learning on the areas that will give you the best return.
Answer test questions, check your work, or use CAPM Study Materials . Then, use that information and the detailed reports in the simulator to identify areas where you need to spend more time. It’s normal to find some subjects straightforward and others more complicated to understand. Make the best use of your time by focusing on areas for development based on your test results.
4. Track your performance
We know that students boost their confidence greatly from seeing their test results improve over time. When you have access to data about your performance, you can focus tightly on areas where you need to improve further. You can measure your progress with tangible data and use that information as a feedback loop to get the best results out of your study time.
5. Feel confident on exam day
All these benefits add up to perhaps the most important benefit: confidence.
Nerves can strike anyone, but good preparation and confidence in your ability is key to busting those feelings. Walk into the test center knowing that you know the material and have gotten good results in similar quizzes.
How to Choose the Best CAPM Practice Exam
As you can see, there are many benefits to using test questions as part of your CAPM exam prep. As we’ve also seen, it’s important that your sample quizzes align as closely as possible to what you will experience at the test center. So, how do you identify the best CAPM exam simulator to use?
Based on lessons learned from the CAPM exam and studying, here are the top criteria students look for when choosing what to buy:
That’s a lot to consider! As you review the criteria and assess different options for sample tests, we recommend using our free simulator comparison worksheet . Simply download the worksheet and use it to make notes about each product you are considering. It’s the perfect tool to store your research and support your decision-making process.
OK, now let’s review those selection criteria so you know what to look for.
It’s supplied by a PMI Authorized Training Partner
The most important consideration is that you buy from a PMI-approved supplier. Those suppliers have met strict quality criteria, so you can be confident that you are getting good-quality questions representing what you’ll face on the assessment.
Authorized trainers will advertise their PMI credentials so you can see whether or not they are approved. That information is also on the PMI website, and you can always ask the simulator provider about their status if you aren't sure.
It has enough questions to provide full exams
The exam has 150 questions. You’ll want to take several CAPM practice tests throughout your studies. Ensure the tool you are considering has enough questions to provide at least four full exams with different questions.
You’ll also want to ensure there is an ‘exam mode’: a way of using the test questions in exam conditions to practice what it is like to sit and do an online test for 3 hours.
Expert tip: Take lots of tests to work on your weaknesses
Take lots and lots and lots of mock tests only from reputable sources like PM PrepCast. You will find that there are lots of cheaper mock tests online, but they don't offer support, stats, etc… I did around 2000 questions before taking the exam. Work on your weaknesses. Don't doubt yourself.
领英推荐
Martin Premont , CAPM
It covers the whole exam content outline
The exam content outline is an important document for your CAPM prep. Your sample questions should be pulled from all outline areas, in the right proportions to reflect your real experience on test day.
It almost goes without saying, but we’re going to say it anyway: make sure the product you are considering has been updated to reflect the latest version of the exam content outline and uses up-to-date capm exam materials and references. The exam changes over time, and you might come across outdated versions that have not yet been taken off sale - avoid them!
It’s been written by certified experts
Ensure the questions have been prepared by certified professionals and that the reference materials cited in the explanations are high quality resources.
If the vendor offers a free PM Exam Simulator trial , as we do, sign up and try it. That’s a simple way to assess the quality and ensure the product matches your expectations.
It has great customer reviews
What are people saying about the product? Check out published, independent reviews on Google or Facebook. If other people have had a good experience using the product, it will be a simulator that will help you reach exam success too.
It has great customer service
The best simulators are intuitive and come with detailed ‘how to’ videos and instructions to ensure you get started smoothly. However, if you need help with something, you want to know that someone can quickly sort out your problem so you can get back to studying again.
Read reviews for insights into what customer service is available, and see if there is a customer forum, FAQ section of the website, helpdesk, and access to a customer service team.
It has detailed explanations
When you answer a question and don’t get it right, you need a detailed explanation of why that happened and why the correct answer was a better choice. Understanding the ‘why’ behind the facts has increased retention and accuracy. In one study published in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest , 72% of participants who were prompted to explain a fact were able to recall it accurately, compared to 37% of people who simply remembered the fact alone.
The simulator you choose to use should have explanations for every answer choice as that means no guessing required! You’ll always understand why a response was correct (or why it wasn’t).
Expert tip: Prepare with practice quizzes
I was routinely failing the exam simulators and practice quizzes I was taking on the PM Prepcast. On the one hand, routinely failing my prep was disheartening and made me feel very nervous going into the actual exam. On the other hand, failing the practice tests prompted me to study a LOT harder, so I went into the actual exam very well prepared.
Naomi Mandel , CAPM
It offers test-taking strategies
A simulator by itself is a useful test prep tool, but you know what makes it even more effective? Test-taking strategies, tips, and tricks from people who have successfully passed the exam that’s what.
These could be in a customer forum or delivered via an email course. They’ll give you the edge and help you prepare by knowing what to expect.
Expert tip: Eliminate wrong answers
Read the question completely before you answer. I made a lot of careless mistakes during my first CAPM full test. If you are unsure about the answer, eliminate the wrong options first. For example, if you are not sure about the right answer to the question, try to eliminate the wrong options first. Then focus on the options that are remaining. This will help you narrow down the options you must review.
I was able to take only three full tests. But I would advise you to take all five to increase your confidence level.
Vignesh Kannan , CAPM
It has a delayed start
You’re looking for your CAPM prep materials but don’t want to start taking practice tests yet. You’ve got some study to do before you feel ready to have a go at the first one.
Look for a simulator that lets you buy now and start later. Most simulators come with limited time access, for example, 90 days. You can normally extend the period if you want to.
However, the best tools will let you ‘start the clock’ when ready: the access period doesn’t begin on purchase. That gives you time to revise the core project management concepts and dive into your practice exam questions only when ready.
This feature will help you manage your study time effectively and also help you stick to your budget!
It fits your budget
The cost of the simulator is important. You’ve probably signed up for some free tools in the past and realized the quality could be better. Expect to pay for a good quality simulator, but you don’t want to pay too much!
Think about what you have budgeted to cover your studies and what (if anything) your employer is contributing. Then look for discount coupons on the products you like the best so you get a great price on your study materials.
Where to next?
Project management certification is a fantastic way to show the world that you can make a difference in this career and have the skills and knowledge to do so. However, you want to ensure your journey to earning your CAPM certification is as smooth and fast as possible so you can contribute to your employer’s projects and deliver great value at work.
As we’ve seen, an exam simulator offers plenty of benefits for your studies. It can give you a huge knowledge and confidence boost. Your next step is to review the criteria that are important to you and choose from the products out there. We’re biased towards our simulator - and plenty of customer reviews show why - but ultimately, the decision is yours.
Why not sign up for a free trial and check out the CAPM exam simulator yourself?