How to Pass the PMP – with NO STUDY?

The Most Incredible PMP Test Strategy

The Project Management Professional (PMP) exam can be daunting, but with the right approach, it’s entirely possible to pass – even with minimal study. I’ve helped over 30,000 people pass the PMP exam through my Udemy course and YouTube videos. After analyzing the patterns of successful test-takers, I found five key strategies that can significantly increase your chances of success on the exam. These techniques are designed to streamline the test-taking process and help you manage the complexity of the PMP’s multiple-choice, scenario-based questions.

Here are the five tips to help you pass your PMP:

1. Read the Question and Highlight Key Words

The PMP exam is heavily scenario-based, where each question presents a situation and asks you to identify the best course of action. Many questions will have two or more answers that appear correct, which makes it challenging. To navigate this, read the question carefully and highlighting the key words. The answer is usually embedded in the question itself, so identifying terms like “risk,” “change control,” or “product owner” can give you critical clues.

2. Identify the Project Type: Predictive, Agile, or Hybrid

Once you’ve highlighted the key words, the next step is determining whether the scenario relates to a predictive (waterfall), agile, or hybrid project. For example:

Predictive projects often use terms like “change control,” “risk management,” and “contingency reserves.”

Agile projects include terms such as “product owner,” “Sprints,” “iterations,” and “definition of done.”

Hybrid projects involve a blend of both methodologies. Identifying the type of project will help you understand the appropriate methodology and answer options.

3. Determine the Topic or Principle Being Tested

After identifying the project type, identify the core PMBOK topic or principle the question addresses – whether it’s risk management, procurement, or change control. By narrowing down what the question is about, you’ll be able to eliminate irrelevant answer choices.

4. Eliminate Answers That Don’t Address the Topic

Once you’ve identified the topic and methodology, begin striking through answers that don’t address the issue at hand. If the question is about risk management, for instance, you can immediately discard answers that focus on procurement or resource allocation. This reduces the number of choices and makes it easier to zero in on the correct one.

5. Select the Best Answer

With fewer options left, it’s easier to identify the most appropriate answer. Sometimes, only two choices remain after eliminating the rest, making it much clearer which one directly addresses the question.

6. Bonus Tip: Answer Every Question

One of the simplest yet most crucial tips is to ensure you answer every question. If you leave a question unanswered, you miss out on the potential points. If you’re unsure about a question, flag it and return to it later. You may gather insights from subsequent questions that help you clarify your answer.

7. Bonus Tip: Manage Your Time

Time management is critical during the PMP exam. You have 230 minutes to answer 180 questions, which equates to approximately 1 minute and 15 seconds per question. To stay on track:

You should aim to complete the first 60 questions with 155 minutes remaining.
By the time you reach question 120, you should have about 80 minutes remaining. This pacing will help you stay focused and prevent you from rushing toward the end of the exam.

Practice Question Example

Let’s apply these strategies to a practice question to see how they work in action.

Scenario: You are working as a product owner in an agile team. During a recent risk review, the team has uncovered various risks that will impact the project. The customer wants these risks mitigated as soon as possible. What do you do next?

Step 1: Highlight key words

Key words include “product owner,” “agile,” and “mitigating risks as soon as possible.” These terms signal that the question is focused on risk in an agile environment.

Step 2: Identify project type

The terms “product owner” and “agile” clearly point to an agile project.

Step 3: Determine the topic

The focus is on risk management, specifically addressing how to mitigate risks in an agile setting.

Step 4: Eliminate wrong answers

Options that do not align with agile principles or risk management can be discarded. For instance, an answer focusing on mitigating risks after project execution would be irrelevant in this context.

Step 5: Select the best answer

The correct choice is the one that suggests prioritizing risks in the agile backlog—adjusting the backlog based on the risks’ impact versus the value of deliverables.

Through this method, you narrow down the answer options and increase your chances of selecting the correct response.

Conclusion

By following these five simple yet powerful strategies, you can improve your chances of passing the PMP exam. The test can be challenging, but with the right approach—focusing on reading carefully, identifying key terms, understanding the project type, and eliminating incorrect answers—you can significantly simplify the process. Remember to answer every question, manage your time wisely, and practice regularly.

For those looking to take their preparation to the next level, my Udemy course and PMP Fast Track are excellent resources. These courses help streamline your study and ensure you’re prepared for the exam.

With the right preparation and mindset, passing the PMP exam becomes an achievable goal.

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

See more PMP articles: