How to Pass the 2023 CAPM Exam in 2 Weeks
The strategies I used to become a Certified Associate in Project Management.
Want to pass the 2023 CAPM exam, but don’t know where to start? Here’s a guide to walk you through how I prepared for my own exam (taken March 31, 2023), and scored above target in every knowledge area after just two weeks1 of studying!
Prerequisites
Prior to applying for the CAPM, I completed the Google Project Management Certification course to meet the 35 hours of learning eligibility requirement.
My Studying Timeline and Strategies
Day 1 : Figuring Out What To Learn (1 day)
I started with the (1) Exam Reference List, which contained a list of books and its corresponding chapters and sections to review.
Because reviewing all 7 recommended books was unrealistic, I decided to review only 3 of the books, based on the percentage breakdown that I found in (2) Exam Content Outline.
For project management fundamentals and core concepts - 36%, I used (4) PMBOK Guide 7th edition. For business analysis - 27%, I used (6) The PMI Guide to Business Analysis. And for Agile frameworks/methodologies - 20%, I used (5) Agile Practice Guide. The total price for these resources was $127.60.
Day 2-4: Reading PMBOK Guide 7th Edition (3 days)
I read and took notes on the (4) PMBOK Guide 7th Ed., according to the chapters and sections from the exam reference list.
Day 5: Reviewing PMBOK (1 day)
To internalize what I read, I watched Ricardo' Vargas’s videos that gave an overview of (7) PMBOK 6th, and (8) PMBOK 7th. Furthermore, I watched a video on understanding (11) ITTO patterns. I practiced applying my knowledge with the (13) process and knowledge area mapping game. This looks like a lot for 1 day, but this is only about 3 hours of videos!
Day 6-7: Reading Agile Practice Guide (2 days)
I read and took notes on the (5) Agile Practice Guide, according to the chapters and sections from the exam reference list. To review what I learned, I watched a total of three hours of David Lachlan’s 6-hour long video answer (1) 200 Agile questions, which really introduced me to thinking in the agile mindset for agile-specific questions.
Day 8-9: Reading Business Analysis (2 days)
I read and took notes on the (5) Guide to Business Analysis, according to the chapters and sections from the exam reference list. I also started to watch (9) David McLachlan’s 150 PMBOK 7th Ed questions.
Day 10-11: Review (2 days)
I reviewed the knowledge area and processes with (3) the process group diagram PDF and the (13) Process Group mapping game. By the end of these two days, I watched a total of 3 hours of (9) David McLachlan’s 150 PMBOK 7th Ed questions.
Day 12-13: Testing Myself with Pocket Prep (2 days)
The most important part of rounding out my studying was using the (12) Pocket Prep app. I answered about 400 questions before my exam and got an average score of 73% by the time I took my exam. Take the time to review why your answers were incorrect and correct, as I found the explanations invaluable to my learning.
Day 14: Exam Day (1 day)
On the morning of exam day, I answered a few more questions via Pocket Prep and headed to my exam.
At the Exam
Some Topics That Came Up Again and Again
I was asked multiple questions about these topics on my exam, so you might find it helpful to know them. This is not a complete list, and your exam experience might differ.
Different Stakeholder Charts (e.g. Salience Chart, Impact vs Influence Matrix, Stakeholder Register)
Earned Value Analysis and their meanings (e.g. CPI, SPI, CV, SV, TCPI; behind or ahead of schedule?)
Conflict Management (e.g. Collaborate/Problem solve)
Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF) and Organizational Process Assets (OPA)
Risk Management (e.g. Accept, Transfer)
Sphere of Influence (e.g. Project, Organizational)
Life Cycle Methods (e.g. Iterative, Predictive, Incremental)
Understand the difference between "Manage” and “Monitor” processes (e.g. Monitor Resources vs Manage Resources)
Types of Procurement Contracts (e.g. Fixed Price, Time and Material)
Understand the ITTO vocabulary and context. Even just knowing that “leads and lags” is a potential tool & technique and neither an input nor output will help you answer some questions.
Test Taking Tips
Some questions will contain answers to other questions on the exam.
IN PRACTICE. If you are unsure about a question, write its number down on your notepad with a keyword about the question topic. As you progress through the exam, you’ll likely find another question asking about the same topic, which you’ve identified in your notepad. It’s possible that this new question could help you solve the previous question.
EXAMPLE SCENARIO. One question might ask you for an example of an Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF). You’re unsure, so you mark the question number and the keyword “EEF” on your notepad. A few questions later, you see a matching question about EEFs, and through process of elimination, you match all the other answers, leaving EEF with the last possible option. Now, you have a list of EEFs, and you know exactly which question to return to in order to correct your answer.
On questions with answers that contain a list, the answer is most likely going to be the list with options that are repeated in other lists.
EXAMPLE SCENARIO.
What are the inputs of the Plan Schedule Management process?2
project charter, project management plan, enterprise environmental factors, organizational process assets
project charter, project management plan, decomposition, organizational process assets
project charter, project management plan, enterprise environmental factors, expert judgement
project documents, schedule management plan, project document updates, meetings
If I was unsure, I would eliminate the last option, as the first 3 share common items (e.g. project charter, project management plan). In order to get this question correct, you would need to know enough to eliminate “decomposition” and “expert judgment” as those are tools and techniques.
If you find yourself selecting the same answer for 2 different questions, one of them is likely wrong.
EXAMPLE SCENARIO. The exam might have two questions that describe different scenarios of conflict resolution, with the conflict resolution techniques as answer options in each. If you answer “collaborate/problem solve” for both of them, one of this wrong.
After answering questions, read and review all the questions and answers again.
After completing all the questions, I went back to the marked questions and gave it a second shot. After I unmarked every question, I started from question 1 and reviewed the test by reading all the questions and my selected answers. Remember that the act of taking the exam was a form of studying! I felt more knowledgeable and the concepts were fresh in my head after taking the exam once. Going back through it the second time helped me identify mistakes that I made.
Best of luck with your exam!
Complete List of Study Materials
PDFs
Books
Youtube
Ricardo Vargas
David McLachlan
Practice Tools
Disclosures: I was able to devote 2 weeks to studying as someone who is currently unemployed and has no dependents. Your studying velocity may vary due to your unique circumstances, but I hope you’ll find this guide helpful anyway!
This is a made-up question based on the format of questions I saw on the exam.
Found out your article from a google search and it's the most helpful collection of official references and your valuable personal experiences. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Amy. Thanks for sharing these resources. I noticed you took the test before the update. Are all of these resources recommended for the new test (July 2023)? thanks,