Best PMP Study Material, Online Training and Study Guide

9 minute read    Updated:    Harwinder Singh

Best PMP Study Material, PMP Study Guide and PMP Certification Resources A simple Google search on “PMP Online Training” or “PMP Study Guide” returns in excess of 3 million results. To filter out the best PMP Study Material from the vast ocean of information is a daunting task for anyone setting out to achieve PMP credentials. I’ve gone through this process the hard-way and I know that it takes several weeks or even months of rummaging through all the information, before one can actually start the exam preparation. With this article, I aim to help PMP aspirants jump-start their exam preparation and provide them a reliable source for all the resources required to pass the PMP exam.

Table of Contents

  1. Free Mock Exams, Sample Questions and Test Simulators
  2. Resources that qualify for 35 Contact Hours
  3. All PMP Study Guides
  4. Top PMP Exam Prep Books with Reviews
  5. Exam Simulators
  6. More Exam Preparation Resources
  7. iPhone / iPad Apps
  8. Android Apps
  9. Official PMI Documents
  10. PMP Application Links & Documents
  11. PMP Exam Online Forums
  12. Good Study Notes & Tips
  13. Selected Lessons Learned
  14. Articles on the Value of PMP Certification
  15. Other Free Resources

Free Mock Exams, Sample Questions and Test Simulators

PMP Courses that qualify for 35 Contact Hours / PDU

  • Project Management PrepCast for PMBOK Sixth Edition (Video Podcast) - USD 299.99

    PM Prepcast The new PM PrepCast is the first and only 35 hour long PMP® Video Workshop. It comes with 100% Money-back guarantee. In my opinion, this is the best way to earn 35 Contact Hours, which you need to qualify for the PMP Exam. I have tried this personally and highly recommend it. Read my complete review here.

  • BrainBOK - PMP and CAPM Exam Prep Simplified! - USD 149.99

    BrainBOK Logo BrainBOK is an online application designed to help project managers achieve PMP and CAPM certifications more efficiently. With a collection of tools such as ITTO Explorer, exam simulator, flashcards, quizzes and more, it's the Swiss-army knife of PMP and CAPM exam preparation. It is the best tool to get your head around the ITTOs, and has the best collection of flashcards for the PMP and CAPM exams. You simply cannot go wrong with this tool.

All PMP Study Guides

Best PMP Study Guide (Reviews)

  • A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 6th Edition (PMBOK Guide) - by Project Management Institute (PMI) is a project management guide, and an internationally recognized standard that provides the fundamentals of project management as they apply to a wide range of projects, including construction, software, engineering, automotive, etc. It is the "official" Project Management guide published by PMI. PMP Exam is based on the 5th edition of this guide. It is the 'bible' of Project Management and a must-have for all PMPs and PMP aspirants.
  • PMP Exam Prep, 9th Edition - by Rita Mulcahy is arguably the most popular book for PMP Exam preparation. I've personally used it and highly recommend it for all PMP aspirants. In one of the surveys we conducted in the past, more than 60% respondents recommended this book for PMP exam preparation. Read 10 Reasons to Buy Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep Book for more details.
  • Head First PMP: A Brain-Friendly Guide to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam - If you want to learn the fun way, Head First PMP is the right guide for you. This book takes a radical approach of teaching and uses lots and lots of visual cues to present the material. I did not purchase this book for my preparation, but I had a chance to review this book and compare it with Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep after passing my exam. Read Head First PMP vs. Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep for more details.
  • The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try - by Andy Crowe is the 3rd most popular PMP exam prep guide after Rita Mulcahy and Head First's book. I've NOT read the book but have read some good reviews. It has also received excellent ratings on Amazon. People who took the exam said that the questions in this book were probably the closest to the real exam. The book includes one full length practice exam, but as a bonus, it provides online access to an additional full-length practice exam for 1 week.
  • PMP: Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide, Includes Audio CD - by Kim Heldman - Prepare for the latest PMP certification exam with this new edition of the Kim Heldman's PMP Exam Study Guide, which covers all essential procedures and concepts from PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition. The book also prepares you for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) exam. Companion CD-ROM features a test engine of practice questions, electronic flashcards, and two hours of audio. The bonus material makes it a really good value for money.
  • EdWel - PMP Exam Prep Book (FREE) is probably the best FREE PMP exam prep guide that you can find. It is a complete study guide with 300 sample questions and tons of exercises throughout the book.

Exam Simulators

  • PM Exam Simulator - 1800 Questions (online)

    PM Exam Simulator PM Exam Simulator is a new PMP exam simulator from the publisher of the famous PM Prepcast. It consists of 9 full length 200-question exams including one exam for ITTO questions. It has the good simulator engine and the quality of questions is also among the better ones that I've tested. The price is $99.99 for 3 month unlimited 24x7 access. It comes with a 2-week money back guarantee. Apart from this, the publisher also offers a free 3-day trial account for you to feel extremely assured with your purchase.

More Exam Preparation Resources

  • PMP Formula Study Guide

    PMP Formula Study Guide PMP Formula Study Guide is a reasonably priced, unique product that addresses a very crucial aspect of PMP exam - the formulas. It includes 100+ formula-related sample questions. The real value comes from having all the accurate (formula related) information, from an authentic source, in a neat little package. It pretty much covers all the formulas that you need to know for the exam and can save you tens of hours of valuable time. Read my complete review here.
  • Q & As for the PMBOK Guide - by Frank T.

    PMP Formula Study Guide Q & As for the PMBOK Guide is entirely based on the contents of the PMBOK Guide. It has 200 questions. It's an invaluable tool to test your knowledge on the terms, concepts, process inputs, outputs, tools and techiques (ITTO) from the PMBOK.

iPhone /iPad Apps

These are some of the noteworthy apps for iPhone / iPad on the Apple App Store:

  • PMPocket
  • PMP Exam Prep Questions by Global Knowledge
  • PMP Exam Trainer

Android Apps

These are some of the noteworthy apps for Android:

Official PMI Documents

PMP Application Links & Documents

PMP Exam Online Forums

If you are preparing for the PMP Certification exam, I highly recommend that you join a selected few online PMP forums for learning, sharing and clarifying project management concepts. Refer to my list of selected online forums for PMP exam prep.

Good Study Notes & Tips

Selected Lessons Learned

Articles on the Value of PMP Certification

Other Free Resources

Please help me keep this page up to date. If you find a broken link or if you are familiar with other useful resources which are not listed here, please let me know by posting your comments below. With your feedback and contribution, I hope to build a comprehensive knowledge base of PMP Exam resources for all PMP aspirants.

Thanks for reading, and your support.

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27 Comments

Harwinder Singh Avatar

Hello 'Anonymous',

The new PM Prepcast (Podcast), based on PMBOK 4th Edition, is going to be released within a week or so and I'll surely have the coupon code then.

Just <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/lvS9H9uT97aFRlqI2">Contact Me</a> and I'll notify you when I have the coupon code.

I already have an 'evaluation' copy and beta testing it. And this time, it's not just audio, but an 'audio-video' application. It has very useful Powerpoint-style presentations to go alongwith the audio. What I can tell you right now is that it's an awesome exam prep tool. Even though, I'm already a PMP, I'm still enjoying the lessons. The experience is almost like sitting in a classroom and attending a live session.

I'll also be posting a detailed review of the new PM Prepcast on this blog within the next 2 weeks.

All the best or your exam.

Reply to Harwinder Singh
Missing Avatar

Hi Harwinder
It is already released, I hope so. The price is 99.97 USD. Below is the link for it.
http://www.project-management-prepcast.com/
I like to thank you for eFlashcards code, which I already brought. I also like to have this product as it will fulfill 35 Contact Hour. If you can through some lights on this product and the way to get 35 Contact Hour. How long will it be valid to attend the online test of Podcast to get 35 contact hour. I will definitely contact you.
Thanks.

Reply to Anonymous
Harwinder Singh Avatar

Hey Subash (Anonymous),

You are welcome.

Yes, you are right - the new Prepcast has just been launched "silently". I don't have a coupon code just yet. Even with eFlashcards, the coupon code was released about 2 weeks after the product launch. So, you might want to wait for a few days to get the discount price.

Regarding your question on getting the 35 PDUs, here's a quick answer:

1. You need to pass an online exam with 25 questions in order to get a 35 PDU certificate. This will be "soft" copy certificate that you can print if you want to.

2. Two weeks are you purchase the product, you'll get a new Podcast episode, which will basically be a PDF file. This PDF file will contain the detailed instructions to take the online exam.

As I said earlier, I'm going to post a comprehensive review very soon. As usual, do write back if you have more questions.

All the best.

Reply to Harwinder Singh
Missing Avatar

Hi Harwinder,

Considering to buy Rita Mulcahy book after reading your comments..

Any idea how long will it take to ship to Singapore if I buy from Amazon now?

From your previous posts I guess you are from Singapore, pls ignore my post and sorry for the trouble if you are not. Thanks

Reply to Renren
Harwinder Singh Avatar

Hi Renren,

Thanks for writing in.

Yes, I'm from Singapore.

It's a good time to buy Rita's new book. The price has come down to $63 or so. If you order one book, it will cost you $9.98 for Standard delivery. So, total would be around $73 (or SGD 110). I don't think any shop in Singapore can match that price but the problem could be the wait time.

Amazon gives 17-31 delivery estimate for Singapore, but from my experience, I've received stuff within 2 weeks also. It all depends on how soon they dispatch it. Right now, it says "ships within 1-2 months". So, it might take a while for you to get this particular book.

If you don't want to wait, you might just grab it from a local store.

Good luck.

Reply to Harwinder Singh
Missing Avatar

Here is another link to get 35 credit for PMP certification for $35.

http://www.proxalt.com/pmpprogram.asp

Though personally, I have purchase the PM prepcast, and I am really enjoying learnin and listening to it.

Reply to Shariq
Missing Avatar

Hi Brainwasher,

Would you know where I can buy The PMP Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try (Andy Crowe) and PMP Exam Prep (Rita Mulcahy) locally? I am also based in SG but I couldn't find these book in local bookstores (ie. Popular, borders, mph). I even tried looking at the bookstores in Funan but no to avail. Tnx!

Reply to Van
Harwinder Singh Avatar

Hi Van,

My apologies for the late response. I was on vacation for the past 1 week.

For Rita Mulcahy's book, you can try http://KnowledgeMethod.com (a SG-based company). However, their price is SGD 160. If you can wait for 3-4 weeks, a better option is to order directly from http://Amazon.com . The discount they'll offer will cover the shipping cost from the US. Please refer to my comments above (posted on July 18) for details.

I'm not sure about the availability of Andy Crowe's book in SG. You've checked all the good bookstores in SG that I'm aware of.

Thanks.

Reply to Harwinder Singh
Missing Avatar

Please review and add the following to the list of web learning course offering 35 hours as well as 30 free sample questions, sample lecture recordings. The course has been reviewed and approved as PMI Global REP. Over 1000 professionals have used this and we have over 400+ certified professionals so far

http://www.pmpexamprepplus.com

Reply to Ajay Parasrampuria
Missing Avatar

Great resources! Doing as many PMP prep questions as possible, will help you understand how to answer them. Try these tips when answering questions:

1) Make significant use of the "Mark" option. Although it may seem counter-intuitive to move on, spending valuable time on one question could cost you on other questions you do know, later in the exam. It's better to leave those questions you aren't sure of and go back later if you have time. Just make sure to choose an answer incase you do not have time to go back!

2) Many questions have unnecessary information in large paragraphs. Read the question section first and skip the preliminary sentences. Then check the options available and read the preliminary information so you can better determine what is relevant and what is not, with regard to the question being asked.

3) You may notice wording is strange is some cases and grammar may be questionable, which can add to confusion. Regardless, the right option is the right option, don't second guess yourself.

4) Look out for choices that represent special cases. These choices tend to be correct and are characterized by words such as "often", "sometimes", "may", "generally", and "perhaps".

5) Beware of answer choices that represent generalizations, which may be characterized by words such as "always", "never", "must", or "completely". These are often the incorrect choices.

6) Answer the questions from a PMI perspective - This can't be urged enough. Dispel your own perspective or experience, as the exam is based on PMI's methodologies, not the real world.

7) Stay calm by breathing fully. The concept of taking these exams can and will drive up your blood pressure, so the more you can do to relax, the better you'll be able to focus and perform like you need to. Count to five as you inhale and then again when you exhale. This simple technique will help you avoid shallow breathing keeping your nerves under control and oxygen in your brain.

200 Free Questions Here:
http://www.bestpmp.com

Reply to Greg Courtepatte