I'm interested in learning how those of you who have attained both the PMP and PMI-ACP certifications would rate the relative difficulty of the two exams.
To that end, I've added a new poll which should be available via the Community - Polls link or directly (I hope!) from here:
So far, here's the results of the poll - let's see if a few more folks will be willing to complete it. Based on the small sample size, I'd say my perception of the ACP being easier is shared by others...
I found the PMI-ACP exam was significantly easier than the PMP exam (5 votes)
I found the PMI-ACP exam was somewhat easier than the PMP exam (0 votes)
I found the PMI-ACP exam was about the same level of difficulty as the PMP exam (2 votes)
I found the PMI-ACP exam to be somewhat more difficult than the PMP exam (1 vote)
I found the PMI-ACP exam to be significantly more difficult than the PMP exam (1 vote)
Ah interesting, but do you know if the majority who felt the exam was a lot easier, actually took the exam before or after the recent exam change? Even though they say not much changed, that may be related more to content than difficulty. I know Rami and I took the exam recently and we both have commented that it was slightly more difficult than the PMP exam. I know two other colleagues who failed the exam (after the change date) and they are experienced Agile practitioners. So perhaps we need more data on the date for Agile exam takers.
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2 replies by Dinah Young and Kiron Bondale
Jul 11, 2018 8:53 AM
Dinah Young
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I took the exam last September, so it was before the recent changes.
Jul 11, 2018 1:58 PM
Kiron Bondale
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I'll let you come up with that poll, Sante :-) !
Kiron
Saving Changes...
Dinah YoungProject Manager / Software Asset Manager| Prince William CountySpringfield, Va, United States
Jul 11, 2018 8:27 AM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Ah interesting, but do you know if the majority who felt the exam was a lot easier, actually took the exam before or after the recent exam change? Even though they say not much changed, that may be related more to content than difficulty. I know Rami and I took the exam recently and we both have commented that it was slightly more difficult than the PMP exam. I know two other colleagues who failed the exam (after the change date) and they are experienced Agile practitioners. So perhaps we need more data on the date for Agile exam takers.
I took the exam last September, so it was before the recent changes. Saving Changes...
John DuncanRetired| RetiredLebanon, Tn, United States
I took it on June 23.
My sequence was the following:
- Udemy course
- Read Mike Griffith's book, no chapter quizzes, take notes
- Review notes
- Re-read Mike's book, take chapter quizzes, take notes
- Skim chapter 3 again (only had 75% on chapter quiz)
- Take exam Saving Changes...
Ah interesting, but do you know if the majority who felt the exam was a lot easier, actually took the exam before or after the recent exam change? Even though they say not much changed, that may be related more to content than difficulty. I know Rami and I took the exam recently and we both have commented that it was slightly more difficult than the PMP exam. I know two other colleagues who failed the exam (after the change date) and they are experienced Agile practitioners. So perhaps we need more data on the date for Agile exam takers.
I'll let you come up with that poll, Sante :-) !
Kiron
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1 reply by Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
Jul 11, 2018 6:37 PM
Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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lol I'm all polled out Kiron, with 57 polls. I'm happy that one of my polls is the second most popular on this website though:
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Jul 11, 2018 7:38 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Congratulations Arn - you have now set a high bar for Rami to reach!
Kiron
I still have time Kiron or at least, I'd like to think I do. I could have completed all the 7 certifications but what I am trying to do is diversify and earn certifications through different organizations that complement and support my career. Having many certifications through one organization is good but not always the best.
That said, yes, the remaining 3 credentials are on my bucket list but not for this year. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Kiron, in order to obtain reliable results for this poll, I think you need to assess the difficultly of the exam after March 29th, not before because everyone I know says the previous version of the exam was easier. As mentioned in my blog, this is my rationale:
This is my rationale:
1- In the ACP you have 3 hours to answer 120 Questions of which 100 are scored as compared to the PMP where you have 4 hours to complete 200 Questions of which 170 are scored. I finished the PMP in 3 hours and the ACP in 3 hours too. It cant be that I do not have a grasp on agile otherwise I would not score Above Target and you personally are aware of this probably.
2- All ACP questions I got (Without exception) are fully scenario based and 50% of those are lengthy ones where you will need to read some of the, 3 times to understand what is the question asking and same goes for some answers while for the PMP, the percentage of scenario based questions was reasonable mixed with some others that were straight forward.
3- The room for errors when you have only 100 scored questions is much less than when you have 170 scored questions.
4- Approximately 50% of the questions in the ACP exam had two answers that are very correct so you need to have a very and I mean very deep understanding of the concepts and have an agile mindset. There is no chance you will pass, unlessyou are lucky, if you memorize without an IN-DEPTH understanding. The PMP exam (At my time) probably had 10% of those kind of questions.
I truly believe the exam is very difficult and I am glad it is otherwise this credential won't maintain its true value for long. Like I mentioned earlier, I believe PMI did a good job in administering this exam. Saving Changes...
Tamer Zeyad SadiqAssistant Cost Manager| Turner & TownsendRiyadh, Ar Riyad, Saudi Arabia
Nice comparative!!! Saving Changes...
William Adjei DarkwahBusiness and Project Management| MODEC Production Service GhanaAccra, Ghana
PgMP is tougher by far.
Then PMI-ACP
PMI-SP quite tricky
PMI-RMP
PfMP Saving Changes...
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