--- title: The Top 7 Reasons Why People Fail the PMP® Exam description: Are you worried you’ll fail the PMP exam? Explore this article outlining seven common PMP certification problems, and how they can lead to failure. image: https://resources.educate360.com/hubfs/7%20Reasons%20People%20Fail%20the%20PMP.jpg --- - *A Project Management Professional (PMP)® Exam Prep Provider* - [877-637-0450](tel:8776370450) - [Contact Us](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/contact) - [My Account](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/portal/user/login.php?redirect=no) [![Project Management Academy](https://resources.educate360.com/hubfs/logo/PMA_Logo.png)](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/) [![Project Management Academy](https://resources.educate360.com/hubfs/logo/pma-mobile-logo.png)](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/) - *A Project Management Professional (PMP)® Exam Prep Provider* - [877-637-0450](tel:8776370450) - [Contact Us](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/contact) - [My Account](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/portal/user/login.php?redirect=no) - [PMP® Certification](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/pmp-certification) - [PMI-ACP® Certification](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/pmi-acp) - [All Courses](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/training-courses) - [Corporate Training](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/corporate-training-solutions) - [PDU Catalog](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/online-pdu-training) - [PMP Exam Practice Questions](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/free-pmp-questions) - [PMP® Certification](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/pmp-certification) - [PMI-ACP® Certification](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/pmi-acp) - [All Courses](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/training-courses) - [Corporate Training](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/corporate-training-solutions) - [PDU Catalog](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/online-pdu-training) - [PMP Exam Practice Questions](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/free-pmp-questions) - Topics - Follow Us - [Subscribe](https://learn.projectmanagementacademy.net/subscribe) - [Agile](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/category/agile/) - [Continuing Education](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/category/agile/) - [Lean Six Sigma](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/category/lean-six-sigma/) - [PMI-ACP](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/category/pmi-acp/) - [PMP Certification](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/category/pmp-certification/) - [Project Management](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/category/project-management/) - [Risk Management](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/category/risk-management/) - [Training and Development](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/category/training-and-development/) " - - - - ![The Top 7 Reasons Why People Fail the PMP® Exam](https://resources.educate360.com/hubfs/7%20Reasons%20People%20Fail%20the%20PMP.jpg) ![Blog Feature](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/298890/blog-files/blog--cards-feature.png) [Subscribe](https://learn.projectmanagementacademy.net/subscribe) By: [Project Management Academy](https://resources.educate360.com/author/project-management-academy) on November 6th, 2019 Print/Save as PDF # The Top 7 Reasons Why People Fail the PMP® Exam [PMP Certification](https://resources.educate360.com/tag/pmp-certification)  |  [PMP Exam Prep](https://resources.educate360.com/tag/pmp-exam-prep) - Share: - - - - - - [mailto:?body=https://resources.educate360.com/7-reasons-why-people-fail-the-pmp-exam](mailto:?body=https://resources.educate360.com/7-reasons-why-people-fail-the-pmp-exam) The biggest [Project Management Professional](https://learn.projectmanagementacademy.net/complete-pmp-certification-guide) (PMP)® certification problem is potential failure. Taking and preparing for the PMP exam is a [major investment](https://blog.projectmanagementacademy.net/how-much-does-a-pmp-certification-cost) in terms of time, effort, and money. To ensure you receive a positive return on that investment, you want to complete the process having earned your PMP certification.  ![](https://projectmanagementacademy.net/images/icon_free_report.png?) **Before you take the exam, download this guide containing secrets to help you pass.** In this article, we’ll explore seven of the most common reasons people fail the PMP exam. When you have a better understanding of why people fail, you’ll know how to avoid some of the same PMP certification problems. ## 1. Not Enough Preparation When it comes to passing the PMP certification exam, preparation is everything. Without enough preparation, passing the exam is unlikely. Here are a few ways to make sure you’re dedicating enough time to adequately prepare for the exam:   ## 2. Took the PMP Exam at the Wrong Time If preparation is everything, timing is a pretty close second. You need to think carefully before you commit to an exam date. If it’s not the right timing, you could be setting yourself up for failure. Here are some decisions those taking the PMP exam may make that could lead to failure: - **Taking the exam before learning all *PMBOK*® *Guide* concepts.** [*A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)*](https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards) is the best source of PM-related knowledge, and it’s the text you must understand before taking the exam. If you take the exam before you understand these concepts, you’re not likely to pass. - **Taking the exam before scoring 80% or higher consistently on practice exams.** If you can’t easily and consistently pass the practice exams, you should consider postponing your actual exam until you’re ready.  - **Waiting too long after taking a training course.** If you wait too long and the concepts aren’t fresh, you may struggle to pass the exam. At Project Management Academy, we usually recommend taking the exam within 30 days of completing our training course.  ## 3. Did Not Take a PMP Exam Prep Course Some people try to cut corners and study on their own instead of taking a PMP certification course. This is usually a bad idea. Exam prep courses explain how the *PMBOK® Guide* is a framework and collection of best practices, not a methodology. This means you can’t use the *PMBOK® Guide* as your sole method of preparation. Also, a PMP exam prep course will help you prepare for each specific section of the exam, breaking down major concepts to ensure you have an in-depth understanding. [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3294842/72298a8d-2cb3-4ff7-8ad9-2b40ca0272f9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3294842/72298a8d-2cb3-4ff7-8ad9-2b40ca0272f9) ## 4. Overconfidence Many project managers believe that their professional experience is more than enough to help them pass the exam. These project managers don’t study and don’t participate in courses because they’re over-confident that know everything they need to know about project management.    While it’s important to have real-world experience, some project managers become too focused on their own processes and terminology, ignoring the *PMBOK* ® Guide terms and practices. Since these topics make up the entirety of the test, you have to have a comprehensive understanding to pass. Experience is definitely beneficial, but remember to focus on the source material, too.  ## 5. Focused on the Wrong Concepts The PMP exam covers a lot of material and a wide range of concepts. It can be easy to focus on the wrong areas. When you’re too focused on running through practice exams instead of focusing on a combination of completing practice exams and studying concepts, you may end up failing. For example, you could make a mistake like fixating on math and formulas at the expense of concepts. It’s important to balance the types of materials you’re covering so you have a well-rounded understanding of everything the test will cover. ## 6. Test Anxiety Are you one of those people who simply hate tests? Many people struggle to focus and relax when taking tests, especially in testing centers. There are two strategies you can use to mitigate your test anxiety – preparation and relaxation techniques.    Test preparation is one of the best ways to reduce test anxiety. When you’ve mastered the material, you’ll feel more confident walking into the testing center. Choosing a training provider that offers supplemental study materials like study plans, practice questions, tutoring, and more will help you adequately prepare for the exam.    You can also use relaxation techniques to help you reduce test anxiety. Breathing exercises are particularly effective in test environments. You can also relax your muscles or encourage yourself with positive self-talk. ## 7. Only Using Free Resources [Free tools](https://blog.projectmanagementacademy.net/the-true-cost-of-free-pdus) are great and can often be helpful, but only using free tools can lead to failing the exam. Using resources you found online isn’t always wise, as online materials may be outdated or inaccurate.    You want to ensure you’re only using resources that help you truly understand concepts, instead of simply answering questions. If you want materials to enable solo study, stick to the ones offered by your PMP certification training provider.   To ensure you pass the PMP exam, you need the perfect combination of preparation – training, the right materials, and in-depth knowledge of the *PMBOK® Guide*. This exam is too [important to your career](https://blog.projectmanagementacademy.net/pmp-certification-value-salary-career-opportunities) to cut corners. When you devote time and effort to preparing for the exam, you’re sure to pass.   **Do you want to start the PMP exam preparation process? Explore** [**The Complete PMP Certification Guide**](https://learn.projectmanagementacademy.net/complete-pmp-certification-guide) **now to learn more.** **[![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3294842/72298a8d-2cb3-4ff7-8ad9-2b40ca0272f9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3294842/72298a8d-2cb3-4ff7-8ad9-2b40ca0272f9)** Copyright © 2026 Educate 360 / New Horizons / Project Management Academy / Six Sigma Online / TCM Security / TRACOM / Velopi / Watermark Learning. All rights reserved. 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Project Management Academy®, PMA®, the most trusted name in project management training®, and Senior Certified Project Manager® are registered marks of Educate 360, LLC. ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Article", "articleBody" : "The biggest Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification problem is potential failure....", "articleSection" : [ "PMP Certification", "PMP Exam Prep" ], "author" : "Project Management Academy", "creator" : "Project Management Academy", "datePublished" : "2019-11-06 07:52:18", "headline" : "The Top 7 Reasons Why People Fail the PMP® Exam", "image" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3294842/7%20Reasons%20People%20Fail%20the%20PMP.jpg", "keywords" : [ ], "mainEntityOfPage" : "True" } ```