u/hahalolx

Passed my CAPM with 3 days worth of studying & here’s how I did it. (Wouldn’t recommend it unless you really have no choice)

Background:
- I actually started my CAPM journey back in 2024, but life happened.
- Took a physical class for the 23 contact hours back then, but honestly I didn’t really understand the concepts well and wasn’t paying much attention throughout. I mainly just got the certificate to meet the exam requirement.
- I come from a non-management background. Currently a junior executive with some exposure to small and mid-scale projects, but nothing deeply related to using the exact project management techniques/terminologies.
- Bought Pocket Prep in 2024 and paid monthly thinking I’d take the exam soon… ended up not studying and got charged for months before cancelling.
- Also bought a physical PMBOK guide but never had the time to properly read it.

How I Studied in 3 days:
- Bought and crammed Andrew Ramdayal’s Udemy course at 2x speed. Since I already had my contact hours, I used it mainly as a refresher.
- Focused mostly on Processes, Formulas, Quizzes
- The quizzes were tough but really reinforced understanding.
- Didn’t even manage to attempt the full mock exam.
- Used Pocket Prep free version for some quick practice questions before the exam.

The MOST helpful part for me? Cultivating the PMI mindset.

These videos by helped me A LOT:
- “Pass the PMP with NO STUDY” by David McLachlan
- “Want to Pass your PMP? DON’T DO these 6 things!” by David McLachlan
- “50 CAPM Questions for the Current Exam” by Andrew Ramdayal

During the Test:
- Took it at a test centre.
- Around 10 questions involved comic strips (about 6 horizontal strips per question). Most were very similar except the middle/end where it switched between Agile vs Predictive scenarios.
- Honestly straightforward, but VERY time consuming to read.
- Around 3–4 formula questions:
- CPI, CV, SPI, SV
- Glancing through formulas before entering the exam hall helped a lot.
- If you’re afraid of forgetting formulas, write them down on the whiteboard immediately when the exam starts.

Big Mistake I Made:
- Spent WAY too much time on the first 75 questions.
- Used 115 mins out of 180 mins.
- Had to rush the remaining 75 questions in 65 mins.
- Thankfully, the second half was MUCH easier than the first.

My Final Take:
- Don’t do what I did unless you’re okay with the risk of retaking the exam or time is really not on your side.
- Don’t overspend on materials/courses or overprepare excessively.
- Understanding concepts > memorizing.
- Relate PM concepts to your real-life work experiences and daily situations. That helped me way more than pure memorization.
- Using ChatGPT for recaps, explanations, and practice questions also reinforced my learning a lot.

Extra Exam Tips:
- USE THE 10-MIN BREAK. Stretch, hydrate, warm yourself up (the testing centre was freezing), and rest your eyes.
- The timer DOES NOT stop or warn you at the halfway mark. Keep an eye on your pacing. Ideally finish first 75 questions within 90 mins or less.
- Use the strikethrough function. Many answers are obviously wrong, eliminate them quickly.
- Only highlight/flag lengthy or truly tricky questions. Over-highlighting wastes time.
- Always identify:
- Who you are in the scenario
(PM? Product Owner? Business Analyst?)
- What methodology is being used
(Predictive, Agile, or Hybrid)
- If 2–3 answers seem correct, choose the SAFEST answer aligned with PMI values/processes. This happens A LOT.
- Don’t burn the midnight oil. Get some sleep before the exam or you will start dozing off during the first 75 questions.

Hope this helps someone else taking CAPM soon. Good luck everyone!