This can be very stressful especially when you consider that in the PMP exam, a question left unanswered is deducted from your total points whereas you will not be penalized for wrong answers! Here then are tips to help you maximize correct answers and minimize penalties for unanswered questions.

Read and Understand the Question

Before reading the alternatives, thoroughly read and understand the question. Otherwise, you will be initially confused by the alternatives, which can only add to your stress. Instead, look for key words in the question that will lead you to the right answer (i.e., principal, major, primary, best, nearest, incorrect).

Refer to Your Stored Knowledge

Quickly, you have to refer to the information you have learned during the course of your PMP exam review. You can call to mind texts, notes, diagrams and headings that can answer the question. If necessary, refer to the formulas that you can write on the piece of scrap paper provided by the examiner for that purpose. This way, you will not conduct a mental ping-pong about the applicable concept.

Anticipate the Correct Answer

Of course, this is not applicable to all situations. However, when you can anticipate the correct answer even before you have analyzed the alternatives, you are less apt to be confused by an incorrect alternative. Also, multiple choice questions can be very straightforward so don't dismiss the most obvious answer just because it is too, well, obvious.

Nevertheless, before answering the question, always analyze the other alternatives just in case these, too, have valid points. Again, refer to the key words especially when two of the four alternatives appear to be the correct answer.

Skip the Hard Parts and Return Later

Don't dawdle in one question just because you are determined to answer it, come what may. You have to remember that you only have 74 seconds to answer each question and wasting more time on one can cost you your PMP exam passing rate.

Instead, go to the next question and answer that one first. This way, you are in a better position to pass the certification exam with more correct answers than unanswered questions.

When you are finished with the relatively easy questions, go back to the unanswered ones. You can guess, if you want to. This is because you will be taking a 50-50% chance that you can get the right answer! And did we mention that you are not penalized for wrong answers?

Refresh and Review

As anyone who has taken the PMP exam can tell you, it can be mentally and physically exhausting answering 200 questions without a break of some sort. Thus, you have to refresh yourself at regular intervals. This can take the form of taking a few deep breaths and stretching your body for a few seconds to keep the oxygen flowing more freely and to kick out the kinks, respectively.

If you still have time, you can review your answers. After all, it does pay to be careful in exams like this one!

Admittedly, you can retake the PMP exam if you don't pass it the first time around. However, who needs to retake when you can do it one burst of glory?