PMA was recommended to me by a former coworker who had studied for the exam once and failed, but after taking PMA's course, he moved forward to pass the PMP exam and received job offers immediately following his certification. Moved by his story, I went ahead to sign up for the PMP Boot Camp offered by PMA. I took the course in early April 2016. The location was ideal. There was ample parking, and it was super easy to find. The venue was comfortable and accommodating. Crystal Richards was my instructor, and she was engaging and really helped me remember the concepts and key information. She was really dedicated in sending us emails to follow up our sessions, even when our class had some challenging questions. In between the sessions, I even was able to get some career advice from her. I passed the exam several days ago. PMA provides all the information that you need to pass the course and helps you zone into the areas that you need to understand better. All you need is your own dedication in understanding and memorizing the material given to you. If your goal is to pass the PMP, take this course. I'm not sure about the other instructors, but Crystal was definitely an effective instructor. She kept me interested and engaged throughout the course. I know that she really knows the material and helped me pass the exam. read more

I poured quite a bit of research into searching for the best PMP prep course, and PMA did not disappoint. Crystal Richards was my instructor and did a phenomenal job of preparing me for the exam. Her knowledge of all things PMBOK is truly fascinating, and the course structure made what could've been a painfully boring week actually quite fun. Crystal was incredibly engaging, ensuring everyone participated and got the most out of the course. I was impressed with how well I retained the information - I didn't end up taking the exam until about 6 months after the course, although I reviewed the course material exactly as it had been presented during the prep course, following all of Crystal's helpful study tips, and (thankfully) passed the exam on my first try. The online resources were extremely helpful during my preparation, especially the practice exams. This course goes beyond reviewing the PMBOK material to know for the exam - it offers helpful study tips, life-saving exam taking techniques, and clearly distinguishes easily confused concepts that PMI is known to trip students up on. Thank you Crystal & PMA! This course is well worth the investment. read more

Yami rocks. Best instructor ever!!! She was very engaging and kept the whole class involved. I am recommending this course to anyone interested in taking the PMP. read more

I have been doing project management for over 6 years. Like many others I decided to try getting my pmp, I studied for 7 months and failed. Several months later I started a new job and the firm paid for me to attend Project Management Academy. The instructor (Crystal Richards) was AMAZING! The class is well structured and it helped me to build upon my base of knowledge and pass the test (true determining factor). I took the class Feb of 2016 and passed the test 4 days later. If you can afford it I would recommend it. read more

Very good prep course. I came in with some self-preparation (two internal company Project Management training courses). PMA provided me with an intensive supplement to these courses. I took the course in four days and passed the exam on the fifth day. The academy provides you with a copy of the PMBOK, slides that focus on the scope of the exam (like intense cliffs notes from the book), a PMP test strategy guide, and excellent study "cheat sheets". The instructor teaches you the tricks that are commonly used by the test writers. Overall, I was very satisfied by the course. The instructor was an expert and a professional. He was very skilled at keeping the class on task and he kept the class interesting. The material was excellent and very relevant to the exam. This would be a great investment in your career. read more

I pass the PMP on my first try thanks to Scott Fass, my instructor at Project Management Academy. Scott was a premier instructor from the start, engaging students even before class began, networking with students during lunch, and most importantly, imparting his extensive knowledge and wisdom throughout the course to help us prepare for the PMP. Additionally, PMA provides unmatched online resources for post-class support with a strategy guide, online full-length practice exams (a must for passing on the first try), as well as the full course in video format to review as much as you like! Even a live, weekly webinar ensures that you can get any question answered prior to taking your exam. Kudos to Scott and PMA for their unparalleled approach to preparing students for the PMP. read more

Took the PMP EXAM Prep December 2019 and passed the exam after 3 weeks of studying. Crystal Richards my instructor was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. She made the the material fun and interesting. Well worth money. read more

We had Crystal ad an instructor! She is awesome. The best boot camp exam prep I have ever done. BRING YOUR A GAME! She was articulate, knowledgeable and accommodating. She taught and reviewed with precision targeting the students needs in the shortfall areas. Thank-You Chrystal! This is an awesome choice for PMP exam prep! The extra resources were a God send. read more

Really got me up-to-speed quickly! Studied by myself for a week...felt lost and like I was facing an impossible task. Took the PMA bootcamp at Rosslyn location and scored a 78% on mock exam. Could not believe how much I was able to retain. If you get Jon Sysel as an instructor...you are lucky. He is high energy...very well prepared...and cares. You get him...be excited. read more

PMA 's bootcamp led by Scott Fass and the online course materials laid a great foundation for my PMP studies and I passed on my first try! Thank you Scott & PMA !! read more

The class was good. The material was useful. I studied the slides and handouts, as well as the PMBOK and one study guide (Rita M). All helped me past the exam. The instructor of the PMA class was very new to teaching. He didn't really have a lot of depth of information. I think it would have been better with a more seasoned instructor. Also I think this company sold my contact info. After signing up with them, marketing emails from TONS of companies starting coming in.... so annoying!!! read more

I took the march 2020 in house and then virtual class with the in house in Arlington VA. I had two instructors, John Dokos and Trevor Noad. The material was completely foreign to me but both instructors were very good and I passed the test the first time. The material was good and the online tutorials proved to be very helpful. read more

Having done PM for many years during my active duty service, it was about time to get the certification that most jobs require now. Choosing PMA turns out the be the best decision, second to getting the PMP certification. Crystal Richards was outstanding. Reading the PMBOK can be dull and a great cure for trying to get to sleep. Crystal was energetic and kept all of us engaged. PMA's ground rules; be on time, return from break/lunch promptly are a time tested process that ensures you get through all the areas. The laminates proved invaluable in studying. I took the exam two days ago and passed after following the instructors 30- study plan. If you are seeking the PMP certification, or any Project management cert, I highly suggest you use Project Management Academy as a resource, I am sure glad I did. I attended the July30-Aug3 2017 course. read more

I attended the PMP Boot Camp through Project Management Academy February 11-14, 2019 in Fairfax, VA. While the amount of material required to get through is intense, our instructor, Crystal Richards, was beyond amazing. She is so energetic, shares relevant stories and examples to help you translate the material to real life, and provides so many helpful tips and tricks to help you prepare for the PMP exam. I honestly can't say enough great things about her! It's definitely an intense 4 days but having recently passed the PMP exam, I can honestly say that I wouldn't have passed if it weren't for Crystal and the boot camp! Crystal is so personable, learned everyone's name after the first day and is truly 100% invested in your success. If you're planning on sitting for the exam, this class (and Crystal!) is a must! read more

Project Management Academy is the best! I took a PMP course with them and the quality of instruction was one of the best I have encountered in 20+ years! Scott Fass is a top notch instructor and not only does he know his stuff, he's walked the walk. He brings a wealth of experience that amplifies learning. If you want to take a PMP boot camp, the Project Management Academy is the place you want to trust and Scott is the instructor you need. Everyone in our class who has taken the exam has passed, so that should be enough proof. read more

I took the "bootcamp" with Mike Strachan 4/9 - 4/12, and I passed the PMP exam on the first attempt on 6/13! I appreciate the approach while covering the materials included a focus on the concepts. I was studying for another certification in April which caused a delay in taking the PMP exam. Thanks Mike! read more

I recently took the PMP class with Mike Strachan. A friend of mine took the same class with Mike a few months ago and recommended him in particular. Project Management Academy provides great study material outside of the PMBOK and Mike kept me engaged throughout the duration of the class. He found a way to relate the material to his real world experiences or funny stories that made it easy to remember. He actually made the dry material entertaining. I really enjoyed the class and would recommend it to anyone seeking the PMP. As for Mike, I've taken many boot camp style classes, and he has been by far the best instructor I have every had. read more

Took the PMP Bootcamp at the beginning of December with Mike Strachan and just passed my exam today on the first attempt! Mike was a fantastic instructor. He had a story-based approach to learning, which was great for me; I could hear him in the back of my head during the test talking about where to find a document or what to do next as the project manager in a given situation. He had excellent time management in class and knew the material like the back of his hand. I highly recommend taking a course with the Project Management Academy, and very highly recommend a course with Mike! read more

Today I took the PMP exam and passed. Whoo hooo!! Thank you Project Management Academy and my preparation course instructor, Gordon Young. I passed on the first try. For anyone about to take the test, know your inputs/outputs/tools & techniques. The questions won't be cut and dry like the practice exams. Be prepared for vague descriptions and you will definitely need to know in what situation to apply the tools/techniques. Also, you will see terms that you will swear were not in the PMBOK. The formulas were not as bad as I thought they would be and were actually easier than the other questions. I documented my plan of attack in regards to studying and taking the exam: 1. Read the PMBOK multiple times. a. Read it aloud and record yourself b. Play back while driving c. Read it again 2. Other books & apps: a. The PMP Exam (How to Pass on your first try) by Andy Crowe b. iPad apps: PMP Exam Prep & PMP Process Game c. Droid app: PMP flashcard (for when I was at work/lunch) 3. Distractions: I allowed for noise and distractions while studying. I knew I would be in a room with others and there are outside/external distractions. I forced myself to focus on studying with the distractions. I'm glad I did. 4. PMP Prep Course (Project Management Academy): There are many and choose the one that is right for you. a. Take notes about the scenario the instructor used. This will come in handy when you see the actual exam. b. Listen carefully to the instructor for tips/tricks: i. Answer the PMBOK way; not how you do things at work. ii. Read the questions multiple times, the questions are meant to trick you iii. Too long to be wrong: If all answers are short and there is one really long answer, it's probably the correct one iv. If 3 of the 4 answers state: Never, always, must, etc. Those are probably incorrect. Since when does PMBOK states "you must always"?! v. Process of elimination: Disregard the answers that stand out as being absolutely wrong. Now you have a 50/50 shot. vi. Do NOT second guess yourself. Go with your gut or first selection; do not go back and change your answer unless you know for a fact that you were wrong. 5. Practice your brain dump: I didn't use the standard brain dump as taught in the prep course. During the practice exams I kept having issues with Qualitative vs Quantitative, certain formulas, a few charts & inputs/outputs. Therefore, my brain dump was focused on my problem areas. a. Formulas (7 formulas) - I already knew 5 b. Quick definition of: i. Qualitative/Quantitative (Ratio/Rank vs. EMV/math) ii. Work performance information (input 90% of the time) iii. Work performance measurement (output 95 % of the time) iv. Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control c. Charts I studied for a month, an hour a night, at least 12 hours on weekends, and two days before the test, I took time off from work and studied 10 hours a day. 1. Exam Day: a. If you do better in the morning and tend to be brain dead in the afternoons, schedule the exam for the morning session. b. Get a good night's sleep c. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes d. No jewelry is allowed in the exam room e. Do not take headphones, they will provide them (they are cleaned after every use) 2. During the exam: a. Brain dump b. Take breaks if you need too but you can't just get up and move around the testing room c. Read the questions carefully (filter out the garbage or useless information) d. Do not waste time: If one question is taking too long, click "marked" (marked for review) and go back to it after you finished the other questions. e. Breathe and stretch. Close your eyes for a few minutes. It helps. It took 3 1/2 hours for me to take the test. During my practice exams, I was able to do in under 2 hours and 45 minutes. read more

This course is well worth the investment. I can honestly say that at first, I was a bit nervous about the content after trying to read the PMBOK on my own. However, the course is designed so that you get a lot of information, but not too much in one sitting. More importantly, as a former educator, I cannot say enough about how amazing Jon Sysel was as the instructor. He was dynamic, engaging, and kept my interest in the material. He balanced the need for teaching the material with listening to feedback and answering questions. He provided key pointers along the way and made the material feel approachable and manageable. I'd suggest to Jon that he pursue a career in education as he was an A+ instructor and I'm grateful for being a part of his group and for my fellow classmates. I highly recommend this course and especially Jon as the instructor. read more

I had a great experience with PMA. Some of the days were challenging but I learned more in the 4 day boot camp I took than in 3 months of studying on my own. They provided a plethora of amazing materials: cheat sheets, slide deck, PMBOK, and much more. I've taken boot camps previously that did not have a full 200 question mock exam. As much as I hated doing it, this was one of the most important parts of the class for me. It helped me to gauge exactly where I was with my PMP knowledge and told me where I need to be and helped me to formulate a study plan. I would most definitely recommend Project Management Academy to anyone looking to take the PMP. read more

If you're looking for proper PMP training then look no further, The Project Management Academy is the right place for you. The instructor Crystal Richards is absolutely amazing! She is full of project management knowledge and experience. The way she designed her curriculum around the PMBOK makes understanding the material easy. Crystal gives many tips and tricks not only to remember certain concepts but also key techniques on taking the exam. The class was engaging and very informative. Never a dull moment! I would highly recommend PMA & Crystal to anyone who is thinking about getting their PMP. Totally worth investment! read more

Mike Strachan is a PMP sensei! Excellent instructor, well-paced, clear, and engaging! He gets 5-stars. While the course materiel is well done, I do feel the sheer volume of the slide deck necessary to cover the PMBOK (v6) would be better presented over 5 days (v. 4), allowing more in-depth review (PMA offers an online 5th-day option at additional cost). read more

Jon Sysel was our instructor for a week-long course, and I definitely owe my exam pass much in part to his instruction and the PMA materials. A fellow PMP friend recommended PMA after she passed, and the reviews backed up her positive experience. As many of the other Yelp! reviewers note, you'll hear the instructor's voice in your head during the exam-- full of all the memory tricks and mnemonic devices that are essential to tuck in your brain for the exam. If you're reading this review, I'm sure you already know what I mean. While there are many successful self-study PMPs, I found bootcamp was the right road for me. It provides support (we had a particularly spirited class), structure, and materials towards a process/journey that can be very isolating and intimidating. I was able to focus on the right areas of the exam, network with great people, and feel armed for the exam. The provided lunches, coffee, and snacks were an extra perk! Jon kept us on track, even during the most grueling parts of study-- he gauged our energy well and adapted parts of the lessons to cater to our frustrations, or areas of weakness. So, five stars from this newly minted PMP! read more

The Project Management Academy's PMP Exam Preparation course had me perfectly prepared to pass on the first attempt. Instructor Scott Fass, whose credentials & experience alone made the course a worthwhile investment, delivered an engaging & insightful training. This was money well spent. I am in complete agreement with some of the other reviews I have read about Scott's methods, as well as the PMAs course content. read more

Excellent training preparation program and materials for the PMP certification exam. In comparison to the DC area alternatives, PMA offers much more resources to its students includes post-class tutoring and webinars! Thanks to the classroom small group size and in-depth course review, i successfully passed the PMP on the first try! read more

My company coordinated a bootcamp through PMA, instructed by Mike Strachan, and the training was very comprehensive and useful. The PMA material, both online and in the classroom, was organized well and insightful, going well beyond a regurgitation of the PMBOK. Mike really made the class as good as it gets, though, as he offered years of PM experience as a practitioner and instructor, relating through examples and providing key strategies to assist us in mastering the exam material. I would recommend PMA and especially Mike for any of your PMI training needs. read more

I attended the class taught by Michael Strachan, PMP, from March 7-10, 2016. I enjoyed the class very much. It is a worthwhile first step for learning the Project Management Institute's Project Management Body of Knowledge - PMBOK and achieving the training requirement to apply for and eventually take the test to earn the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. The materials are well done and helpful, but what made my class worthy of 5 stars was the instructor. Michael is an experienced project manager and expert and entertaining public speaker. I had anticipated that the classes would be long and boring, but Mike's engaging approach made time fly. The four days were over in no time and I learned a lot. Major kudos to Mike for making the class interesting! I strongly recommend you take the class, and with Michael, if you can. read more

If you are planning on taking the PMP Exam, then this is the place to receive your training. Although my company paid for the 4-day training, PMA's PMP Boot Camp would be worth every penny if I had to pay for it myself. My instructor was Mike Strachan, and he did a phenomenal job. His energy level kept the class engaging the entire time, which is pretty difficult to do in my opinion. He would frequently relate the material back to us by giving us countless examples and on top of that, he provided all the tips and tricks we needed to know to pass the exam. Along with an experienced and knowledgeable instructor, PMA provided the PMBOK book, a binder of the class slides, laminated cheat sheets of important topics, 3 practice exams, extra online videos to watch after class if you needed additional guidance, and online quizzes to ensure complete understanding of the material. I used all of their materials and I felt thoroughly prepared before taking the exam. I took the exam a month or so after the training, and all I can say is that Mike and the PMA materials prepared me so well that I passed on the first try. Thanks, Mike! read more

I strongly recommend the Project Management Academy PMP Boot Camp. I took it in March 2019 with almost zero knowledge of the PMBOK and passed the exam (the first time!) in April 2019. The materials are excellent and the advice on what to study and where to focus is stellar. If you're lucky enough to get Crystal Richards as your instructor, get ready for a super knowledgeable teacher who is great at pacing, provides a lot of personality and laughs for some pretty boring stuff, and offers a ton of great "real world" advice for test taking and the PMP application process. read more

Let me start by setting up my situation. I've been studying for a year to pass this exam. Self study. I bought books, online course access. You name it, I invested in it. Let me give you a piece of advice. Don't waste your time. If your wondering the best way to go about passing this test, just go right for PMA. I was on my last attempt. If I failed, I'd be locked out of taking this exam for a whole year!!!!! I took this course, Harlan was an AMAZING teacher, and I passed!!!! I didn't even think I was going to pass while taking the test but I did. That "CONGRATULATIONS" message was life changing. PMA has changed my life. Take this course, trust me. IT WORKS read more

I took the PMP Boot Camp course in February with Crystal Richards. The material and instructor were both great. I was able to pass the PMP exam on my first try within a month of taking the course. I would highly recommend. read more

I took the Bootcamp with Mike Strachan, a week ago; he is an expert in Project Management and covered the material with ease. He is a great instructor and was more than willing to work with us after class to ensure we grasped the concepts. He gave spot on study and test-taking tips, which helped me utilize my study time more efficiently during my 3-day personal study session. The course materials and practice test were more than sufficient and what I used to help me pass the test!!! read more

Thank you to Project Management Academy and my instructor, Crystal Richards, for helping me pass the PMP exam with confidence on my first try. The 4-day intensive Boot Camp format was much more effective than my months of casual self-studying. On the last day of class you will take a full length practice exam (on your laptop) which was super helpful to gauge my level of understanding of the material. To qualify for the "pass guarantee" you will be required to take 3 more full length practice exams at home before sitting for the exam - so plan your time accordingly. I took the exam a week after the course ended which was a big time commitment (each practice exam can take up to 4 hours) but I saw steady improvement after each practice exam and felt very well prepared by the time I had to take the real thing. I HIGHLY recommend this training if you are serious about passing the exam the first time! read more

I just finished the 4 day PMP bootcamp with Mike Strachan - and I feel ready to take the exam! The Project Management Academy materials are very helpful study guides - and Mike did a great job explaining all of the concepts in real-world terms. He clearly goes above and beyond for his students - tutoring before and after class, reviewing PMP applications, and offering help after the end of the course. I am planning to take the test in the next few weeks - and I definitely feel prepared! I highly recommend Mike's course to anyone looking to take the PMP. read more

100% recommend PMA. I studied the PMBOK material (not the actual PMBOK book) leading up to the course and attended the 4 day boot camp last week (July 2018) with Crystal Richards. I took the exam this morning and passed!! Crystal was awesome and extremely helpful! You can tell she really wants to help you learn and succeed and makes herself available to you for whatever you need. PMA also offers you tons of resources on their online portal from exercises to practice exams that are available to you up to 6 months after your boot camp course. I found these resources to be a huge help in preparing for the exam. I will be recommending Crystal and PMA to any of my colleagues interested in pursuing the PMP certification! read more

2 weeks ago, I used PMA as a bootcamp to jump up my understanding on the vernacular used by PMI and how it differs from what the terms I use. Gordon Young was my instructor. Making the decision to take the PMP Exam you're probably wondering do you need to take a prep course. I don't think there's any doubts about it: you do. Because you have to understand that what you define as "quality assurance" is different than PMI "quality assurance" (that was the hardest for me)- but many more similar challenges. Today I passed the exam on my first attempt. Gordon teaches the course in a way that helped me go from zero understanding of how PMI defines the activities compared to how I had understood things (having not read the book before class) to having enough to pass the practice exam in class, three practice exams I took in the two weeks following the class, and the actual exam today. Gordon's methodology isn't to teach you every single thing, but to teach you new ways to think about the material in the most efficient manner. read more

My instructor, Crystal Richards, helped me memorize the materials via funny mnemonics. That helped me tremendously! She really did an excellent job in advising us on what material we needed to focus on/memorize. I memorized that matrix for the 47 processes, as she had suggested, memorized the formulas, focused on the outputs and how they were inputs to other processes, reviewed the training materials, and read the PMBOK based on how it corresponded to the PMA training slide deck. The strategy guide was also a fantastic study aid. It truly clarified some common misconceptions, as I had confused the terminology, myself. If I hadn't read that, I know I would've gotten a lot of answers wrong. Crystal was a knowledgeable instructor and a great communicator. After about 10 minutes into her class, I said to myself, "That woman is going to get me my PMP." I think her guidance on what to focus on and what to memorize verbatim from the PMBOK/PMA training materials was the key to my success. Crystal's energy also made the class/material memorable. I took the class at the beginning of May 2016 and passed the test 2 weeks later. I cannot thank PMA and Crystal enough. read more

I took the PMP Bootcamp course in Feb 2019 at the Linthicum Heights location. Crystal Richards was my instructor, and I feel so lucky to have had her! I found out on my first day that others in my class had specifically sought her out... one guy even flew in from Michigan just to take her course! And she was definitely worth the hype. It's a TON of material to cover in just a few days, but Crystal never failed to keep things engaging, clear, and on schedule. She's so personable and patient too, and would give us real life examples to demonstrate some of the trickier concepts. My classmates were awesome, all supporting one another, and we're actually still on an email chain to encourage one another in our studies and on the exam! I took my exam yesterday (March 2019), and passed on the first try. I kept hearing Crystal's words of encouragement in my head the whole time ;) Take this course! I can't recommend it/her highly enough. read more

Recently completed a PMP bootcamp with Mike Strachan. It was an amazing course. Mike did not simply read the slides, but rather conveyed the information in a relatable manner that made it easy to comprehend. He took the time to ensure everyone understood the material and even stayed late to go over anything anyone might have had questions on. All of the material given to us was great and very useful. I would definitely recommend this course for anyone serious about passing the PMP examination. read more