I attended the Project Management Academy PMP Boot Camp from 19 - 22 FEB 2018. My instructor was Ms. Crystal Richards. 1. Crystal absolutely made the class a successful investment of time - she is an 11 out of 10. Her knowledge of the PMBOK chapter and verse were phenomenal, her perspectives on all aspects of project management exceptional. She is also not only a consummate instructor, but possesses extensive real world application of project management principles and practices. I would not want to have attempted the PMP exam without her instruction and the preparation she suggested. (I passed on my first attempt). Her coaching on study, effective approaches to taking the exam, methods of practicing and the support materials provided were essential to my success. I have been involved in project management for 30 years, and off and on in developing and delivering training and education - Crystal is one of the best instructors I have seen. 2. The PMA Boot Camp curriculum and training materials are also exceptional, including the PMBOK guide, study aids, essential knowledge cards, and the many online PMA assists for learning, reinforcement and practice. Especially helpful were the online timed practice exams - I took one 4 hour trial run as a part of the boot camp, and three 4 hour runs online from my home. Other PMA online aids include flashcards, webinar/tutorials and tailorable drills to check and improve knowledge. PMA provides all the materials and support items you will need to do everything in the class for the four days. 3. PMA office and customer support staff were also superb: knowledgeable, effective, personable - providing superior customer support and service. If you need a Boot Camp (and in spite of my practical experience I found the Boot Camp was essential) PMA will serve you very well, both in class and in post class practice and related preparation. I could not commend them to you strongly enough - they are exceptional. In the final analysis, the combination of Ms. Crystal Richards and the PMA Boot Camp and online resources are worth every penny - given the results, a bargain. read more

I attended the PMP Boot Camp April 2, 2018 - April 5, 2018 with Crystal Richards. The summary statement for this post is simply "I PASSED" but allow me to expound on that. For full disclosure, I had done a prep course in the past (it was PMBOK V5) and then allowed about six months to lapse before attempting the exam. It was an epic fail! Understanding that I needed to get an immersive focused boot camp session, I signed up for PMA's boot camp. The Boot Camp is an intense four-day course prepping you on the knowledge areas, process areas, Earned Value Management (EVM), Critical Path, etc. In addition, you get access to the PMA site that has a ton of very useful practice questions, mock exams, laminates with formulas, process charts, definitions, games, etc. Now, on to Crystal Richards.... she rocks! As we all know, there is quite a bit of information to go through in the four days we had together, but the way she structured it, the way she presented it, the tips, and the study plan she provides you for prep after the boot camp is over was exactly what I needed. I was able to take her guidance and apply her study plan (it's 30 days, but she explained how to condense it to 15 days if you felt ready) and pass the exam (PMBOK V6 now). Her instruction and tips were invaluable to my success. If you're planning to take the exam, I highly recommend signing up for PMA's boot camp. It's a huge amount of information and spending those four days focused and immersed in unpacking it and making sense of it, is very beneficial to your success. Also, I don't know if you can find out who the instructors are ahead of time, but if you call PMA and you can, I highly recommend getting into Crystal's session. I promise you will not be disappointed! read more

I completed the PMP boot camp conducted by Scott Fass in late April 2016 and passed the test comfortably just over two weeks after completing the course. My experience was extremely positive; I highly recommend both Scott and the Project Management Academy to those considering pursuing certification as a PMP. The foundation of the program is the PMA-developed materials. The PMA laminates summarizing the key elements of the 600 page PMBOK on fewer than 10 sides of paper are excellent study guides. The PMA Strategy Guide illustrates some solid tactics to use in test taking. Obtaining the classroom credits in four long days of coursework was one bonus for me and other busy professionals. Obtaining the actual copy of PMBOK in the paper form was another bonus that made it much faster to zero in on knowledge gaps both during the course and later when studying alone. The pre-tests, flash cards, weekly webinars and other features of the PMA website are also high-value items. The communication skills and experiences of our instructor Scott Fass compounded the value I received from these well-prepared PMA materials. Scott's test taking insights from his many years of service to PMI and case studies from his own experiences as a project manager in both the military and in commercial ventures amplified the PMA slide deck to a significant degree. Finally the mix of experience in the class among my 15 or so classmates deepened my understanding of industries where my experience was limited. Scott very effectively encouraged participation by even the most reserved participants and nicely balanced the time for lecture, test question reviews, group exercises and our own war stories. This course was very well done. read more

I took the PMP Bootcamp class with Scott Fass from PMA in Dec 2018. The class was well structured. Not a single minute was wasted. We got lot of materials too, including hard copy PMBOK guide, strategy guide, Agile tech guide and slide book.Additionally we had access to plenty of online resources, including live web based support,videos, exercises and practice tests to support the students even after the class is over. Scott's teaching techique was very enganing.He made the class very interesting by giving us real life examples of good and bad project management practices. He also ensured that everyone was participating and therefore by the end of 4 days we had gained a lot of knowledge. He drew our attention to important topics and tricky questions as the class progressed. The last day we got to take a mock exam, after which, based on our score, Scott gave us feedback and tips for studying. He also went over the PMP application process.I used a lot of the PMA website resources after the class during my exam prep and was able to pass the PMP exam in February with above target score in all domains in my first attempt.I am very thankful for the instruction from Scott and support provided by PMA. read more

I took this bootcamp Aug 29 - September 1, 2016. Scott Fass was an amazing instructor. He gave great real world examples to help you memorize important and complicated concepts. He was also able to demonstrate his knowledge proficiently and easily. I think this gave me and the rest of the class confidence in him as an instructor. The bootcamp was worth every penny, and I know that I would not have passed my PMP exam without it. The course is fast-paced and efficient. A lot of material is covered in the bootcamp, so it is important to pay attention throughout. I think just about everyone in the class performed very well on the practice exam on the last day because our class average was very high. Scott also discusses your results with you individually and gives you personalized study plan after the exam. The study materials offered by PMA are great. I used all of them: Book, portal, laminate fold-outs, PMBOK book, PPT slides. They were all extremely helpful. Overall, I'd recommend this class to anyone that is trying to pass their PMP exam on their first try. Personally, I took the exam 1.5 weeks after the course finished and passed on my first try! read more

I participated in the Project Management Academy PMP exam prep during the week of Feb. 2 at the Rockville Courtyard Marriott under the extraordinary instruction of Gordon Young. Gordon presented us with well laid out slides that were not overwhelming and a great supplement to the PMBOK. The materials were informative (sprinkled with Gordon's humorous methodologies to remember information), and well organized. Gordon has a wonderful and easy going teaching style that puts everyone at ease. Since I had been studying since November and took the test on February 7, this class was perfect for me, as I learned more than a few things, and reinforced existing knowledge. This class was instrumental in my passing the PMP exam. Additionally, the information that Project Management Academy provides on their website (once you register for the boot camp) is impressive. There are instructional videos, a pre-assessment test, mock exams, quizzes, flash cards, etc. Anyone signing up for this boot camp should take advantage of these materials and reading the PMBOK beforehand to ensure a positive and less stressful week! read more

I took the PMP Bootcamp in November, the week after Thanksgiving, with Scott Fass. I am beyond satisfied with how the course was taught as well as the material provided by the company. I had been trying for 6 months to get through the PMBOK (only made it through chapters 1 & 2) before deciding to take the bootcamp. I did research on other companies before choosing PMA. I am so glad I did! Scott was an awesome teacher. He has had so much PM experience and he was able to provide real-life examples to make the material easier to digest. Does it feel like you're 'falling off a cliff' (as Scott puts it) in terms of how quickly you go through the material? Yes. But at the end of it I felt more prepared for the test. I followed the study guide and used the PMA portal to my advantage. I took the PMP exam exactly 3 weeks after the bootcamp ended and passed (on my first try). I don't think I could have even come close to passing without taking this course. I have since had 3 people ask me for referrals. I highly recommend you take it if you are serious about getting your PMP! read more

I recently attended the PMA boot camp in mid February. I have to say that the boot camp was a huge help for my preparation eventually leading to a success in my PMP exam. Getting into the boot camp, I hadn't been well prepared. The week long teaching was intense and extremely stimulating. Crystal was very organized, experienced and entertaining. She kept the whole roomful of students engaged. The learning was exhausting but the classroom interaction was very helpful and effective in keeping you going. Crystal is extremely knowledgeable about the subjects, and very verbal. I could tell she put her heart into it. Toward the end of the class, I had a special lunch event to attend at work, she was very kind to accommodate my need by going there excessively early in the morning. Other than the teaching quality, I also like the PMA website and found it very rich in variety and depth of teaching materials. The teaching facility was also the best - comfortably situated in Courtyard Marriott. Highly recommend this boot camp and the whole package offered by PMA. read more

I took PMA's PMP Boot Camp in November 2020 with Bill Holmes and could not be more satisfied with both the course content/materials AND the instructor! I've been managing projects for years but never had any formal training/education so the boot camp was perfect. I strongly recommend reading the PMBOK before the course (or at least the abridged version in the back of the book). Access to the boot camp resources (Q/A formatted like those on the exam, practice tests, the ability to single out specific processes and knowledge areas I needed most help with, quick sheets, "terms to know," etc.) is exactly what I needed to prepare for the exam. Bill made the information overload manageable and fun! He gave us tips and tricks to prepare and was encouraging throughout the process, even after the boot camp, when he offered to answer questions we might have while studying (which of course I took him up on). I'm getting ready to start preparing for the PMI-ACP and plan to take the PMA review course for that one as well. read more

I attended the PMP Boot Camp in Rockville from 19-23 February and it was as brutal as boot camp sounds. 8:30am - 6pm starting on Presidents Day with pop quizzes every hour and a seemingly never-ending avalanche of information: even actual project managers seemed to struggle and I'm not one so my learning curve was vertical. But the instructor! Crystal Richards was ABSOLUTELY EPIC. She conveyed the concepts clearly and understandably, seemed to know the answer to everything but was far from a know-it-all and gave lots of tips on how to recall what we were learning. Crystal kept our spirits and energy up the whole time, providing encouragement as well as instruction, and gave us invaluable test-taking strategies. Four weeks later, and having done a modicum of the preparation indicated, I passed the actual PMP exam at the first attempt and practically everyone else in the class did similar. If you're considering PMP, I recommend PMA and if you get Crystal as your instructor you'll have hit he jackpot. read more

I attended Project Management Academy's PMP Boot Camp 4-7 June 2018. This was my first exposure to PMBoK information, and I achieved a 1st attempt PASS on my test. My training covered PMBoK v.6 including Agile content, and my instructor, Mr. Scott Fass, made all the difference. The PMA class content is thorough, detailed, and well organized. Scott Fass covered the vast content completely while somehow keeping us on schedule, and his insightful real-world examples help translate the information from 'content' to knowledge. Make no mistake - the coursework is overwhelming, and simply attending the course will not get you a passing test score.....YOU have to put in the extra hours of study to be successful. But the PMA study plan and on-line materials/training greatly augment the coursework and help fill knowledge gaps to ensure your success. TAKE THIS COURSE WITH SCOTT FASS....YOU WILL NOT REGRET DOING SO!!! Thank you PMA and Scott Fass for paving the path for my success! Pete M. read more

I recently attended the PMP Exam Prep training held at the Courtyard Marriot located in Rockville, MD. The instructor was Scott Fass who is an extremely knowledgeable and passionate practitioner in the PM world who brought a tremendous amount of his real world experience into the classroom and knew the right techniques to employ to integrate into the PMP foundations to be able to keep all of us engaged who were there to not only succeed at passing the PMP Exam on the first attempt but to be able to build upon and enhance our learning experience. This is an accelerated offering so you'd need to be prepared mentally and physically to absorb the PMBOK in its entirety and roll that up into a study strategy simultaneously. I don't think I'd have passed on the first try withoutthe materials PMA provided and with Scott's classroom delivery. If you need to acquire this certification I'd highly recommend PMA and Scott Fass as a supplier for this avenue. read more

Just want to say that taking the PMP Boot Camp week long course with Project Management Academy was worth every penny! I took this course on April 8th thru the 11th, and sat for the PMP exam in Columbia MD on the 12th. The instructor Crystal Richardson was absolutely wonderful, full of energy and kept the PMP material fun and interesting which keep me looking forward to each day. Due to Crystal Richardson's instruction, expert guidance and PMP exam preparation, I passed the PMP exam on my very first try. I cannot give sufficient praise to Crystal. She had the complete class fully engaged and kept the class from becoming dry and boring. Project Management Academy is very lucky to have Crystal as an expert instructor. I would recommend for anyone needing PMP training to take this PMP training boot camp course with Project Management Academy, and specifically with Crystal Richardson. You will be glad you did. Sincerely, Eddie F. Hamad. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Project Management Academy. I took the PMP Bootcamp in Baltimore, MD from January 6-9, 2020. Our instructor was Bill Holmes, and the class was great! While you go over a TON of information, Bill found a way to make the class both enjoyable and informative. He offered to support us all through the PMI application process, in which he was a huge help. The online course material was SO helpful as a reference. The course is recorded, so I went back through the book, watched the videos and took ALL of the quizzes. I am so pleased to say that on February 27, 2020, I passed the PMP exam on my first try! I received "Above Target" on 4 of the 5 areas and "Target" in 1 area. While studying for the PMP exam takes a great deal of time and dedication, I don't think I would have been as successful if it wasn't for the great resources that Project Management Academy has to offer. read more

I cannot recommend this class (with Crystal!) enough. I took the course in May, 2019 and passed the PMP exam in July. They are really setting you up to be the most prepared you possibly can be for this exam. The PMBOK can be very "in the weeds" and wonky, but PMA translates it beautifully and really highlights the key takeaways. They'll also help with your application, which was a huge bonus for me. I also thought having classmates there was motivating and a great support system both during and after class. Crystal was energetic, respectful of our time, and available whenever anyone had additional questions. She was definitely a huge part in making the class both fun and fostering that team environment. Be on time, stay focused (it's easy with the variety of teaching techniques/breaks), and study using the materials they provide both in class and online. If you do all that, you're golden. read more

I completed PMA's PMP Boot Camp in April 2019 at the Gaithersburg location. Crystal Richards was my instructor and she is THE BEST! I passed on my first try, as has everyone else from the class who has taken it so far. Crystal manages to take a very dry, boring subject and make it fun and interesting. I described the class to a friend as trying to drink out of a water main, but even though she was teaching us a TON of material, Crystal kept us engaged and got everyone to participate through all 4 days of class. She was encouraging and supportive, while also keeping potentially disruptive students in check so we could all learn the material needed for exam success. I could not recommend PMA's PMP Boot Camp enough. Take the class if you are serious about passing the PMP exam and earning your certification. They provide all the resources you need to pass. read more

I took the PMP Boot Camp with Scott Fass from PMA in December 2018. The four days boot camp was not an easy task, but Scott was able to provide lots of real life experiences to help me understand the concept. Scott also provided me with more suggestions and helps even one month after my boot camp was over. I passed my exam last Saturday in one go!. PMA wasn't cheap, but it was worth for me. The institute provided many tools to help me prepare for the exam, especially practice exams. These practices exam were so valuable that I was not able to find anywhere online. I did try to find some random online PMP exam questions, but they were either way too hard or too easy. Most of them did not offer any explanation at all. After taking the real exam, I can say that the practice exams provided by PMA were just about right. I highly recommend PMA! read more

PMA's PMP Boot Camp was essential to me passing the PMP Test on my first try after attending the boot camp in mid Nov 15. The class provided the framework and resources necessary to focusing my studies and translating the PMBOK into a logical, systematic process. Of particular note was my instructor, Crystal Richards, who is incredibly knowledgeable and patient with the numerous queries and misconceptions throughout the class. Crystal brought tremendous energy to the class, giving life to otherwise dry and laborious material while also engendering trust and active participation, and encouraging each and every class member. Hats off to PM for developing a meaningful and relevant PMP prep class and to Crystal Richards for her remarkable knowledge and dynamic and enabling teaching style - a home run combination!! read more

My heartfelt thanks to my instructor Crystal Richards and PMA for providing a very interesting and informative course that help me make sense of the abundance of information provided in the PMBOK. Crystal provided so much information in a way that was relatable to what we all did in our regular jobs. She was quick on her feet and able to answer most questions on the spot. Even for those few questions she couldn't answer while we were in class or those areas that she knew were difficult for students to understand, she was sure to cover it in her end of day/course emails which seem to tie all the concepts together. I could say so much more but I guess the bottom line is you can tell when someone truly enjoys and lives what they do! I am one of many/lucky that attended the course in Nov 15! PMP Dec 15! read more