There are really two reviews here: 5 stars for Michael A. Giacalone (Instructor) Mike deserves every one of these five stars. He somehow made four consecutive 10+ hour days engaging, interactive, and even fun. Instead of simply teaching the slides, he shared personal stories and real-world examples that made the PMP concepts click. He taught us how to think through the material rather than memorize answers. I took the new PMP exam on August 1 and passed on my first attempt with AT/AT/T. The actual exam questions were very different from any practice exams I'd taken, but because of the way Mike taught us to reason through scenarios, I was able to work through unfamiliar questions with confidence. If you're lucky enough to have Mike as your instructor, do yourself a favor: stay engaged, take good notes, and don't zone out. His instruction was instrumental to me passing. 2 stars for PMA Unfortunately, everything else about the experience fell well short of expectations, especially considering the cost of the course. The classroom environment wasn't great. The hotel meeting room was hot and noisy, refreshments were limited to basic coffee with nothing to eat, and there weren't even lunch options available at the hotel. The biggest disappointment was the post-course study resources. They were not as advertised. The materials contained numerous grammar mistakes, factual errors, and practice questions that were either simply incorrect or poorly written. Even the accurate questions relied heavily on PMBOK 6 and 7 terminology instead of the language used on the current PMBOK 8/ECO. I also completed the mock exam and attended the review session. Instead of explaining why answers were right or wrong, the review was mostly, "Here's how I would do it," without explaining the reasoning behind the answers or addressing the concepts students were struggling with. That wasn't an effective learning experience. I spent weeks studying PMA's materials and honestly felt less prepared than I did immediately after finishing Mike's class. I literally rescheduled my exam by 2 weeks to give myself time to study accurate and relevant information through the PMI. If you decide to take a PMP course with PMA, my recommendation is to get everything you can from Mike during the live class, then switch to PMI's official Study Hall and other PMI exam resources for your post-course preparation. Those resources were much more representative of the actual exam and played a major role in helping me pass on my first attempt. read more

The PMI PMP Certification is the credential any Project Management professional should seek when looking for Worldwide Industry recognition of their knowledge and experience in the field. As such, any candidate shouldn't take preparation lightly and must look for the right resources to support them in the process. I was looking for a course that had both online resources I could access in my spare time and a very structure in-class product I could attend and have direct interactions with World Class Instructors. PMA recommended me the PMP Exam Prep Class and the PMP Extra Day Course which contained both online and face-to-face resources I needed to be successful. I structured my study plan as following: 30 days of self-study using both PMI and PMA online resources followed by the Boot-camp and Exam. Final outcome: I passed! This plan worked very well for me. Independent of where you are in your journey, you are in control and should tailor preparation to your needs. Focus and dedication along with the right support and resources will equate to positive results. I highly recommend PMA resources to anyone interest in taking the PMP Exam without any reservation. read more

I just tested for PMP and passed the first time around which is the goal! I could not have done it without Mike Giacalone help. He did a fantastic job of first teaching the class and then laying the foundation for passing the exam. I attended the course 21 Oct - October 24 2019. Mike was very methodical in his approach to teaching the class. The material taught was just what it was, the material. It was Mike's delivery that really kept my attention in class and ultimately was the deciding factor in me passing the first time around. He deserves a round of applause for his excellence and how he approaches the concepts of Project Management. In addition to his approach, he was there to answer questions and assist after the class. I had questions on my next moves on testing and he was there to point me in the right direction. Thanks Mike and I look forward to working with in in the world of Project Management. Gaius S. Barron, PMP certified. read more

I took the PMP boot camp in January 2018 with Michael Giacalone. It was 4 days long with the last day covering a full mock exam. First and foremost, Michael was an amazing instructor and brought the material to life! He was extremely clear with explanations and examples and really helped me understand some key differentiators in the material. Second, the study materials and incredibly resources available via the online portal for Project Management Academy users is amazing! They have videos which I watched over and over, in one of them I learned a memorization technique that helped me learn the processes. They also offer tons of sample questions and multiple variations of a full mock exam. The mock exams helped me build the mental endurance needed for the exam. 6 weeks after my boot camp I sat for my PMP and passed! I definitely could not have done it without Michael and the Project Management Academy. read more

I attended the Project Management Professional class at the Courtyard by Marriott in Tampa, FL, 17-20 February 2014. The instructor, Mr. Asad Haque, presented an excellent class. His expertise in the PMP arena was extremely beneficial to me in my approach to studying for the PMP exam. I took the exam on 13 March after adhering to Mr. Haque's recommendation to take a couple of weeks to go over the materials in general again and to review a few specific items allowing for a more granular understanding of the material and incorporating it as long term knowledge. Due to Mr. Haque's diligence in covering all aspects of the material and his insightful recommendations, I passed the exam on the first attempt. I would highly recommend the Project Management Academy's (PMA) Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Prep course without hesitation! read more

On 17-20 February, 2014, I attended a Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Prep course at the Courtyard by Marriott in Tampa, FL. This course was taught by Asad Haque. Mr. Haque is an extremely knowledgeable Project Manager and is an excellent instructor. He covered all the material with patience and ensured that the entire class understood each subject area. He was very gracious with his time by making himself available for questions prior to class starting, during lecture, during lunch, and after class. His approach to teaching the subject matter was very upbeat and structured. His advice for preparing for the PMP exam was spot on. I took the exam on 10 March 2014 and passed the exam on my first attempt. I take great pleasure in recommending Project Management Academy's (PMA) Project Management Professional Exam Prep course. read more

I took the PMP Prep Course through the Project Management Academy 17-20 Feb 2014. Asad Haque was the instructor. He was very knowledge of the course materials and had real life experiences that enhanced the learning environment. In addition to teaching the class, Mr. Haque made it clear that he would help any student with any problem areas they experienced after the class was complete. He definitely made the class enjoyable and enhanced the learning experience. PMA's program is top notch. After taking the prep course and then following their outline for studying, I passed the PMP exam first try. Do not believe I could have passed the exam first try without Mr. Haque's instruction and PMA's approach to studying. If you are planning on taking the PMP exam, I highly recommend you attend one of PMA's prep courses to ensure success. read more

I cannot recommend the PMP boot camp course enough. Michael Giacolone was ready to start the class on time everyday and kept a steady pace as he covered a enormous amount of information within a tight timeframe. He also never veered away from answering questions as they arose throughout the duration of the course. Furthermore, by the time I got to my car in the parking lot each day, I already had emails from him with supporting documentation on the day's lessons. I took the course in 10/2018 and my PMP exam in 12/2018 and passed on my first attempt thanks to Mike's lesson plan, course material and the study material from PMA's online resources. I was completely prepared the day of my exam. They have my genuine and full recommendation for anyone looking into their PMP exam boot camp. Thanks for everything, Justin read more

Project Management Academy has incredible online resources after you sign up for a class. After I signed up I began working through the training material on the website as instructed. I worked with the web based material for about three weeks before I took the PMP bootcamp. I attended the bootcamp in July of 2019 with Michael Giacalone, just 2 weeks before I took the test. The class was intense and very informative. Before I started the bootcamp I was afraid I might have to reschedule the exam, but after the week was over I was confident with my knowledge and continued studying, took the test and passed it the first time. I recommend PMA Academy to anyone who is serious about a PMP certification. Thank you Mike! read more

I recently took the PMP bootcamp course from instruction Michael Giacalone in Tampa, Florida. It was an intense review of the subject matter, but Michael did a great job keeping on pace and still retaining our interest. He is obviously very proficient in his craft, and instilled the necessary knowledge in my that resulted in my passing the PMP exam earlier this week. The course material is very good as well, with plenty of strategy tips for not only learning the material but also preparing for the exam. The mock exams were tough, but they prepared me for the 4 hour live version and I felt that time was not a concern. Thanks again to Michael for his instruction and to PMA for a quality course. read more

The Project Management Academy did a good job of preparing me for the PMP Certification Exam. The instructor, Mike Giacalone, was very friendly and helpful, and was thorough as he covered all of the material during the intensive 4-day training. He also gave us a realistic picture - the exam is very tough and requires a lot of intensive, individual study to pass. I was able to pass the exam, but I took a lot of extra time to make sure that I knew the material. I waited 3 months after the training before going into the Test Center to take the test. PMA had a lot of material on their website, including all of the training materials, quizzes, and 200-question practice exams. read more

After taking the PMP exam and not passing, even though I studied extensively, I looked around to find a good summary course. The PMP Bootcamp course that PMA offers is expensive. And it is absolutely worth it. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to pass the exam. Even though the course is a great study tool on its own, the resources that they offer give you more than enough tools to pass the exam with flying colors. Mike Giacalone was a great instructor that has extensive experience and really wants you to succeed. I had a great experience with this course and now have the title to strengthen my career and better myself. Thanks PMA and thanks Mike for all of your help! read more

I credit my success in obtaining the PMP certification to my PMA instructor, Devin Clinevell. In my case, I only had 18 days to start the PMA bootcamp and pass the PMI exam. The pace of instruction was grueling. It was Devin Clinevell who got me through the course and also helped me to understand the application process. At every turn, Devin was there to patiently answer my questions. During the bootcamp, Devin did a super good job of answering questions with real-world examples from his own experience. Thank you again PMA for providing a top-of-the-line instructor. And Thank You Devin Clinevell for helping to make me a success in my industry...//TL Blakely read more

I took this course in July 2017, after meeting the other requirements for my PMP exam. My instructor was Michael Giacalone. The class itself is a thought provoking and challenging course. Mike did well at providing us insight and tips. I challenged and passed my PMP exam ten calendar days after completing Mike's class. I passed the class with either proficient or moderately proficient scores in each domain area. Mike did well, and although five days worth of material was crammed into four, Mike made sure it was enjoyable. I look forward to hearing other success stories from my peers in the class and using this certification to enhance my career opportunities. read more

I took the PMP Bootcamp class held by PMA in January of 2018 with Michael Giacalone and found it extremely helpful in getting me started with the studying and preparation needed for the exam. Along with the class, they provided a ton of materials to help you study. I recommend using everything, even the exercises. This, along with close to two months of studying, helped me pass the Exam on the first try. I credit this class and instructor for providing me with the baseline I needed to prepare for the test. I highly recommend taking this course if you are serious about securing this Certification and it counts for 35 PDUs you need to sit for the exam. read more

I was not looking forward to 4 intensive days Project Management Academy (PMA) PMP prep Boot camp or the certification exam. That said, the instructor Mike Giacalone made the class interesting and comprehensive. He covered the PMBok materials and a great deal more. After the class, I took advantage of the PMA website for additional support and PMP prep. I took a practice exam at the end of the class, and three more on the PMA website before passing my PMP on the first try. Thanks to both Mike and PMA for making the process as painless as possible. I would definitely recommend both to anyone considering any of the PMI certifications. read more

I just completed the week-long PMP course with Mike Giacalone, and it was an incredible experience. I learned so much not only from Mike but also from the diverse group of participants, which included people from construction, military, ERP, and software backgrounds. It was valuable to dive into both adaptive and predictive project management principles. Mike did an excellent job preparing us for the exam and offered practical tips that will help as I continue my studies. I highly recommend this course to anyone pursuing the PMP certification, and I can't emphasize enough how much of a bonus it would be to have Mike as your instructor. read more

I took the PMP boot camp Jan 2018 with Gary at Project Management Academy and truly am glad I did. The class very much prepared me to take the exam... 1.5 weeks later and I passed the first attempt! I believe my success was also attributed to the boot camp and the study material provided, as well as the 4 practice exams. Gary answered all of our questions and focused on the most important material. He also helped us to understand the way test writers think, which genuinely assisted me with conducting the test. You can tell Gary is an expert in the PM field. Don't think twice and take the PMP boot camp with Project Management Academy. read more

As an experienced PM, I needed to learn/re-learn PMI's way of doing things. The PMP Bootcamp course and the instructor Mike G were just what I was looking for. That is what the course is focused on - the exam. The other students brought insight into both the exam to come and the PM work to follow. That was the first unexpected bonus. The second was the materials - I already had a well-thumbed copy of the PMBOK, but the PMA materials really brought things home when making the final study push before the exam. And the on-line practice exams! The third bonus. Two thumbs up and very pleased with the course (and the certification) read more