6 Tips to Prepare for the CMA Exam
When planning out your CMA exam preparation schedule, take into consideration your lifestyle, learning style, and comfort with the course curriculum. Here are some tips from past CMA certified candidates to help you pass your CMA exam successfully:
1. Choose the Right Training Provider
Certain institutions have been creating prep notes, question banks and mock exams for quite some time while others have just recently entered the market. The provider’s experience is essential as it guarantees that their content and knowledge has been streamlined and refined through the years. Choosing experienced providers helps you understand the IMA’s exam requirements and prevents studying with a prep provider who is learning about the course requirements themselves.
2. Practice should be your focus
The volume of mock (practice) examinations is crucial as they help highlight your strong and weak areas in the curriculum. Choosing a provider who can offer high-quality mock exams helps ensure that your key and crucial areas are assessed.
3. Learn from a CMA certified trainer
Trainers who have studied and been certified for the course have a student-centric perspective. This serves an important purpose when candidates are unable to understand in-depth or confusing concepts and require tips or hacks for the same. It wouldn’t be wise for you to take the advice of someone who hasn’t mastered the exam disregard of the attempts.
4. Start your study routine early
The majority of CMA certified professionals credit their examination routine for their success during the CMA journey which includes understanding what the content highlights as well as applying to a wide variety of questions that will be tested during the CMA exam. Being confident and well versed with the curriculum and its application requires patience and time which can only be attained through a well thought out and strict study plan.
One method that has proven to be highly effective for the CFA Program and can also be used for the CMA course is the Prepare > Practice > Perform technique. In the preparation phase, you must focus on learning the content through reading and attending training sessions while practice includes identifying the gaps in your learning so that you can score high in your mock exams. Spend an average of 30 – 40% of your time preparing, 40 – 50% practicing and 20% performing.
5. Key Definitions and Terms are defining factors
Essential terms and concepts are commonly tested through multiple-choice questions. Hence, it’s crucial to be able to understand and differentiate among them to prevent confusion. Terms are often used in question statements in the form of least, most and so forth which can make a significant difference towards the correct answer. Therefore, if the question seems confusing or unclear, rephrase the question to your understanding before selecting an answer.
6. Educated Guessing is your good luck charm
Candidates are often caught off guard by complicated questions which makes it exceptionally imperative that candidates develop the habit of “educated guessing” during their practice sessions. One good way to identify the correct answer would be through the process of elimination or relating it to a similar concept.