An in-classroom PMP exam prep course is one of the best ways to begin preparing for the PMP Exam. They are easy to find on the internet. Classes that offer extensive and comprehensive coverage or the material required should be go onto your short list. The primary benefit of these sessions is that you can interact with the trainer (make sure that he/she is PMP certified) and with other project managers in the classroom studying alongside. This interaction ensures you get a firsthand experience on how to approach situations and the underlying principle that govern them.

Make sure to stay away from "boot camp" classes. The best courses are those that meet once a week over the course of several weeks and allow you to do self-study in-between and really soak up the material over time.

Through this classroom type learning, you are given a weekly "checkpoint" to see how much of the lessons are really learned and retained. This is important because the PMP Exam tests your ability to apply the theory to real-life project management situations through varying scenarios in the exam questions. A large number of free tests are available online that you can use to assess if you are ready for the exam. Beyond the free tests that only go so far you should also consider subscribing to an online exam simulator that will really test your knowledge and ability to pass the exam. These online exam simulators teach you the necessary time-management skills for this 4-hour exam and the detailed reports allows you to review your performance and learn the correct answers for questions you missed.

If you have not decided on which PM Exam course to get, begin by visiting various sites in the Internet. Here you get to choose which one is best suited for you and start preparing for your certification exam.