TOPIC: Center based or Online PMP exam?

Just need to know the pros and cons of center Based and Online PMP Exams.
1. Which is the recommended one?
2. What is the Process carried out in Center based Exam?
3. What is the Process carried out in online exam?
With pandemic and lockdowns, do centers get closed if need ( As per the govt regulations) and cancel the booked exams? What about rescheduling fees ?
Any suggestion and Informations will be very helpful.

Deepa,

There are no "recommended" places to take the exam - it will be a matter of your preference. For me, I would have preferred to take it at an exam center for a couple of reasons:
1. I'm there for a reason. I will not have the distractions of "home" - dog, cat, spouse, kids, delivery person, whatever.
2. Dealing with a living person at the check in is much preferred over dealing with some unaccountable talking head at the other end of the camera.

Early in the COVID crazy-times, the testing centers here in the US did get closed for quite some time. That is when PMI/Pearson Vue moved to online availability. The centers here in Illinois (USA) started opening up last July, but not fully. Yes, they did cancel booked exams. I do not know anything about rescheduling fees associated with government-mandated closures of in-person centers.

With respect to procedures: Check in procedures for both in-person testing centers and the on-line version have been detailed numerous times at various locations on this board, Pearson Vue's website and, I think PMI's site as well. I've not heard a single nightmare story about the check-in procedure at an in-person center while there have been several nightmare reports for the online version.

Good luck on your exam!

Harry

In Dec I took the exam online. Not a good experience.
In Mar I took the exam at the center. It was sooo much better!!!

Online there were technical issues when the proctors changed. You don't have the same proctor for the whole exam. You have to make sure there are no papers any where in the room even if its out of your reach. If you have technical difficulties on your end, you forfeit the exam fee and have to re-take the exam. If they hear any voices, they might stop the exam and you forfeit the fee and have to re-take the exam. I have heard from others that online, the proctor will want to make sure your face is in the camera. For me I had a question for the proctor and she didn't respond for 20 minutes. So I lost time.

If you can take it at the center I would. It was very quiet. You have a desk with panels to separate you from other students. You are several desks away from another test taker. There were probably only 4 people taking the test in the same room at one time. At the center they give you a calculator and a dry ink board so that you don't have to use the electronic white board. If you have a question, you can ask a live person who is right here in the room. It was very nice. Just be there 45 minutes before your exam to beat the crowd. You fall in line. They check your ID. You lock up your valuables in the locker. They take your thumb or index finger print and your photo (camera onsite). For me it was so much better. You are not distracted by having to make sure the proctor sees you because onsite the proctor sees you in the room.

While you prepare for the exam, practice with a mask because you have to have a mask when you are onsite. For me that wasn't an issue.

Good luck! Use the PM Prepcast Simulator. You'll pass!