Deepak is our latest blogger from the UAE. He writes every Thursday.

After taking Part 1 a few weeks ago, I have now initiated my studies for part 2.

I have Gleim review materials bought in 2013. I have started studying using that. YES, I know that the material is outdated but what I found is that only 20% of material seems to have changed overall.

Part 2 CMA Exam Changes

Additional coverage in Ethics (originally in Part 1) has been added to part 2. I am taking some risks to study based on old materials, but at present I have left with no other options.

My Story

I registered myself with IMA in May 2013. According to their rules, we need to clear both parts and become a Certified Management Account in 3 years. Otherwise, our exam credits with IMA will be canceled and we need to re-register ourselves with IMA. That means we need to take both parts again to become CMA and all our efforts in passing any one part goes in vain.

I don’t wanna see my efforts to go to waste, and therefore I’ve decided to  make up for it and take Part 2 in May 2016.

To increase my chance to clear Part 2, I need to acquire new material and give my attempt in May 2016. But acquiring new material will surely cost me $800 or more which I won’t be able to afford due to my personal financial limitations. Nor I want to acquire the same via others illegal means which many may sort to in getting the study material.

Thus, the best way out is to continue my studies from my current notes and try gain as much knowledge as possible.

Definitely it’s a gamble but I will take it.

Note from Stephanie

This is an interesting topic Deepak. I admire the fact that you stick with your ethical standard in not getting those illegal copies, but I also don’t have an easy solution for you.

Most of the changes are actually in Part 1; for Part 2, you might be okay to get a supplementary test prep. It should cost a lot less than a full-blown review course.

As you said, there is always a risk, but if you aim at higher accuracy on the topics on hand, you should be able to pull it off. I would aim to get 100% correct and review those you’ve done wrong previously. Work hard!

• Deepak’s Next Post on April 10: CMA Result Shortfall: What is Deepak’s Next Step?

Amani is our blogger from Jordan. She normally blogs on Tuesdays, but this is a special post on her results.

After 6 long weeks the CMA results were announced.

It was this Friday, I kept waiting for the results all day long but then I gave up because I though its 5 pm Jordan time, so it’s over for today, but then someone sent me a message at 5:45 pm saying the results are out, I immediately went to my IMA profile to check, and it wasn’t there, I kept refreshing the page for half an hour till it finally showed up and it said, Part Two: PASS.  I finally PASSED with 410/500, then I refreshed the page one more time just to make sure of it, and it was there, a beautiful PASS in part one and another beautiful PASS in part two as well, meaning today I become a Certified Management Accountant, Wooo Hooo.

A little flashback, I have started the CMA journey in 11/2014 and took part one exam in 02/2015, then one year after in 02/2016 I took part two exam, and now finally in 04/2016 I finished the CMA. It’s true it took more than a year for me to do it, but the important thing is that I did, and I can tell you one thing for sure, It’s worth it, all the study, the missed events, the sleepless nights, all the effort and above all the pressure I put on myself to succeed, because other than gaining the certificate, I have gained much more self-confidence and respect of myself and others who went through this, because I know how much it takes to accomplish such thing.

As many of the people who congratulated me asked; what are your plans next?

Honestly, I don’t know, I haven’t planned anything, I don’t know if I will start looking for a new job or start another certificate, and honestly I don’t want to know right now, I want to enjoy the moment and just embrace it, because today I become a CMA. Thank god.

Last but not least, I want to thank you Stephanie for this website and the effort you put in for aspiring CMA’s, also the readers who joined me through this, sharing their thoughts and experiences, thank you.

Please share with us your results, I can’t wait to hear what happened with you and what you are planning next.

Note from Stephanie

Congratulations! I KNOW you will pass, but it’s nice to make it official

It’s great to know all the sweat and tears are worth it!

Check out my readers’ success stories:

Next Post on April 18: Summary of Amani’s path to CMA success

Deepak is our latest blogger from the UAE. He usually write on Thursday but this is a special post on exam results.

Good Morning to all.

So, Results are out for the people who appeared in the Jan – Feb 2016 Window. I hope everyone has made it.

Best of Luck to those who have now become CMA certificate holders and to those who are going on to sit for the another part in May- June Window.

My CMA Results

I got my result on Friday and I found I scored 350 — only falling short by 10 points, wished I could have got some time to answer the last two essay questions, I would have scored too and would have completed Part 1.

These was my third attempt for Part 1 and every time I score around 310-350 feel so bad that all efforts have gone in vain.

Since my 3-year CMA program will be over in May 2016, I am now confused and wondering what I should do:

• Should I appear for both parts or not in attempt to gain the CMA certification in next window?
• Should I put the studying on hold?
• Should I leave the hope of becoming a Certified Management Accountant?

My confusion is:

If I pass one part and fail in another part than I will have to reappear for both parts again in next window, in the new CMA program.

If I pass both parts in May 2016, it would be a jackpot for me.

It’s now a Big Gamble for me. I know if I make it, life ahead will be fruitful but the fear of failure is making me uncomfortable.

Currently due to market turmoil, I am unsure of going ahead and incurring the exam cost of US$ 790/- too.

Has anyone of you found yourself in such situation and what you did? Please give me some inputs, idea or suggestion.

I am totally unclear on the same and now wondering what can be best done.

Go ahead or step back.

Thanks friends for sharing your input in advance.

Regards
Deepak

Note from Stephanie

Oh Deepak, that was too close! You are right, if you had the time to complete those questions, even getting partial points would be enough to bump you over to pass.

On the next step, it’s tricky indeed. I do think it is risky for you to go for both exams, given that, at least for Part 1, it has been tough for you. If I were you I might wait until after May to start all over. If you are busy at work, you don’t need to start immediately in September. As I see from bloggers such as Vinoth and Amani, they decided to postone their exams, and both turned out to be the right decision.

Just my 2 cents. Your decision will suit you the best.

For readers in similar situation:

• 4 ways to self-evaluate after failing the CMA exam
• Best test prep supplement for retakers: Exammatrix

Deepak is our latest blogger from the UAE. He writes for us every Thursday.

Since the results release, there has been lots of happiness among those who made it, and sadness among the few who didn’t made it.

Congratulations again to everyone who made it this time and special congrats to the new CMA certificate holders (BTW, newbies, don’t forget to earn your CPE )

Did anyone think of submitting their score for regrading?

I did and asked for the procedure from IMA support centre.

Here is the reply. Hope it is helpful to you.

How a CMA Exam Regrade is Done

Hello Deepak,

Thank you for your membership in IMA and your participation in the CMA Certification Program.

IMA understands you are asking about a re-grade of your recent exam. First, IMA would like you to understand the grading process used for the CMA Certification Program exams.

Grading the essay portion of the exam is a labor intensive and time consuming process. In order to be fair and accurate in the grading, ICMA has to wait to have all candidate answers before reporting results. The grading process includes sample grading to ensure that ICMA’s grading guides are complete and that our graders are awarding the appropriate points. Sample grading allows the ICMA to see a variety of candidate responses and ensure that the grading guides and graders are working as expected. ICMA also uses reviewers to manage quality and consistency. By doing this ICMA ensures that candidates are treated fairly and equally in the grading process and that candidate scores are reliable and valid. Additionally, before grades are released ICMA does a thorough and exhaustive review process, reviewing all marginally failing papers to determine that the grade is fair and accurate and that no points were missed in grading. ICMA does this marginal review process once all papers have been graded.

ICMA does have a procedure to re-grade exams. The re-grade will consist of a review of your multiple choice questions for accuracy of scoring. Your essays will be assigned to an independent grader, who was not involved in the original scoring of your essays.

The re-grade fee is $100.00 USD. The re-grade of your exam will take 3 to 4 weeks to complete. After the re-grade is completed the ICMA will notify you of the result of the re-grade by email.”

After reading the reply, i ain’t going for the CMA exam regrade. I will stick to my plan to sit in the Sept 2016 testing window.

Now those in my situation may wonder what can be the next step:

• Should we continue the studies?
• Drop out and look for any other certification… or
• Forget about certifications and just continue life as usual?

Honestly, if you are thinking of dropping out, it is not a good idea. We may not be the lucky ones to clear the exam in a few attempts, but if we are determined and perfectly focused we can make it next time with flying colors.

That is what i have decided to do.

“Refocusing” is My Plan

Yes, the word “refocusing” may sound odd, but this is the approach needed after much effort. If we aren’t able to pass the exam, we need to change our approach and understanding of studies. This will help us earn the credits next time.

Giving up hope won’t be an option unless it is the last option due to personal limitations.

Our efforts today will REAP good results and success tomorrow.

Wish you all a wonderful weekend

Note from Stephanie

Deepak, thanks for sharing your experience in exploring whether a CMA exam regrade is worth it. I do have a few candidates considering that in every testing window. Your post will prove to be very helpful for them.

Looking at the many comments from your last post, all of us support your decision to stay on and retake the exam in September. I hope you feel that we are all here to cheer for you. Take a good break, refocus and restart your engine in the summer!

• Next post on April 28: Help me understand the scoring system

Amani is our blogger from Jordan who took Part 1 of the exam and passed it on her first try. She plans to take the Part 2 of the exam in the Jan/Feb 2016 window. Here is her story:

Thought on the CMA Exam from Middle East Candidate

1. April 14: Introducing Amani, Our New Middle East CMA Exam Blogger

In her first post, Amani shares how she started CMA Exam and what made her decide to take on the CMA certification.

2. April 21: Falling Off Track

Soon after she started, Amani confessed on not giving enough time and effort for her Part 1 preparation.

3. April 28: Dealing with Distractions: Amani’s Way

Falling off track in the CMA Exam review is a common problem for many. In this post, Amani shared her way to stay on track.

4. May 5: My Gleim CMA Experience When Going Through Part 1

While going through Part 1 of Gleim CMA’s book, Amani talked about her progress and occasional obstacles in the process.

5. May 12: Planning Tools for Gleim CMA Online (and Offline) Users

There are many ways to plan for this exam, and Amani explains the pros and cons of the different tools for Gleim CMA users.

6. May 19: Final Preparation for the CMA Exam

It’s stressful time! Amani walked us through her final preparation for the CMA exam.

7. May 26: Walk Through of My CMA Exam: A Detailed Account from Amani

People get real nervous on the actual exam day, but not Amani. See how she pulled it off.

8. June 9: Waiting for My CMA Results

Amani shared what you can during the long wait for CMA exam results.

9. June 23: The Ups and Downs of My CMA Exam Journey

CMA exam journey is mentally exhausting. Amani has this “intense” post on her first hand experience and brutally honest view on how the exam has affected her emotion.

10. July 7: An Alternative Way to Work Through CMA Practice Questions

As she reflects on her Part 1 experience, Amani compared the different approaches she tried in the preparation.

11. July 9: Congratulate Me!

After one and a half month of waiting, Amani broke the great news — she passed Part 1!

12. July 20: Unplanned Delay of CMA Exam (Part 2)

In life, unexpected circumstances might delay your plans. See what Amani was going through.

13. Aug 4: CMA Exam Part 2 Difficulty vs. That in Part 1

After passing Part 1, Amani compared difference between Part 1 and 2, and determined if she had sufficient time to prepare for Part 2.

14. Aug 18: When Opportunity Knocks

Amani got to seize an opportunity that made her further postpone Part 2. What is it?

15. January 12: Amani Deciding to Continue!

After she made the decision to postpone taking the part two of the CMA exam. Amani decided to continue. Know her reason from this post.

16. January 19: My CMA Studying Routine 

On this post, Amani talks about her studies. All about her study schedules and techniques, the materials she used and how she progressed throughout.

17. January 26: How CMA benefited me

Amani this time talks about how CMA benefited her. She created a summary list of all the benefits she gained after passing Part 1 of the exam.

18. February 2: Scattered Thoughts as the CMA Exam Day Approaches

As the CMA Exam day approaches, Amani shared about her thoughts and feeling. She also talked about how she has been pushing herself to the limit.

19. February 7: Quick Update: My Progress of CMA Exam

You will read about the progress Amani went through with her CMA exam journey for the past few months. She also shared about her exam preparation process.

20. February 16: Students’ CMA Motives and Concerns

Amani discussed why students go for the CMA title. She also added some thoughts on having the right motivation towards success.

21. February 22: Final Preparation for CMA Part 2

A quick update on Amani’s final preparation for CMA Part 2. She also shared her thoughts a week before the exam.

22. March 1: My CMA Part 2 Exam Walk-through

Amani provided a detailed account of her Part 2 exam from start to finish.

23. March 14: Through the Wait for the CMA Results

Let’s see how Amani makes good use of her time while waiting for the CMA results.

24. April 10: Congratulate me, the new CMA

Amani passes her second and last part of the exam!

Stories from Our Other Bloggers

Check out the experience of fellow readers / candidates around the world!

One of my special readers, Sarang, would like to share his CMA exam success story with you. He took parts 1 and 2 in the same testing window and both score above 400!

Hi all, I am Sarang. I am an Indian working in Vietnam for the last seven years. My working hours and traveling takes around 12 hours every day and six days a week. I have my wife and five-year daughter with me in Vietnam.

I successfully cleared CMA exam both Parts in January February window and passed with score of 420 and 430 respectively. During preparation, I kept myself inspired with blogs and stories on this wonderful website and thought of sharing my story with you all.

Why a Professional Qualification

Around June last year, I felt the need to get a professional qualification. I have done Masters in Costing and MBA in Finance. Since I started working in 2005, I have over ten years of experience in costing and budgeting arena. I felt a professional qualification would give me the much needed opportunity to learn new tools, subjects and knowledge. I can also revisit all things I have learnt in college but not yet got the chance to implement.

While MBA allows you to get ready for leadership role in overseeing different functions, a professional qualification strengthens your core area and helps you perform with confidence. I also believe a professional certification can help one in getting better opportunities, both within the same organization and beyond.

Why CMA

1. The Two-Part Structure

I particularly like the two-part set up of the CMA exam. Given that these parts can be taken in a single testing window and in any order, this creates the flexibility I need. I research a lot on possible alternatives and this website put up by Stephanie does a great job to provide all resources in one place.

2. Syllabus Matches Existing Knowledge and Experience

I took a good look at the course outline and felt that I studied in the past almost 50% of the outline, and practiced a large part of it at work. I estimated that I need 2 months for Part 1 preparation and 3 months for Part 2. Most topics in Part 2 were new to me. I prefer multiple choice questions rather than long theoretical questions. This preference helps me in my CMA preparations.

3. Convenient Testing Location

Another consideration to finalize the CMA decision is that it is possible to take this exam in Vietnam, in the city I stay. Sitting for the exam would not involve travel plan ahead of exam.

4. MoU between IMA and ICWAI

The final consideration is CMA vs ICWAI in India. The two institutes have signed a MoU and after completing CMA, I can get a membership of ICWAI as well. I could not do ICWAI after graduation due to lack of time. CMA certification would give me chance to become member of ICWAI which is a big bonus for me.

CMA Review Courses

This website also did a commendable job in providing comparison of online review courses. Without taking much time, I finalized on Gleim by end of August, 2015.

One of major reasons for choosing Gleim is the large question bank that Gleim boasts of. Now with both results on hand, I feel the investment in Gleim review course is worth it. I could not have asked for more.

Another consideration is how the reviews state that Gleim is good value for money which now I wholeheartedly agree.

Note from Stephanie

Sarang, first of all, amazing results especially for a busy professional, husband and father!

I believe one major reason of your success is how much thought you have put in before the whole process. You thought about why the CMA certification is beneficial, with concrete reason such as how you can make use of the MoU to get ICWAI. This is very important to motivate us to get the certification done.

I am impressed how you review the syllabus in such detail that you are able to correctly estimate the time required to complete part 1 and 2. The reasoning why you pick Gleim is also systematic and thoughtful.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Sarang’s story next week!

I hope all is good and wonderful going with you.

I believe everyone has got the results and scorecard stating where they scored and where they missed it.

I too got my score card and found that I scored “U” for:

• Performance Management
• Essay

Well now I know where I really missed in exams. I have to study patiently and also focus on each and every weak area, not just one area. I will make sure that I perform above par in both multiple choice questions and essays.

Previously I felt that it may be due to missing the last question in essay part, but now I knew I did miss scoring in some other places. Now I know where else I missed.

Does any one know how the weighted average is given to each part in the exams?

I got “satisfactory” in all parts except for

• Performance Management
• Essay

Has anyone got any input or basic idea on the grading?

My understanding is that the score is based on multiple choices difficulty.
If the multiple choice questions are tough, each question is assigned a heavier weighting.

However my question is: does the multiple choice questions average out for 100 question totaling to 375 (75% of 500)? or does the entire exam is weighted based on questions asked in both multiple choice and essays?

I remember one that in one of my earlier posts someone mention that depending on the exam’s strength the scoring is provided like if the exam is tougher that you can even pass by scoring only 70% of marks i.e. 350 out of 500.

How can the student know if the exam is considered tougher than usual.

I know when we start answering the multiple choice session, we will come to know the difficulty of the exam, but still it makes me wonder how it is determined?

I am not pointing out or blaming the exam system but actually just want to myself clearer since i just missed the passing of exam by 2%.

Well I also found that 2 other guys who failed by 3-4%.

Wish you all a very wonderful week ahead.

BEST OF LUCK to EVERYONE who are going to appear in May-June window.

For me, I have stopped my studies for a while.

Take care friends,
Deepak

Note from Stephanie

Hi Deepak, it should be me who mentioned how the grading is also based on the difficulty of the multiple choice questions. The mechanism is explained here.

IMA doesn’t expect us to understand how the grading system works. There used to be very technical article on how it works, but IMA seems to have taken it away.

Anyway, for Deepak, you deserve a good break. Let’s touch base when it is time for you to study again!

One of my special readers, Sarang, would like to share his CPA exam success story with you. He took parts 1 and 2 in the same testing window and both score above 400!

This is Part 2 of his story. You may want to read from the beginning.

Planning and Scheduling

I thought of taking Part 1 at the end of September-October window and Part 2 in the January-February window.

I checked for the time slot but unfortunately late October slots were not available in Vietnam. I was really doubtful about taking both parts in same window.

I evaluated the option of preparing in less than five weeks. That was risky given I have not started preparations yet. At the end, I took the risk and picked the first available date in January for Part 1 and last possible date in February for Part 2.

My Study Plan

Initially I planned to:

1. prepare for Part 2 first for over a month to get an overview of the course outline
2. switch to Part 1 for 2 months
3. go back to Part 2 after taking the Part 1 exam.

At the onset it looked risky. I was not sure if it would work out well as intended.

Progress in the First Two Weeks

I tried to study from the book for Part 2. Two weeks later I knew I was not going anywhere.

Studying from the book wasn’t easy especially when I was not familiar with part 2 materials. Confused, I approached my Gleim personal counselor whose service was included in the package. I must say it helped me a lot. My counselor has apparently handled cases of busy professionals like me with short preparation time.

He asked me to follow two things which I believe can be followed by all readers who are preparing for this exam.

He asserted to prepare only Part 1 which I was to face first. He was very sure I should not mix studying for two parts at the same time.

I was confused about following this advise as it would give me just 6 weeks for Part 2 preparation which I was not very familiar with.

But then, after some thought, I decided to follow his suggestion. The only silver lining in this decision was that Vietnam has ten days of national holidays in early February which I could use to my advantage for Part 2 preparation.

Luckily for me, Gleim rolled out their new video lectures for all courses in November. Since I selected the premium package, I got this free. It was immensely helpful for me as I spent more than two hours every day traveling and I could use this time for watching videos and getting good help in understanding unfamiliar topics.

These videos are designed purely from the exam point of view. The lecturer also goes through a few multiple choice questions at the end of each lecture, with commentary on how to select the best answer and tips that we can follow. I must admit, it helped me to a great extent.

Note from Stephanie

I am really glad that you benefit a lot from your Gleim personal counselor. Many readers ask me what exactly they do, and now I can show them this post. I also like the video lectures a lot. Thanks for sharing!

Stay tuned for Part 3 of Sarang’s story next week

One of my special readers, Sarang, would like to share his CPA exam success story with you. He took parts 1 and 2 in the same testing window and both score above 400!

This is Part 3 of his story. You may want to read from the beginning.

More Tips from Gleim Personal Counselor

Another thing the Gleim Personal Counselor explained to me was how to best use the Gleim review course.

Obviously the online course is all there, but understanding the rationale behind the course set up has been very useful to me, and I exploited it to my advantage.

This is what we should do:

1) Attempt 20 MCQs (multiple choice) in the given chapter

Scores are typically low, mostly 20-30% only. The idea is to get a feeling of what kind of questions are asked in a particular chapter.

Time: 45 mins including review of answers.

2) Watch videos on this topic

Time: typically 2-3 hours depending on coverage of course outline.

3) Attempt 20 MCQ again

Scores will be higher than first test but still likely not more than 50%.

Time: 45 mins

4) Read the study outline

Read and jog down the important points for future reference.

Time: 2-3 hours again depending on familiarity with the topic.

5) Attempt 20 MCQ in test prep

Work on the practice questions and review answers carefully. Scores will typically be in the range of 70-80% which is useful in understanding topic well and building confidence.

Time: 1 hour.

6) Read MCQs and Essays in Study book

There are typically thirty questions, each with detailed explanation.

Time: 1 hour max.

7) Attempt two Essay questions and review answers

Time: 90 mins.

Total: 10-11 hours for each chapter

Consider putting in three hours minimum per day for your CMA prep.  This means approximately four days per chapter. Whenever I fell behind my study plan, I used Sundays to make up for it.

Family Support is Key!

Discipline and dedication is very much required at this stage. Family support makes this happen.

It was extremely difficult explaining my five year old super talkative daughter why I cannot spend time with her every day. I tried to make up on Sundays by spending quality time with family. I only studied in the afternoon when my daughter naps.

I was completely cut off from social circle during this period of five months and missed out on company picnic, New Year party, community functions during this period. My wife supported me in best possible way.

Anything I Would Have Changed?

In the above schedule, the only change I would change is the essay part. I did not spent time on writing two essays per chapter. I felt that each chapter has so many areas for essay questions to come up.

Therefore, instead of spending time on writing on selected areas, I decided to read all sample essays on Gleim website which were typically 8-10 per chapter.

Understanding how these standard answers are presented helped me a lot in getting better grasp on the theories.

One Week before the Exam

I took a full-length test one week prior to my exam date. I scored 62% in Part 1 and 70% in Part 2. This score was close to the required 72% but not enough to be sure about passing comfortably.

I started taking 30 multiple choice questions per chapter first, and then 40-50 MCQs from 3 chapters to get a mix of questions.

One wonderful thing about Gleim is how they feed you MCQs based on weak areas in earlier attempted sessions. So difficulty level never goes down or scores don’t go beyond 80% in most of the cases. But in the process, your weak areas get more attention and you will be well covered.

A Day before the Exam

This is what I did:

• Worked on a mix-and-match of 40 MCQs
• Read the essays again
• Went through notes I made with comments for quick reference.

Don’t stress out on the day before the exam. Simply do everything at ease without losing focus on weak areas.

Note from Stephanie

Your wife and daughter must be so proud of you! I can’t agree more that family support is critical to our success, not only for this exam, but in life.

Thanks for sharing the tips on reading the sample essay questions. This is a good solution to those who also can’t find time to work on all the essay practice questions.

Stay tuned for Part 4 of Sarang’s story next week!

One of my special readers, Sarang, would like to share his CPA exam success story with you. He took parts 1 and 2 in the same testing window and both score above 400!

This is Part 4 of his story. You may want to read from the beginning.

Here Comes the CMA Exam Day

In Part 1, I was able to complete all 100 MCQs (multiple choice questions) with 45 minutes to spare. I could revisit questions which I was not very sure and marked for review again if spare time is available.

I saved the last 20 minutes for the essay section. Essays is the area where I gambled by not practicing to write answers but to read only.

There were two questions, and both included two topics combined into one. Also, both questions were new to me but I had the idea on how to approach them.

The only problem I faced was typing with an unfamiliar keyboard. After working on laptop for over ten years, typing on keyboard attached with desktop PC was different experience with more pressure required to punch in keys.

I made some spelling mistakes and I just managed to complete answers in the given time and could notrevisit previous answers to correct spelling mistakes. I feel I lost a couple of marks due to this.

Part 2 Exam Day

In Part 2, I was much more confident due to my good attempt in Part 1. I also got a good score in the Gleim mock test one week prior to the real exam.

But the enthusiasm didn’t last long.

Half an hour into the exam, I was upset as the difficulty level was quite high. At least 12 out of 20 answers were those “which answer choice is the best answer”.

With that uncertainty, I focused simply on clearing the MCQs part and proceeding to the essay section. Somehow, I managed to complete all questions and review them with 15 minutes to spare.

Before clicking on submit button, I was really confused if I should use the remaining 15 minutes for further review of marked questions, or to go straight to the essays section. In my mind, I knew I would need extra time for the essays question to score well.

After a quick recap of doubtful questions, I hit the submit button, got a much needed confidence boost, and faced the essay section in front of me.

This time, I practiced typing on the desktop keyboard using a spare office computer, and it helped. Both essays were again a mix of two topics. They were only descriptive questions and not numerical.

This time I managed to complete all questions with five minutes to spare, and I used that time to correct spelling mistakes and to make cosmetic changes in the answers.

My Tips for the CMA Exam

I notice that there are two features in the prometric exam that are not available in Gleim study course. They are helpful for time management.

1) Right click on option strikes that answer choice (as if it is cancelled for consideration of correct choices)

2) From the questions, we can select some part of question and highlight in yellow color. This is particularly helpful in highlighting some words or information which can be important in arriving at the right answer choice.

Given the complexity of the questions, it is extremely helpful to be able to mark them for later reference, when you are in a hurry to have a quick check. Wherein first time reading we can highlight important part of questions and strike out one or couple of answer choices. When we revisit these questions, half of job is already done and then we can use available time based on highlighted information and only available answer choices need to be considered for selecting response.

Note from Stephanie

Good point on practicing using the desktop keyboard before the exam. It does feel odd now that I am so used to laptops.

The last two tips are really interesting as well. I didn’t remember seeing those… I wonder if they are new or I just missed them?

Stay tuned for the last part (#5) of Sarang’s story next week!

Amani is one of our CMA exam bloggers. She is from Jordan and has recently become a CMA certificate holder.

Hello dears,

I just wanted to give you a quick update on what happened after passing both parts of the CMA and receiving the certificate. I felt the urge to write the aftermath of passing the CMA as I couldn’t find any useful information on the internet in this regard, so here is my input.

When to Receive Your CMA Certificate Number

Firstly the most important thing is to ensure that you have sent and completed all the requirements before the results are out, this will speed up receiving the certificate. After the results are out and within two to three days (that is, if you have completed all requirements) the IMA will issue a sequential number of the certificate for you, and will update your name on your profile by adding CMA at the end (as in Amani, CMA).

They will then send you an email congratulating you and explaining the CPE process that you will be subject to the second year after you become certified.

When to Get the Hard Copy of Your CMA Certificate

After two to three weeks, the IMA will send an email requesting your detailed mailing address in order for them to send the certificate to you, noting that they deliver it by hand, in my case it was delivered to my house early Saturday morning using the local DHL courier.  So, usually the whole process takes around 3 weeks, exact dates are 08/04 results day to 30/04 when i received the certificate, (please note this might not be the case for everyone, as many factors could affect the actual delivery date).

The envelope received is well packaged to protect the certificate, it contains the certificate itself, and a small pocket copy of it (almost the size of a driving license) which I believe is made for us to carry around and use, as well as a congratulatory letter from the IMA.

My Life after Getting the CMA

On a personal basis, things have changed for me after gaining the CMA, I was promoted to a senior and a received a satisfactory financial raise, which felt great considering I only have almost 3 years of experience. I was also contacted by two companies after updating my social media professional profiles, and the most important thing is, I feel more confident professionally speaking.

I have been thinking of what to do after the CMA, yet I have not found the answer to that question, I am thinking following either a master’s degree or the CFA, although it’s a bit early to move ahead but I feel I have the energy and passion to do so. For now I’m trying to get involved in my local IMA chapter, but still with no success.

I would love to know how the CMA affected your life, so please share below 

Note from Stephanie

Great hearing from you! I’ve got occasional questions on when people receive their CMA certificates, but I don’t have a specific post on it. Thank you for blogging for us on this topic. This is as detailed as we can get

I wonder what you mean by not able to get involved in your IMA chapter? I don’t have time to attend my chapter, but they seem to be well organized.

Anyway I am really glad to know you’ve got a raise and a promotion right after getting your CMA. If you are to pursue CFA in the future, I have a new CFA exam prep site on that

Part 1 Results

I was somehow comfortable waiting for the result of part 1. I spent most of this waiting time in preparing for part 2. With proper studying, I was sure I did well enough to clear; the only thing uncertain was the score.

Results were out in March. I scored 420.

This set the ball rolling for results of part 2. I was not at all happy with that attempt. The only saving grace was that I proceeded to the essay section, meaning I passed the 50% marks in multiple choice questions and was able to move on to the essays. So, somehow I felt I stood a chance to clear it as well.

Part 2 Results

I was quite restless on the results release date. 8th April was New Year day in my community and I had in my mind that results would come up by late night.

Finally, around 10.30 pm, I got an email from IMA titled “exam results”, and from the mobile notification, I saw the word “Congratulations”.

I opened the mail to see the score. I jumped with joy realizing I got 430 which was much more than I expected. In hindsight, I feel I got the benefit of acing the difficulty questions and that was icing on the cake.

New year started off quite well for me and I hope it stays the same way all through the next 12 months.

Reflection of My CMA Journey

Having secured the Professional Qualification in my first attempt, and facing both parts in same window with scores of 420 and 430 in less than six months of preparation, this is all very satisfying.

I have taken the gamble of setting exam date first and then starting preparation. You should know that there is a gap of more than 10 years after my formal studies.

I am glad it paid off well with support of my family members and discipline I maintain during preparations.

I am thankful to Stephanie profoundly for putting up this website with all resources in one place and all the blogs which inspired me. I follow the blog by Amani as she was appearing at the same time (end of February) and her dedication inspires me to stay on track.

I am thankful to Gleim as well for designing the online review course so well that I could prepare well in such a short time, and utilize my time so well with constant feedback on strong and weak areas.

Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate all successful candidates. For those who could not clear or are preparing to face exam this year, all the very best.

Stay focused and disciplined, and success will be surely yours, very soon.

Note from Stephanie

I love how you mention Amani’s blog and how this has made a positive impact in your CMA journey. Your story is doing exactly the same thing to the thousands of readers visiting my site every day.

Gleim is awesome. I am sure Dr Gleim and team is really excited to read your story!

Susan is our latest CMA exam blogger from Houston, Texas. She blogs for us every Tuesday. This is her first post.

Hello everyone, I am Susan from Texas. Stephanie told me she has quite a lot of readers in the Houston area, so I am excited to blog about my experience.

Well, I’d have to admit this one. The very reason I was too eager to finish my degree in management was that I couldn’t wait any longer to submit my first job application, get hired, and finally begin making a mark in the professional world. In short, I wanted a job as soon as possible. So after graduation, I secured all my credentials and began submitting job applications to companies. Luckily, I got hired and so began my professional journey.

Two years in the profession as a management associate and I felt the desire to advance my competence in the field. At first I thought about getting a master’s degree, but then a fellow young professional encouraged me into being CMA. At first I was hesitant, but after learning about what the program was all about, all I told myself was, “This is it.”

The Same Debate: CPA vs. CMA

Bloggers before me have talked about their struggle between CPA vs. CMA. For me, it’s the same experience. I am not exactly an accounting major, but I can take a few classes to fulfill the minimum accounting course required to take the CPA exam. So this isn’t a big issue. But I guess I am more like Gavin, who didn’t click with audit but have this increasing passion in management accounting. I get real excited when I get to analyze a business unit’s financial health when I look at their numbers and ratios… To me, this is more strategic vs. reporting, and I like it.

So the very first thing I did was join IMA, after which I enrolled in the CMA program. I feel good to get things started.

Note from Stephanie

Susan, welcome on board! Your background does sound like Gavin. I hope you can follow his steps as he’s been successful in his CMA journey!

Susan is our latest CMA exam blogger from Houston, Texas. She blogs for us every Tuesday.

Before I started in on the material, I thought it would be a good idea to see how much I know about the CMA exam content. I went in search of a diagnostic exam. I found one at the Gleim website.

It is a great diagnostic. It gives you a sense of taking the exam in exam conditions.

About the CMA Diagnostic Exam

The questions are intense like they would be if you were sitting for the exam. You take 40 questions in 60 minutes which is a window time for the exam. I appreciated that the questions were a mix of easy, medium and hard.

My performance…

It was good to find out what I knew and what I was lacking on. I will be very honest here and admit that I didn’t do as well as I hoped, but I did decent for someone who hasn’t studied the topics.

How I used the diagnostics

I made notes of ideas I wanted to look up and things that stuck out. It’s important to remember to read the answer and the explanation of the answer; read and comprehend what is being explained to you.

It’s too easy to memorize A, B, or C; but that won’t help on the test. I never looked at the placement of the answer, and I never noted it in my notes. I made sure to write down and review the reason behind the right answer.

I took a time to go through each answer and see what was right and what was wrong. It also gave me a  great idea of what is going to be covered on the exam. I felt it was a great starter topic for the exam.

If you have sat for the exam before you will be familiar with the layout and the idea. If you haven’t this will be a great way to start studying off on the right foot.

My next step

After I completed the diagnostic exam and reviewed my overall score, I decided to step away from the results for a day or so. It was to let my mind relax and to give myself a chance to look at everything with fresh eyes another day.

See you next week,
Susan

Note from Stephanie

Yes, it’s a great tool Susan, and it’s free! Glad you mentioned it.

I had my humbling experience when I started my Gleim study unit 1 back then. I think I got less than 50% right. Wasn’t a great feeling initially but it helps lot in setting realistic expectation, which is critical for later success.

Susan is one of our CMA exam bloggers. She shares her story every Tuesday.

First of all, I am overwhelmed (with joy) by all your greetings and support especially on my first post. I am absolutely new to blogging and this is very encouragement. Sorry to have responded a bit late (I couldn’t figure out how to comment, silly me) but I have just done that.

Back to the CMA exam preparation, before choosing my review software, I read a lot of reviews and looked at a bunch of sample programs. I have a few things I wanted my software to contain.

I wanted a web based program. I hate being on my computer and would rather work from my iPad whenever possible. It’s lighter and easier on my back. I also wanted a program I could log into from my home computer, work computer or even my phone. That was important.

One of the programs I had for my CPA review required manual syncing, and if I forgot, I didn’t have access to the most accurate data. The program I chose also needed to work on an iPad.

Once, I began investigating CMAexcel was the perfect fit.

Why CMAexcel?

Another winning point was the study planner. I have a program with accountability, so this was a great way to stay on track. Checking the boxes will be a great sense of accomplishment, and I have enough time that I had some flexibility in my study plan.

And the last major selling point for me was that I can print the entire study section off. I know the paper! I don’t print these sections. I save them as a pdf and upload them to box.com. I can open them on my iPad for reading purposes. This allows me to change the size of the text, so it’s easier for me to see.

CMAexcel has a large test bank so reviewing lots of questions will be easier.

I am very excited to get started with my review.

Note from Stephanie

Susan, thanks lot for sharing your thought process in selecting a review course most suitable for your needs. I do agree that they have awesome study planner and that you can view and practice on iPad (indeed — what a great feature). I haven’t tried downloading them as PDF, but it does sound like a good idea.

It is helpful, and I can now forward this to readers who are thinking about CMAexcel. Thanks again!

Joan is one of our CMA exam bloggers, originally from the Philippines, now working in Dubai. This is her first post. Joan will be blogging for us every Wednesday.

Hello, I am Joan

I am 29 years old, married and mom to a 3 year-old cutie girl. Originally from Philippines but has been residing in Dubai for the past 5 years. I am currently working as Admin and Finance Manager in growing consultancy company.

I have a bachelor’s degree related to accounting but never really practice. Then, I was into training and development when I was in the Philippines, which by the way I loved doing; thus didn’t really considered changing profession back then. Only when I moved abroad did I realize the importance of qualification/s in order to compete and differentiate yourself from other candidates.

Why CMA for Me?

Dubai is a very competitive metropolis, that’s when I understood that I need to re-evaluate my career path. I first heard about CMA from a friend who is a CPA himself. He vouched about how important having a CMA qualification is.

It took me almost 3 years before I decided taking on the challenge, I was caught between work and family, no complain though, it was all great. Trying to achieve CMA qualification wasn’t the easiest path considering that I would have to juggle between work, family and studies. But I strongly believe that CMA is a way forward, my thirst for continuous learning and the possibility new opportunities opening for me once I get the qualifications really did motivate me to pursue CMA.

My family particularly my husband were very supportive of my endeavors. I read a lot of reviews and luckily I found I PASS THE CMA EXAM community, everyone’s very inspiring. So with all courage I bought Gleim materials based on Stephanie’s review of course in November 2014. Since then, my family would find me studying in the living room when everyone’s already asleep, my daughter particularly.

It has been an amazing journey so far, ups and down but I am learning a lot, experience is great so far.

Note from Stephanie

Joan, hello and I’m really glad you connect with us at the next level, as our latest blogger!

I understand that you are waiting for your Part 1 results in August, and that you are preparing for Part 2. Looking forward to your next blog.

I am very glad to have Mohamed AbdElGhany, CMA, who’d like to share with us how the CMA certification has impacted his career. He is inspired by Amani’s blog post asking how people are doing after getting the certification.

Mohamed’s Career after getting CMA Certification

Stephanie: Hi Mohamed, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Mohamed: Certainly. I am currently a budget and strategy team leader at Vodafone Egypt Telecommunication Company. Previously, I worked at PwC as external auditor from 2008 to 2012, and as budgeting and costing section head at Pfizer from 2012 to 2014. I became a CMA holder in December 2011.

Stephanie: It’s great to know. How did the CMA certification impact your career ?

Mohamed: The CMA certification helped me to understand the managerial and finance challenges I face, and the most appropriate way to deal with them through my accumulated diversified experience career, starting with PriceWaterHouseCoopers then Pfizer and ending up with Vodafone.

Since becoming a CMA, I found that the skills tested on the exam have been tremendously relevant to my work. It is particularly the case in planning, analysis, costing, internal controls, and corporate finance, due diligence, and investment analysis. The process of studying for and doing well on the exam also set an excellent example for my staff.

The content of the CMA exam mirrors real-world applications used across the corporate finance and accounting functions in multi-national companies.

Stephanie: I see, that’s great to hear. For non-US readers who aren’t sure whether the CMA title is useful in their countries, you are a testimonial that it works. Another common question is, what are the benefits of keeping the IMA membership active?

Mohamed: An IMA active membership provides leading-edge resources to help me stand out of the crowd, broaden my knowledge base, sharpen my skills, and become a true strategic partner in my organization. It also helps to attain monthly events with IMA Cairo chapter. This really helps my personal and professional improvement.

Stephanie: What advice would you give to accountant and finance professional who are looking for switching their careers?

Mohamed: I advise my peers to complete the CMA certification as early as possible, and regularly attend and take the advantage of the events organized by the local chapter to increase the cumulative knowledge and experience. This will help their future growth and will make them differentiate from others, maintaining a strong competitive advantage.

I would like to thank Mohamed for his time. Best wishes for his continued success.

Susan is one of our CMA exam bloggers. She shares her story every Tuesday.

My original plan was to go paper free to save paper and trees. Now that I tried for a few weeks, I knew that that is not an option and decided I wanted to make my notes in a paper notebook.  I tried using my iPad, and this was great for a lot of reasons. But when my iPad died, and I wasn’t able to access my study notes I decided that I wanted to make sure I had access to a notebook.

I also ride the bus to and from work, and I dropped my iPad several times; which makes me a nervous wreck! My iPad is an extension of my arm.  If I broke, I would be lost.

Where I Bought a Paper Notebook for CMA Exam Review

Off to Staples I went and who doesn’t enjoy a trip to Staples!  I found several smaller notebooks that were $1.00 each. I liked these for some reasons.  Each notebook was small, and I could slip it into my jacket pocket so I could review anywhere I was.  The binding was nice and big, so I could slide a pen into it for note taking on the go.  They had a nice sturdy backing that meant I could use my leg as a writing surface.

How I Start My Study Sessions

Now, that I have my location, schedule and materials squared away I am going to start my study sessions. The first session is going to be reviewing the questions I got wrong on the diagnostic exam I took the other day. Then, I will spend the next two weeks studying financial statement analysis. It will be a very simple review for me since I teach a class on the topic.

Is anyone else getting ready to start studying financial statement analysis?

Note from Stephanie

Susan, I am with you. Tried to go paperless before, but I still like the look and feel of a real notebook. I used to have index cards, but the small notebook is a similar idea. Keep up with the good work!

Susan is one of our CMA exam bloggers. She shares her story every Tuesday.

My schedule is busy! I am sure every candidate thinks that before they embark on this journey. I have a full-time job, actively volunteer at an animal shelter, and run a small side business with my boyfriend. My days can get hectic quick and got to plan well for my preparation.

Where I Prefer to Study for My CMA Exam

I have found that I get lot more done in my office than I do at home. I get more work done anywhere but home. At home, someone needs something, and I am not looking at my computer. However, my work office isn’t always the convenient place to study.

How Much to Study per Week

I decide that I was going to devote 4 hours a day Monday thru Friday and 2 hours a day on the weekend. I am familiar with some these topics in Part 1, so I feel that I know a lot of this information. I also want to review a lot of questions. I review the study outlines and get right into questions. I figure most of my study time to devote to working questions.

Which Time of Day is Good for Me?

I also needed to figure out which time of day would be the most productive. I got out my day planner. Yes, I still use a paper day planner and began to review what time of day has room in it. I don’t use my day planner like most people do.

I record what I complete in three blocks; morning, afternoon and evening. I realized that evening & early morning was the best time to work questions. So I decided I would split my day into two sections. Two hours in the early morning, 4 or 5 am! And two hours in the evening between five and seven at night.

I am productive in the early morning; evenings will be harder. Wish me luck!

Note from Stephanie

Susan, thanks for sharing with us your initial plan for the CMA exam. If you can pull it off with so many things already on your plate, anyone can do it! The good thing is that you do teach those classes, so it’s a matter of getting used to the style of exam questions than anything else.

It’s a good idea to divide the plan into the morning, afternoon and evening slots. This plan provides some structure but at the same time not too restrictive. Good luck!

Susan is one of our CMA exam bloggers. She shares her story every Tuesday.

I thought I would share what a typical study session is for me. I would like to say that I have completed multiple hours per day, but I have been averaging about two.

How Do I Study Using CMAexcel

I get up pretty early (4 am) and I read the news and ease into my day. On weekends I log into my software, get out my study notebook & pen and around 9 am I am ready to go.

Instead of spending a lot of time reviewing the study outlines, I look things up as I review the questions, and make notes of things I do not understand. As topics become clear, I get an encouraging 75 on corresponding study questions, highlighting things that it’s not yet clear to me.

When I get a question incorrectly, I write a summary of the question and the correct answer. My goal is to do this with a few words as possible, usually around ten but sometimes it’s a few more or a few less depending on the topic.

I use the 10-word summaries a lot when working on the CPA exam and it was very effective. I record these in a separate bound book of index cards, carrying my small study notebook and my book of index cards with me EVERYWHERE. It’s good to have a quick read whenever there is time.

I work for approximately 25 minutes before taking a short break (yes, the Pomodoro method, if you’ve heard of that). Get some water, a handful of grapes and stretch my legs and after 5 or 10 minutes I go back to work and do the same thing. I try to complete at least an hour at a time. Sometimes, on weekends, I complete my entire session and finish up around 11 in the morning.

This schedule allows me to go on to the rest of my day. However, if the topics are difficult or I just need a break, I will go back at the end of the day.

Note from Stephanie

You are doing great getting a 75 without much studying. Guess that helps if you are familiar with the topics! Thanks for going through your typical studying schedule for the day. I am sure it’s helpful for those studying using Wiley CMAexcel.