With the arrival of the 5th edition of PMI’s PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge), the PMP exam will be changing on July 31st of this year.  Here’s why you might want to find the time to prep and test before the change:

1. The PMBOK never gets any thinner.  Each time it’s released, more material is added.
2. Example questions and prep materials updated for the 5th edition will be limited for some time, even after July.
3. There’s nothing like a deadline to get you to do something.

But here’s why you might want to wait until later in the year:

1. You’ll be able to prep and test at a more relaxed pace.  You’ll have 12 months from the time you qualify to take the 5th edition test.
2. You’ll be learning the very latest project management best practices.
3. If you can procrastinate until then, maybe you can even put it off until 2014!

If you have any questions about whether to test now or later, and what the implications might be, comment below and/or send me an email.