Certified Management Accountant Study Materials
With a global pass rate of a mere 35% the CMA exam is a little intimidating. Luckily there are tons of products and review programs out there to help you get through this two-part exam on the first try.
This also means that there are many used, borrowed and pirated review courses floating around and landing in the laps of new CMA candidates, leaving us with the question of which is better new or used or does it even matter?
To answer that questions in short, yes, it does matter. Being on the receiving end of a friends old CMA review course may seem like you struck gold because some review courses can get quite pricey, but do you know what you are missing out on by opting for a borrowed copy or even finding a pirated copy or free download online?
Let me show you.
Coaches Corner
Depending on which review course you are looking at, you will receive an online CMA coach to help guide you through the preparation process and keep you on track.
CMA Exam Academy offers this service and is truly priceless and will absolutely come in handy throughout your preparation process.
You can rest assured that you will be speaking with a professional who has previously passed the CMA and is well versed in all of its units.
Online access to personalized help is what you will be giving up should you choose to use a borrowed copy, purchase a pirated copy or download a free copy from a website.
Up-to-Date Information on the CMA Exam
Having the most current and up-to-date information is always the way to go. Each provider updates their course with continual changes to the CMA subject matter, and prepares the candidate by giving sample multiple-choice questions and quizzes, in most cases these are retired questions from previous exams and are as close to the real exam as you will get until the day you write it.
By purchasing the current version of a review course you are giving yourself your best chance to succeed which is not something you are doing by borrowing an older copy from someone who wrote the exam before you. Visit our CMA review course comparison page to get the most current information on the top competing companies on the market.
Wiley and Gleim and are constantly updating their learning systems to provide candidates with the freshest material.
In 2015, the CMA exam content will be shifting some. So having the most up-to-date content is that much more important.
Money-Back Guarantees
The cost of the CMA review course, study guides and exam fees can get quite expensive. When making such huge investment for your future you want to feel confident knowing that you didn’t waste your money which is why Gleim offer a money-back guarantee if you don’t pass the exam on the first try.
A money-back guarantee may not seem important when you are organizing your review materials but when you look at the global passing rate this is a huge benefit, and also a sense of security knowing that the product you have purchased is proven and clearly confident.
Review Course for the Win
The benefits of purchasing a review course far outweigh using a borrowed copy, buying a pirated copy, or downloading a free copy from some obscure website.
You need to give yourself the best possible chance for success when undertaking the task of passing the CMA exam and that comes with setting yourself up with a coach, the most current and up-to-date content and a financial promise.
I highly encourage all candidates to always purchase their own learning systems to take advantage of all the benefits mentioned above. Or enroll in an online prep course that provides new learning systems.
The exam is tough and not using all the tools at your disposal wouldn’t be wise.
I hope this post helped answer the question many of you had about this topic. If you have any comments or additional questions, drop a comment below.
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Hi, I’m Nathan Liao (aka the CMA Coach)! For the last 10 years, over 82,000 accounting and finance pros came knocking at my door seeking guidance and help. If you’re also aiming to conquer the CMA exam on your very first try—without wasting away time or money—you’ve found your ultimate guide. Dive in deeper to discover more about me and the dedicated team that powers CMA Exam Academy. Click here and let’s embark on this journey together!
5 Comments on “New vs Used CMA Learning Systems”
Pingback: The Ultimate Toolkit Every CMA Candidate Needs to Pass the Exam - CMA Coach
Hi Nathan,
I do really appreciate your effort and time to help us.
I have some question, I downloaded the last edition of Gleim`s textbook and Hock`s textbook because i don’t have enough money to purchase materials and register at IMA.
1- Is the text books enough to prepare for the exam? if not, what else i can do ?
2- I have an accounting knowledge and experience for more than 5 years should i start with part1 or part2 first? and which book should i go through?
3- How can i get a free practice for the exam?
Hi Amr,
Textbooks are not enough to prepare for the exam. You also need a good test bank. If you need a good test bank consider enrolling in CMA Bootcamp. It has the most advanced test bank and also comes with pdf textbooks.
Hi
M appearing in june 23 for the part 1 exam .its my first appearance .m little afraid and wanted to knwo dat how mcq’s are in weigh .for example how many of the mcq’s will b like theoratical and will be in mathematical .any idea so please let me know it would help me before setting my plane for the exam
Mohammed,
It’s very hard to predict the weight of theoretical vs mathematical questions. I think you will need to be prepared to solve mathematical problems related to all topics tested.