| The Certified Meeting Planner certification is a | | | | again and ask yourself: how could this question be |
| classification created by the Convention Industry | | | | re-worded to make a new question on the same |
| Council to distinguish meeting planners who have | | | | topic. Keep these "re-worked" questions in mind as |
| demonstrated their knowledge of special event | | | | you continue to study as typically test creators will |
| planning via successful completion of a special CMP | | | | re-use the same idea to create many different |
| examination. Aside from the recognition, achievement | | | | questions. |
| and wide acceptance of the certification in the | | | | Buddy-Up |
| industry, many CMPs use their certification as a | | | | Study groups are an excellent way to increase your |
| bargaining chip or competitive advantage when | | | | retention of the facts you need to know for the |
| applying for jobs or attempting to win new client | | | | CMP exam. Keep in the mind the following, though: |
| business. Successful completion of the examination is | | | | we remember an average of only 5% of what we |
| not a walk in the park, but with a few study tips you | | | | hear, but we remember 50% of what we discuss, |
| can be well on your way to becoming a Certified | | | | and 90% of what we teach to others. This means |
| Meeting Planner. | | | | that merely "sitting in" on a discussion session will do |
| Write to Remember | | | | you less good than reading the text on the subject. |
| On average, we remember 5% of what we hear in a | | | | But if you are able to discuss the material with |
| lecture, 10% of what we read, but 30% of what we | | | | others, or even teach the material to the group you |
| write. Take notes on all the reading you do and | | | | will retain far more than you would listening or |
| prep-classes you take before the test, put the main | | | | reading. |
| points on a stack of notecards, take the cards | | | | The modern model for adult study groups is based |
| everywhere you go and review them whenever you | | | | on studies of adult-education and centers around a |
| have downtime. These simple steps will increase your | | | | cooperative learning environment. Informal study |
| retention rate 3-6 times and will give you something | | | | groups can have a similar structure without the need |
| to do when you have a few minutes to spare in an | | | | for a dedicated instructor or leader. At the end of |
| airport or waiting room. | | | | each study group session, break up the next |
| Practice Makes Perfect | | | | meeting's topic into sub-topics and make each person |
| Once you have mastered some of the basic CMP | | | | or pair of people responsible for learning the material |
| principals and read through one or two study books | | | | in that section and teaching it to the group (maybe |
| make use of practice exams included in your study | | | | answering prep-questions at the end of a chapter?). |
| materials. The average retention rate for something | | | | This will allow everyone the benefit of not only |
| you have actually performed is 75%. Make use of | | | | reading and writing the material (10% and 30% |
| practice tests to help sharpen your focus on | | | | average retention), they can also teach and discuss |
| important topics. Once you've finished a practice | | | | the material (90% and 50%). |
| exam and graded yourself, run through the questions | | | | |