CMA Exam Part 1

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CMA Exam Part 1

CMA Exam Part 1 is known as Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics. There are six sections in CMA Part 1.

  1. Section A – External Financial Reporting Decisions – 15% weightage 
  2. Section B – Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting – 20% weightage
  3. Section C – Performance Management – 20% weightage
  4. Section D – Cost Management – 15% weightage
  5. Section E – Internal Controls – 15%
  6. Section F – Technology and Analytics – 15% weightage

The exam is of 4 hours (240 minutes).  The candidates have to attempt 100 multiple choice questions on the computer in 3 hours. In the last 1 hour, candidates will be required to attempt two essay questions. The essay questions window will open only if the candidate has attempted 50% of the MCQs correct. Two essay questions will have two to three sub-questions as well.  Each MCQ has to be attempted in 1.5 minutes to have ample time for review in the end before submitting the exam to the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) for grading.  

The CMA candidates have to pay the IMA membership fee annually which is $39 for students, $135 for academics, $245 for professionals. A one-time CMA entrance fee is also payable to the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) which is $188 for students, $188 for academics, and $250 for professionals. CMA Exam Part 1 fee is $311 for students, $311 for academics, and $415 for professionals. 

CMA Parts Selection Order

I recommend the candidates to begin their preparation with CMA Part 2 first and then moving to Part 1. The candidates can pass all two parts easily in six months by using the study books and test bank questions created by Muhammad Zain, Founder of Zain Academy.

Difficulty Level of CMA Part 1 Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics

CMA Part 1 is the hardest among the two parts. CMA Part 1 exam can be passed quickly if the candidates can exhibit the traits of Excellency, Creativity, Passionate, and Patience in their preparation and, in particular, on exam day. 

The Candidates must have a clear vision of their future. They must be able to define their purpose of life. The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach full potential – these are the keys that will unlock the door of CMA certification. 

The reason that many candidates find it difficult to achieve the CMA is that they are not able to define their goals or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Champions can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and with whom they will be sharing their adventure.

Keep looking for creativity, and don’t settle for the less. You have that potential. It is just a matter of time that you explore and discover yourself. Once you find yourself and your capability, you will never be the same again.

CMA Exam Part 1 Preparation Time

It is generally observed that many of the CMA candidates are working executives. They have to allocate time for work, family, studies, and personal leisure. The candidates are ready for the Part 1 exam if they can give at least 3 hours on weekdays and at least 6 hours on weekends for three months continuously. 

Video Lectures are of great aid. They increase the retention power of the candidates by at least 25%. These learning videos can also increase the odds in your favor exponentially. Subscribe to the Zain Academy YouTube channel for CMA learning videos.

CMA Exam Part 1 Scoring

A score of at least 360 is required out of 500 to pass the CMA Exams. Generally, this is 72%, but the passing score can be low or high, depending on the difficulty level of the questions being asked. If the questions being asked are of higher IQ level, the passing score can go below 360, but if the items tested are easy, then passing criteria can go up from 360. MCQs and Essay Questions both have an equal weightage of 50% each.

Whether the questions being asked are easy or difficult, I suggest you to target achieving an overall 75% in exams. The strategy to achieve 75% in aggregate is provided below. 

The target for 80% in MCQs. 

100 MCQs * 80% target * 50% weightage = 40%

Target for 70% in Essay Questions

70% target * 50% weightage = 35%

40% + 35% = 75%

REMEMBER that it is easy to achieve a higher score in MCQs as compared to Essay Questions that’s why I have targeted 80% in MCQs and 70% in Essay Questions.

CMA Part 1 Exam Dates

CMA exams are offered three times a year. 

Jan – Feb

May – Jun

Sep – Oct

The candidates can select any date of their choice from the above months, provided that the day must not be a weekend or a public holiday, and the timing of the preferred exam shall be within business hours. It is highly recommended to select your exam date and time as early as possible to get the preferred appointment. 

CMA Exam Part 1 Study Book

CMA Exam Part 1 Study Book is presented with the questioning mind approach. Furthermore, there are true-false questions to check the knowledge learned. The study book is brief, concise, and to the point for working executive’s effective learning. It can also be used as review notes or flashcards or summaries.

CMA Exam Part 1 Test Bank Questions

CMA Exam Part 1 Test Bank Questions by Zain Academy contains multiple-choice questions explaining the correct and incorrect choices so that candidates can learn from their own mistakes and take the necessary course of action. 

CMA Part 1 exam is passed by maximizing your strengths and minimizing your weaknesses. The CMA Exam Part 1 Test Bank Questions will help you in achieving this objective. 

Subscribe to the CMA Part 1 Test Bank Questions of only one publisher. Subscribing for more than one will not help as 75% of the questions are the same with every publisher being the retired questions by IMA. The rest, 25%, are their individual creativity. 

Remember that actual CMA exam questions are non-disclosed and are not available to anyone.

Yearly Updates

Muhammad Zain, Founder of Zain Academy, tries to release yearly updates to the study books and test bank questions. The current release versions are 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019.

CMA Exam Part 1

CMA Exam Part 1 is known as Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics. There are six sections in CMA Part 1.

  1. Section A – External Financial Reporting Decisions – 15% weightage 
  2. Section B – Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting – 20% weightage
  3. Section C – Performance Management – 20% weightage
  4. Section D – Cost Management – 15% weightage
  5. Section E – Internal Controls – 15%
  6. Section F – Technology and Analytics – 15% weightage

The exam is of 4 hours (240 minutes).  The candidates have to attempt 100 multiple choice questions on the computer in 3 hours. In the last 1 hour, candidates will be required to attempt two essay questions. The essay questions window will open only if the candidate has attempted 50% of the MCQs correct. Two essay questions will have two to three sub-questions as well.  Each MCQ has to be attempted in 1.5 minutes to have ample time for review in the end before submitting the exam to the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) for grading.  

The CMA candidates have to pay the IMA membership fee annually which is $39 for students, $135 for academics, $245 for professionals. A one-time CMA entrance fee is also payable to the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) which is $188 for students, $188 for academics, and $250 for professionals. CMA Exam Part 1 fee is $311 for students, $311 for academics, and $415 for professionals. 

CMA Parts Selection Order

I recommend the candidates to begin their preparation with CMA Part 2 first and then moving to Part 1. The candidates can pass all two parts easily in six months by using the study books and test bank questions created by Muhammad Zain, Founder of Zain Academy.

Difficulty Level of CMA Part 1 Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics

CMA Part 1 is the hardest among the two parts. CMA Part 1 exam can be passed quickly if the candidates can exhibit the traits of Excellency, Creativity, Passionate, and Patience in their preparation and, in particular, on exam day. 

The Candidates must have a clear vision of their future. They must be able to define their purpose of life. The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach full potential – these are the keys that will unlock the door of CMA certification. 

The reason that many candidates find it difficult to achieve the CMA is that they are not able to define their goals or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Champions can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and with whom they will be sharing their adventure.

Keep looking for creativity, and don’t settle for the less. You have that potential. It is just a matter of time that you explore and discover yourself. Once you find yourself and your capability, you will never be the same again.

CMA Exam Part 1 Preparation Time

It is generally observed that many of the CMA candidates are working executives. They have to allocate time for work, family, studies, and personal leisure. The candidates are ready for the Part 1 exam if they can give at least 3 hours on weekdays and at least 6 hours on weekends for three months continuously. 

Video Lectures are of great aid. They increase the retention power of the candidates by at least 25%. These learning videos can also increase the odds in your favor exponentially. Subscribe to the Zain Academy YouTube channel for CMA learning videos.

CMA Exam Part 1 Scoring

A score of at least 360 is required out of 500 to pass the CMA Exams. Generally, this is 72%, but the passing score can be low or high, depending on the difficulty level of the questions being asked. If the questions being asked are of higher IQ level, the passing score can go below 360, but if the items tested are easy, then passing criteria can go up from 360. MCQs and Essay Questions both have an equal weightage of 50% each.

Whether the questions being asked are easy or difficult, I suggest you to target achieving an overall 75% in exams. The strategy to achieve 75% in aggregate is provided below. 

The target for 80% in MCQs. 

100 MCQs * 80% target * 50% weightage = 40%

Target for 70% in Essay Questions

70% target * 50% weightage = 35%

40% + 35% = 75%

REMEMBER that it is easy to achieve a higher score in MCQs as compared to Essay Questions that’s why I have targeted 80% in MCQs and 70% in Essay Questions.

CMA Part 1 Exam Dates

CMA exams are offered three times a year. 

Jan – Feb

May – Jun

Sep – Oct

The candidates can select any date of their choice from the above months, provided that the day must not be a weekend or a public holiday, and the timing of the preferred exam shall be within business hours. It is highly recommended to select your exam date and time as early as possible to get the preferred appointment. 

CMA Exam Part 1 Study Book

CMA Exam Part 1 Study Book is presented with the questioning mind approach. Furthermore, there are true-false questions to check the knowledge learned. The study book is brief, concise, and to the point for working executive’s effective learning. It can also be used as review notes or flashcards or summaries.

CMA Exam Part 1 Test Bank Questions

CMA Exam Part 1 Test Bank Questions by Zain Academy contains multiple-choice questions explaining the correct and incorrect choices so that candidates can learn from their own mistakes and take the necessary course of action. 

CMA Part 1 exam is passed by maximizing your strengths and minimizing your weaknesses. The CMA Exam Part 1 Test Bank Questions will help you in achieving this objective. 

Subscribe to the CMA Part 1 Test Bank Questions of only one publisher. Subscribing for more than one will not help as 75% of the questions are the same with every publisher being the retired questions by IMA. The rest, 25%, are their individual creativity. 

Remember that actual CMA exam questions are non-disclosed and are not available to anyone.

Yearly Updates

Muhammad Zain, Founder of Zain Academy, tries to release yearly updates to the study books and test bank questions. The current release versions are 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019.