What to Do When You Score 60% on Mocks — But Need 80%

Scoring around 60% on PMP mock tests can feel frustrating—especially when your target is 80% or higher. But don’t panic. This is a common phase in the PMP journey, and with the right strategy, you can bridge that gap faster than you think.

Let’s walk through what to do next.

1. First: Understand What a 60% Score Really Means

A 60% score isn’t a failure. It means you’ve got a solid foundation—but you’re not applying your knowledge consistently across scenarios.

PMI rarely tests direct facts. Instead, they focus on situational judgment, where a slight misinterpretation can cost you the question.

2. Pinpoint Where the Gaps Are

Not all 60% scores are created equal. Are you struggling with:

• A specific domain (e.g., Risk, Stakeholder, Procurement)?
• Agile vs Predictive questions?
• Situational questions where multiple options seem correct?

Use your recent mocks to build a gap matrix.

3. Don’t Take More Mocks—Yet

One of the most common mistakes is to keep taking full mocks without analyzing the previous ones.

Instead:

• Pick the last two mocks you attempted.
• For each question you got wrong, ask: “What concept did I miss or misapply?”
• Use PMBOK, Agile Guide, or coaching videos to correct the concept.

4. Apply the 80/20 Rule to Your Study

Roughly 80% of your score gain will come from fixing 20% of your most frequent mistakes.

If you always struggle with:

• Stakeholder engagement strategies
• Servant leadership questions
• Change control process

…then go deeper there instead of reviewing everything again.

5. Rebuild Confidence With Targeted Quizzing

After reviewing your weak areas, don’t jump into another full mock. Instead:

• Take mini-quizzes (10–20 questions)
• Focus on one domain or question type
• Celebrate 80%+ scores in each quiz before returning to full tests

6. When to Attempt the Next Mock

Once you’ve:

• Fixed your top 3 recurring errors
• Scored 80%+ consistently in 2 or more domain-level quizzes

…then attempt a new full mock. Track both score and confidence per question. Are you guessing less? Do answers make logical sense now?

If yes, you’re on track. If not, revisit the flowchart.

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