Category Archives for CMA

CMA Exam Prep Discounts

October 22, 2018
/ CMA

Check this page often for the latest CMA exam prep discounts and CMA promo codes! We’ve updated this page to reflect the best CMA discounts!

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Our Favorite & Best CMA Exam Prep Courses

CMA Courses	Gleim CMA	Surgent CMA	HOCK CMA
CMA Discount	20% off	25% off	40% off
Price After Discount	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

CMA Discounts and CMA Promo Codes (Biggest & Best 2021 CMA Course Discounts)

Save 20% on Gleim CMA Review

(Applies to Gleim CMA Premium Course.)

You don’t need to add a code; you just need to click this link!

(The discounted price will appear in the cart.)

Read my Gleim CMA Review evaluation.

Save 25% on Surgent CMA

This discount applies to the Surgent CMA Review course.

Get the Surgent Code!

Read my Surgent CMA evaluation.

Additional CMA Exam Prep Discounts

Frequently, the IMA supplies candidates, especially those in the Middle East, with discounts on CMA exam fees. For example, right now, you can use code IPASS15 to save 15% on your IMA membership and CMA application fee! Also, you can utilize our Becker CMA coupon, too!

Discounts on CMA Courses

You’ll start reaping the benefits of the CMA shortly after you earn it. In fact, with career advantages such as increased income, incentives, and job opportunities, the CMA will pay for itself pretty soon. But you’ll have to pay for it first. To secure the CMA, you must contribute sufficient time, effort, and funds to the process. Specifically, you’ll have to foot the bill for CMA exam fees and study materials.

While the CMA is worth the cost, you don’t want that cost to be any bigger than it has to be. And thankfully, CMA discounts keep those fees from becoming unmanageable. With CMA discounts, you can save hundreds of dollars on your review course. If you want to save big and pay less for the CMA, use one of these CMA discounts today.

The Best CMA Exam Prep Discounts

If you’re wondering how to choose between all these great CMA discounts, I’ve got some suggestions.

First, figure out what your must-haves will be. To be the best course for you, your CMA review must address your learning style and knowledge levels. It also needs good reviews and recommendations, and you can learn how the most popular courses on the market stack up in those areas in my CMA review course comparison. Once you know what you need in a CMA review course, see how well each CMA review course delivers so you can narrow down your options.

If you find that your favorite CMA course requires more funds than you were expecting, search for a CMA discount for that course. A CMA discount can save you hundreds of dollars, so it’s worth the effort to locate one!

Is the best CMA discount you can find still too small for your preferred course? In that case, you may need to bend your budget just a little. Trying to keep your CMA costs down is a great idea, but the course you need most likely offers a lot of value for the price point. Therefore, it’s worth the extra expense. The course that gives you everything you need to pass the first time is truly the ideal CMA course. If you get that course and pass fast, you can finish the CMA certification process faster and start earning back the money you put toward the CMA sooner than you think.

CMA Promo Codes

Sometimes, the CMA discount you want will require you to use a CMA promo code.

When you’re ready to use a CMA promo code, start by copying the code from this site. To copy the code, all you have to do is click the button that says, “Get the code!” or something like that. Clicking this button will copy the code for you and take you to the CMA review provider’s site. At their site, you can add the course you want to your cart. Then, at checkout, you’ll see a place to paste the code. After you’ve pasted the code there, click “Apply.” You’ll then see the cart refresh to reveal how much you’ve saved. With the coupon application covered, you can save big on your CMA exam prep and begin preparing to pass!

Really, the CMA promo code process is pretty simple. Give your new skills a go by using one of these CMA promo codes today!

Other Ways to Save on Your CMA Studies

The easiest and most effective way to save money is to pass the CMA exam on your first attempt. You can also take these 3 extra steps to make the most of your CMA investment.

1. Explore the Free Trial

A free trial lets you see how the course works and meets your learning needs before you make a monetary commitment. Gleim CMA and Wiley CMAexcel each offer free demos of their courses. Therefore, I suggest you start your review course search with one of these providers. You can also utilize these free CMA study resources too!

2. Make the Most of CMA Test Prep Software

The test prep software included in your CMA review course is not just a bank of practice questions. Instead, it’s a host of opportunities to improve your knowledge, as each question tests your familiarity with a certain concept. When you answer a question correctly, you confirm your deep comprehension of that concept. Conversely, when you get a question wrong, you prove that you need to put more time into that topic, and you also get to see where to adjust your thinking.

3. Put Together Some Personalized Flashcards

Yes, I know that many CMA courses provide digital or printed flashcards. However, there are so many benefits of making your own that I still suggest you do it.

When I was studying, I jotted the most important points and concepts down onto 3×5 index cards. Alternatively, some of my friends took notes in notebooks. As long as you’re letting your brain process the newly gained knowledge, either method is effective.

How to Choose a CMA Exam Prep Course

If you’re wondering, “Do I really need a CMA review course to pass the exam,” the answer is “Yes.” After all, with the right materials, you’ll probably study less because you’ll be reviewing the materials more effectively. Plus, there is a good chance that you’ll pass the exam much faster, too. So if you want to pass the CMA exam on your first try, read ahead for some advice on finding the right review course.

Picking a CMA Exam Prep Course

The CMA credential is granted by the IMA or Institute of Management Accountants. The IMA keeps track of the global CMA exam pass rate, which is only about 50%. Therefore, the IMA estimates that most candidates spend at least 150-170 hours studying for each part of this 2-part exam, or more than 300 hours. Plus, candidates who don’t study or don’t study with the right review materials often fail on their first attempt.

Although failing a CMA exam part isn’t the end of the world, the re-take fees can add up. And that’s why to save yourself money in the long run, it’s best to study with a good CMA review provider. The top ones on the market right now are Wiley CMAexcel, Gleim CMA, Hock CMA, and Surgent CMA. So below, you’ll find a short CMA course comparison. (Most of the providers have different levels of courses, and I’m only comparing the most comprehensive courses to be fair.) And then, I’ll give you some tips on how to find the course that matches your learning style.

CMA Exam Prep Course Comparison

	Wiley CMAexcel Platinum Review Course	Gleim CMA Premium CMA Review 2021	Hock CMA Review Complete	Surgent CMA Review Ultimate Pass
Access Length	Until You Pass	Until You Pass	Unlimited	Until You Pass
Interactive Learning Platform?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Test Bank / MCQs	5,500+	3,000+	3,532	3,945+
Essay Questions	16	137	66	65+
Video Lectures	66 hours	45+ hours	62 hours	60+ videos
Audio Lectures	No	Yes	Yes	No
Textbooks	Print and digital	Print and digital	Print and digital	PDF only
CMA Practice Tests	Unlimited	Unlimited	4	Unlimited
Price (before discounts)	$1,800	$1,599	$1,249	$1,699

Brief Course Overviews

Wiley – A market leader in CMA exam prep

Wiley CMAexcel is a leader in CMA exam study materials and is one of the IMA’s Strategic Partners. Plus, the Platinum Review Course has plenty of learning tools, like over 5,500+ MCQs (multiple-choice questions), 16 essay samples, and 66 hours of videos. What’s more, the “Bite-Sized Lessons” in Wiley’s Efficient Learning System are designed to be short and efficient. Wiley also gives you an interactive study planner, a mobile app to study on the go, over 800 pages of online study text, print and/or digital flashcards, and an unlimited number of full-length practice exams. Not to mention, Wiley’s “11^th Hour Final Review” will give you a boost right before your exam day by going back over the trickiest exam content.

Even better, Wiley has a Partner Until You Pass Guarantee, meaning that you won’t have to repay for your Wiley course if you happen to fail an exam section on your first attempt.

In addition, Wiley is one of several CMA review companies that now uses an interactive learning platform. The FocusMe Technology constantly monitors your learning progress. As you answer practice questions, it starts to understand what topics you need to study more. And then, the platform suggests study material based on the content areas you still need to strengthen.

Gleim – Quality study materials

Gleim CMA is another trusted exam review provider that has been helping candidates pass their exams for more than 40 years. If you pick the Gleim CMA Premium Review, you’ll get thousands of multiple-choice questions and sample essays, 45+ hours of video lectures that dive deep into the content, audio lectures, print and digital textbooks, and a personalized study planner. Plus, you can access your study materials until you pass the CMA exam. Gleim has taken the time to make sure that all its practice exams look and function just like the real CPA Exam, too.

Gleim uses an e-learning system, SmartAdapt, that will track how you’re performing on your practice questions. As it assesses your accomplishments, it will direct your daily studies to strengthen the material you’ve been missing in the questions.

The practice questions in Gleim’s test bank are high-quality and tough, just like those you’ll see on exam day. However, if you don’t already have a strong background in accounting, you’ll need to review your accounting concepts before tackling the practice questions.

Hock – A favorite with international candidates

Hock CMA is another review company that is popular with international and US-based candidates alike. Why? Well, Hock gives you high-quality CMA study courses for a lower cost than some other providers. For example, the Hock CMA Review Complete package is a good value with a personalized study planner, 62 hours of videos, 66 sample essay questions with answers, over 3,500 practice MCQs, comprehensive study texts (either PDFs or hard copies), digital flashcards, and 4 mock exams. And what’s more, Hock’s top package also includes unlimited access until you pass the exam, so you’ll never need to worry about renewing your CMA course.

Plus, Hock has a guarantee that can’t be beaten. If you study with Hock, work through most of the study materials, and practice most of the Hock questions but still fail a CMA exam section, Hock will actually pay for you to re-take it. So really, you can’t go wrong with Hock.

Surgent – Another strong choice to consider

And finally, Surgent CMA Review is another highly rated course to consider for your CMA prep materials. Surgent’s top course has over 60 hours of videos, almost 4,000 MCQs with detailed answer explanations, at least 65 sample essay questions, flashcards, full mock exams, and free updates when the content is modified. Plus, Surgent is known for its bite-sized video lessons. And even better, Surgent gives you access to personal virtual coaching sessions that could give you a study boost.

Surgent’s courses rely on personalized e-learning software, A.S.A.P. Technology. Basically, this AI platform creates customized study plans based on your exam date and performance throughout the course. And according to Surgent’s experts, this personalization greatly reduces the number of hours their users need to study for the CMA exam.

CMA Review Course Materials

Although every CMA exam review provider uses different tools, they all essentially have the same goal. That is, every system is designed to help you pass the CMA exam by leading you through learning exercises, practicing sample questions, and taking mock exams. Therefore, I’ll go over the learning tools I think are best, based on my experiences.

Adequate access length

First, before you purchase a CMA review course, I urge you to consider access length. Basically, some courses only let you access their online study materials for a limited time length – typically only 12 or 18 months. And right now, studying a year for the CMA exam might seem plenty long enough. But many candidates find that they need more time, since a lot can happen in a year in your personal and professional life that could delay your studies. After all, you don’t want to feel rushed to take the exam if you’re not prepared just because your review course access is about to expire. And what’s worse, if you fail a section, you might have to pay even more fees to keep studying with your existing review course.

So instead, some courses give you “unlimited” or “access until you pass,” meaning that you can keep using your online materials until you’ve passed the CMA exam. Therefore, I suggest going with one of the CMA courses that has unlimited access – it could save you some expenses and headaches in the long run.

Practice essay questions

Each half of the 2-part CMA exam includes both multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and essay scenarios that break down into 2-7 questions. These scenarios present complicated real-world situations and then ask you to choose an acceptable solution while explaining your justification. Although some CMA candidates think the essays are the hardest part of the exam, you can master them with some practice. So make sure you pick a CMA course with plenty of essay questions that are accompanied by answer explanations.

MCQs and test banks

Every year, the IMA writes new questions for the CMA exam and releases the previous year’s questions for study. Then, review providers collect these MCQs and essay questions and add them to their review course test banks. In fact, you’ll probably spend most of your study time going through your course’s bank of sample questions. After all, repeated practice with the sample questions is one of the best ways to test your skills and get the feel of the real exam.

For this reason, I suggest picking a CMA review course with lots of practice questions. If your course only comes with a few thousand MCQs, for example, you might find yourself reviewing the same questions over and over after you’ve been studying for a while.

E-learning and performance tracking platforms

E-learning tools are becoming more and more common in K-12 environments. Therefore, it’s not surprising that they are finding their way into the CMA exam prep market, too. E-learning platforms can personalize your learning experience and help you study faster.

For example, here’s how a typical interactive course might work. When you first begin using the course, the software will lead you through a series of quizzes to test your baseline knowledge of the subject matter. Then, the software analyzes your results and determines what exam content you already know and what you need to study. And next, the platform will integrate your results with a personalized study planner to develop weekly study goals. Basically, you’ll be encouraged to review textbook chapters and video lectures related to the content you missed on the quizzes. And to follow up, the course will then suggest questions you should practice.

Plus, some interactive courses with e-learning platforms also have diagnostic feedback that shows you what percent of the exam content you probably know, based on your performance on practice questions and mock exams. This sort of tool can be important to your studies because it helps you determine when you’re ready to sit for the exam. In the end, it can also maximize your study sessions and you might be able to prepare for the exam faster.

Personalized support

Even if you’re someone who likes to study alone, there’s a good chance that you’re going to have questions about the exam content at some point. Even if you’ve been working in the field a while, keep in mind that the exam is “academic.” Therefore, it tests nuances that you might not deal with in your daily work life.

So, some providers give their users access to accounting professionals to help when you have a question. That access comes in different forms, from personal tutoring to live (or live online) classes with instructor-student interaction. Other providers allow users to post questions to forums, and those questions are then answered by an expert.

In my opinion, this type of personalized support can be critical to getting those extra few points that mean the difference between failing and passing the CMA exam. Therefore, I strongly suggest looking for these features in a review course.

Customizable study planners

The CMA exam syllabus LOS, or Learning Outcome Statements, covers a lot of information. So much information, in fact, that you might feel overwhelmed without a personalized study planner. These tools, which are integrated into most of the top review courses, help you plan out your studies so you are assured to brush up on everything before your exam day.

For example, when you first start to use a review course, you should be able to input your anticipated exam day into your study planner. You’ll also enter the number of hours you have each week to study. Then, if you picked an integrated e-learning course that starts with a diagnostic quiz, your study planner will take those results and build your weekly schedule.

Each week, you’ll be prompted to review the material you haven’t seemed to conquer yet. And by planning out what you need to do each week, you’re more likely to stay on track and review all of the content most likely to appear on the exam.

Plus, I don’t know about you, but I tend to have much less stress when I have a plan. A customizable study planner takes a lot of the guesswork out of picking what to study and when. In the end, a good planner will prevent you from getting side-tracked.

Lectures – video and audio

Video and audio lectures, in addition to textbooks and question banks, are the backbone of many CMA candidates’ study arsenal. Therefore, if you’re someone who learns well from videos or webinars, I highly recommend going with a review course with high-quality lectures.

Of course, the definition of “high-quality” depends on the user. Some candidates, for example, learn best with shorter bite-sized lectures that only cover specific topics. Others look for engaging instructors, multi-media presentations that hold your attention, or classroom-like settings that feel more like you’re sitting in college instead of watching an online video. And of course, whatever review provider you choose, make sure that the lectures break down topics in a way that you understand. After all, it doesn’t matter how engaging the lectures are–if they don’t help you learn, they are wasting your time.

But how do you know if the lectures are good? Well thankfully, most courses offer some kind of free trial. I suggest taking advantage of these offers before you sign on the bottom line and purchase a course with lectures that don’t work for you.

Textbooks and study notes

Even though most courses might offer video lectures and online study tools, most candidates still do a lot of learning the old-fashioned way: by reading a textbook or study notes. In fact, I’m someone who likes to read hard-copy texts because I can take notes in the margins. Therefore, I suggest considering the quality of a provider’s textbooks when looking for a CMA course.

For example, some courses will send you hard-copy materials. Others only offer PDFs of these textbooks. Of course, you could print those PDFs and have the copies bound yourself. But that’s an added hassle and expense if you really don’t like reading textbooks on your computer screen.

Mock exams

In the end, the only way to truly know if you’re ready for the CMA exam is to take a practice exam. If you ace a practice one, then you might be ready to tackle the “real” exam. Therefore, it’s important to look for a course that comes with plenty of mock exams. For instance, some only have a few practice exams but others come with unlimited ones.

Plus, I also suggest going with a course that has mock exams with platforms that mimic the look and feel of the real CMA exam. After all, many candidates find that this helps to reduce their stress on exam day because they feel like they’ve already taken the exam before. Taking mock tests can really help you mentally prep for passing the CMA exam.

How to Pick a CMA Course

With so many features that are included with CMA courses, how do you pick the one that’s right for you? Well, I have a few suggestions:

First, think about your learning style. That is, do you learn best from watching videos and taking notes? Or do you like to read textbooks and follow-up with flashcards?
Second, consider when and where you plan to study. Will an online-only course work for you? Or will you need a mobile app because you’re likely to study on the go?
And of course, what’s your budget? Do you need to pick a provider that offers payment plans?

CMA study tips

Most people best learn by interacting with material in multiple ways. That is, if you read material in a textbook, listen to that same content in a lecture, and then follow up with practice questions and flashcards, you’re likely to learn faster. You can further reinforce content by interacting with instructors and tutors. So when searching for a CMA course, think about this 1-2-3 punch of reading, hearing, and discussing material.

Study when it’s best for you

According to the IMA, candidates can spend up to 150-170 hours studying for each part of the CMA exam for a total of about 300 hours. But with your already busy schedule, you might be wondering when you’ll have the time to squeeze in all of this studying.

Therefore, pick a review provider that is going to maximize every minute you spend studying for the CMA Exam. How do they do that? Well, in my experience, the interactive courses with e-learning tools and access to experts when you have questions can be the best ways to make the most of your time.

Plus, think about how much time you have to engage in study activities like watching video lectures. If you know you’ll have to study in short bursts, you could go with a course that has bite-sized videos and learning units. Or, if you know you’ll be studying on the go, look for a course with a mobile app and access to your course materials from any device.

Budget Factors

Of course, your budget will probably play a role in picking a CMA review course. And what’s more, you don’t want to waste your hard-earned money on a course that doesn’t work for you.

But still, don’t immediately blow off a course because you think it’s too expensive. Instead, think of your course as an investment in your future. After all, CMAs tend to make higher salaries than their uncredentialled peers. Therefore, even if your first-pick course is several hundred dollars more than your second-pick, remember that a good course will help you study faster. And we all know the saying that “time is money.”

Plus, if you pick a good course, your chances of passing the exam on your first try will greatly increase. Basically, this means that you could spend less because you’re not wasting money on expensive re-take fees. Even if you go with a budget review course, if it doesn’t adequately prepare you for the exam, you might have to retake the exam several times. And when you factor in the cost of retake fees, you could spend more money in the long run than you would have if you just picked the best CMA course in the first place.

CMA exam prep discount codes

And don’t forget that I have lots of discounts for CMA courses, too. With discounts, you can often save a considerable amount of cash on your CMA review.

To find the codes, just check out my partner site for CMA exam prep discounts.

Why You Should Consider an Online CMA Class

Some CMA review courses now offer live or “live online” courses. Usually, they mimic a classroom-like setting, similar to what you might find in college. However, if you tend to learn a lot from interacting with students and instructors in a class, I recommend finding a course that offers online options. Let me explain why.

Benefits of online classes

Online classes offer the most flexibility. After all, between work and personal commitments (and traffic!), it can be hard to make it an in-person class at a specific location. But with online classes, you can participate anywhere, even from your local coffee shop. So you never have an excuse for missing class.
Online classes are more manageable. Even if you miss a live online session, the review provider will probably record it and make it available to view later. This way, you can watch it when you have time. Plus, you can pause when you need to take a break or want to look up a definition. What’s more, you can also watch the lecture at your own pace so you can take notes, too. And when you have this sort of flexibility, your eyes are less likely to glaze over and you’ll be able to concentrate on the material longer.
Online courses often have better and more consistent quality. Think of it this way: companies that only have in-person classes that are taught at a specific location must then also have instructors for those classes. Basically, it’s hard to control the consistency of the delivery when you’re working with lots of different in-person instructors. But if a company only has online classes, they need a smaller pool of instructors because one expert can teach lots of people online at the same time. And companies can also take the time to really refine their instructors’ delivery and teaching methods, resulting in a higher-quality education for their users.

Comprehensive CMA Review Courses vs. Supplements

As you’re reviewing the websites of different CMA review providers, you’ll notice that some companies have two kinds of offerings:

Comprehensive courses that come with lots of tools (textbooks, study notes, flashcards, live or live online classes, video or audio lectures, and personalized mentoring or other support)
Supplements, which could just be a company’s CMA textbooks or test bank (collection of practice questions)

How to pick the right learning tools

So which should you choose? After all, you could save a lot of money by just purchasing the textbooks or test bank. But are these supplements alone enough to pass the CMA exam?

In my experience, no.

First, a supplement like a test bank is meant to be just that – a supplement to other study materials. Most candidates fail if they only use practice questions to study. Plus, sometimes providers don’t update their test banks frequently. So there is a chance that you could be practicing outdated material.

3-factor study punch

Additionally, keep in mind that 1-2-3 study punch that I mentioned earlier. You learn best with you read, hear, and discuss the content. And if you only study with a test bank, you’re missing out on a lot of critical learning opportunities that come with a comprehensive course.

And of course, if you only purchase a supplement, you’ll be missing out on the personalized support offered by many of the top courses. So for example, if you only study with a test bank, what happens when you have a question? You won’t have anyone waiting in the wings to help via mentoring or even a user advice forum or question board. Nor do you have textbooks to read or videos to watch to find your answers. So to make studying easier and potentially more enjoyable, I suggest picking a comprehensive CMA review course.

What’s the Best CMA Review Course?

I hope this review of CMA exam prep discounts and courses helps you find study materials that help you pass the exam on your first try. Wiley CMAexcel, Gleim CMA, Hock International, and Surgent CMA are all strong courses. But if I had to pick one course as the “best,” which one would I chose?

Well, I think that Wiley CMAexcel’s courses are some of the best available right now. First, Wiley has been on the market for a long time and has built a strong reputation among CMA candidates. Plus, it’s the only review course that is approved by the IMA. I also appreciate Wiley’s bite-sized videos and short lessons because they work for a lot of busy professionals. The e-learning software focuses your studies and may help you pass the exam with less study time. And of course, the access until you pass guarantee means that you don’t have to worry about having enough time to study for the CMA exam. And although Wiley could include a few more mock exams with its courses, the 11^th Hour Final Review could be the final study push you need to get across the CMA exam finish line.