Many candidates sit for the CMA exam in each of the three testing windows open annually, but only one from each can claim the Gold Medal. It is a prestigious honor awarded to the window’s highest scorer. For an exam where only 35% of candidates are expected to pass Part 1, that is quite an achievement. Gleim congratulates Karan Bhople on claiming the first Gold Medal in 2017!
Why the Gold Medal Winner Chose Gleim
Karan reached out to us via course feedback, and we were so impressed we contacted him to find out what he did to achieve such spectacular success. First, we asked him why he decided to choose us.
“I compared reviews of several different CMA exam prep products and decided that the Gleim Premium Review System was the best, as I prefer studying independently and at my own pace. Gleim provided that flexibility.”
The Institute of Certified Management Accountants (ICMA) is the certification division of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), which is a professional organization headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, that raises awareness of management accounting.
The ICMA, which creates the CMA exam, is independent of any and all review providers, so it is important to find a review provider that meets your needs as an individual.
“Given the rigors of my full-time job, without Gleim I would have found it difficult to manage my time and study regularly.”
The Gleim CMA Materials That Helped Him Earn Gold
Our official position is that educating and bettering one’s self is always fun, but Gleim is happy to hear confirmation from someone who has put dozens, if not hundreds, of hours into one of our courses. We asked Karan specifically what his favorite features of our program were.
“The video lectures were instructive, the books were concise, and the presentation of the material was well-organized, but it was the online test bank, providing the ability to create, take, and review practice exams and study sessions, covering any and all exam topics of my choice and helping track my performance to help hone in on weak areas, that made by far the biggest contribution to my success. Without a doubt, the test bank and essay bank were the best features.”
“The performance tracking and explanations to solving problems were impressive, as were the depth and breadth of the questions for each topic. Although this problem-solving practice was time-consuming, it was a surefire way to ensure success on the exam.”
How Prepared He Felt on Exam Day
Many test-takers report test-day anxiety, so we were also interested in hearing how he felt as he got ready to take the exam.
“I felt extremely well-prepared. When I sat for the CMA exam, for each part, after the first five to ten questions, my confidence attained a new level and stayed there as I saw a clear resemblance to the Gleim test bank questions that I encountered during my preparation.”
Karan’s experience echoes one of our past ICMA Gold Medal Winners, Nicholas Lehmann. Targeted test prep works. It also helps having a team of Personal Counselors and accounting experts available.
“The support system was important, too, as my Gleim Personal Counselor noticed when I was taking a suboptimal approach to my exam preparation and suggested a better one. Gleim support staff answered specific questions I asked on some topics that were not covered by the FAQ. Thank you, Gleim!”
His Advice for Achieving Similar CMA Exam Success
His recommendation?
“Use the Gleim Premier Review System and do exactly what it and your Gleim Personal Counselor suggest you do. Devote the majority of your studying to practicing with the test bank and essay bank, and you will ace the exam.”
Our thanks and congratulations to Karan on an outstanding achievement!
It has never been a better time to sit for the CMA exam. According to the IMA’s salary survey published in March, the median salary of accountants with a CMA is 28% higher than those without. If you are interested in advancing your career and acquiring a CMA certification yourself, try our free demo today!
