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