Best CMA Review Course – Top 5 Courses [Updated for 2018] + Discounts

Wiley CMA Review

Wiley offers two versions of CMA review material. This version is the premium "integrated review course" with 21 hours of video instruction, an interactive online study planner, performance tracking, a final review, textbooks, and test prep software (known as the test bank).

Strengths

Good lecturers

I really like Professor Douglas Clinton, the lecturer in the video. He is both a knowledgeable and lively teacher. You can tell that he is an active and well-liked professor (and indeed he is).

Interactive study planner

The interactive online planner is very useful for planning your studies and keeping you on track.

Free trial

The 14-day free trial gives you full access to the entire course.

Weaknesses

Easy questions

The practice questions in the test bank are not as complex and comprehensive as I had hoped. I personally prefer tougher practice questions to fully prepare me for the exam.

High price

This course is the most expensive option.

Recommendations

If you are a fan of Wiley CPAexcel or if you learn best by watching videos, Wiley CMA Review is definitely your best pick.

Gleim CMA Review

Gleim is one of the most popular CMA review courses available and is especially preferred by those who study on their own.

Industry Longevity 

Gleim is very established; it's one of the earliest providers of a CMA prep course (as well as courses for CPA, CIA, and EA).

All-inclusive review system

The Gleim CMA Review System offers an integrated learning approach with video lectures, an audio-visual presentation, a test bank with various modes, audio reviews, textbooks, an essay test bank, and an online study tracking system. There is also a study planner that tracks your progress and a Personal Counselor to help you reach your exam goals.

High-quality test bank

This course includes the most comprehensive practice questions on the market with an exam mode that closely simulates the actual testing environment you will encounter at the Prometric center.

Convenient policies

The free trial for one study unit and the money-back guarantee are very attractive.

Weaknesses

Not the best for beginners

If you have no accounting background, it may be tough to follow. However, if you have a basic knowledge of accounting (e.g., taken one or two introductory classes), it should be fine.

Course limitations

The traditional version doesn't have video lectures or the Access Until You Pass guarantee.

Confusing format

The course can be difficult to navigate at times and is not as seamless as the Gleim CPA course.

Recommendations

If you have some accounting background and are the type of candidate who learns from answering lots of practice questions, I have no doubt that Gleim is the best for you.

Hock CMA Review

People in the U.S. may not have heard about Hock's CMA review courses, but they are quite popular among international candidates.

Strengths

Clear presentation

The notes are great and explain the concepts well with classroom recordings (videos).

Unlimited access

Your access to this course lasts until you pass the exam.

Strengths

Lacking coverage

The practice questions are good, but the coverage is not as wide as that of Gleim CMA.

No study planner

This course does not include an interactive online study planner.

Recommendations

If you need more explanations of the concepts covered in the CMA exam but find Wiley too expensive, Hock could be a good alternative. If you need more practice questions, you can get Gleim or Surgent CMA as a supplement.

Surgent CMA Review (Formerly ExamMatrix CMA Test Prep)

Surgent is an accounting test prep developer that prides itself on a unique offering: software that learns from your answers. To my knowledge, they are the only provider that offers adaptive technology in a CMA course.

Strengths

Adaptive technology

The ASAP (adaptive learning) technology that analyzes your weakest areas based on your performance in each study session has a lot of potential.

Good guarantee

There is a money-back guarantee as long as you are a "good student" (parameters include how much time you spend on the questions and the percentage of questions you answer correctly at the end).

Weaknesses

Sparse books

Most readers comment that the book is not as comprehensive as those of other review courses.

Minimal features

There are fewer features (e.g., no video lectures, audio reviews, or flash cards), although this is somewhat reflected in the lower price.

Recommendations

Surgent is a good choice for those who know the exam content but need test prep software for exam preparation. It is also a great choice of supplement if you're looking for an additional set of practice questions.

CMA Exam Academy

CMA Exam Academy is a relatively new and exceptional product from Nathan Liao, a controller-turned-entrepreneur and founder of CMAcoach.com. The package includes video lectures, proprietary books, a test bank, and his one-on-one coaching conducted via phone or email.

Strengths

Personal coaching

The coaching and support are highly personalized with weekly live coaching calls with Nathan. As far as I know, such customized coaching is a unique offering.

Lots of lectures

There are 100+ hours of video and audio lectures.

Money-back guarantee

The guarantee is great: Pass the first time or receive a 100% refund.

Weaknesses

Fairly Expensive

Nathan has lowered the price by $200 for each part, so his course is considerably less than Wiley's now, However, it is still pricier than Gleim and Hock.

Young team

The course and team are not as established as others.

Recommendation

CMA Exam Academy is a great option if you are looking for a live coach offering personal support and progress tracking.

My CMA Review Course Recommendations

Given that the CMA exam is a computerized test, the factor that will make or break a review program is the multiple-choice questions. I believe most candidates would agree that Gleim CMA has the best test prep software, free trial, Personal Counselor support, and access to accounting experts, and all of these come with the Gleim guarantee. What do you think? Drop a note here so we can discuss.

Best CMA Test Banks

The CMA exam contains more than 200 questions and addresses dozens of topics. These topics are fairly broad, so the exam questions could ask you about anything relating to the topics. To prepare for such general coverage of management accounting, you’ll need to answer plenty of practice questions.

You’ll find practice questions in a CMA test bank. Each CMA review provider has a test bank of questions just like those you’ll see on the exam. The benefits of using a large test bank include getting familiar with the exam content and testing environment. You’ll also be able to avoid memorizing questions, which is not the best way to ready your brain to pass.

The size of the test banks available varies, but Gleim and Wiley have constructed the best test banks available.

1. Gleim CMA Review

Gleim’s CMA test bank features almost 3,000 unique practice multiple-choice (MCQs) and essay questions as well as detailed answer explanations for every question. While this test bank does not have the most MCQs, it does include the most essays of any test bank on the market. Furthermore, Gleim’s practice questions represent the functionality and difficulty level of the CMA exam questions better than any other course.

2. Wiley CMAexcel

Wiley’s test bank is a bit bigger, as it holds over 4,000 practice questions, including 20 essays. You can use this test bank to create unlimited practice exams. You’ll also receive a grade book to track your progress. The questions in Wiley’s test bank are somewhat easier than Gleim’s, but you get more questions, which means more opportunities to strengthen your weak areas.

If you want to drill questions until you’re confident in your knowledge, I recommend using one of these test banks.

Best CMA Review Video Lectures

Turning on video lectures is a great way to add some variety to your studies so you can stay focused. Video lectures are video recordings of instructors teaching about the concepts and questions on the exam. Video lectures actually help you process information faster, retain it longer, understand it better, and enjoy it more. As video lectures are so beneficial, I’m glad to report that almost every CMA review provider supplies them.

When comparing CMA review courses based on video lecture content, consider both quantity and quality. Some video lectures are well-made and insightful, even if the number of total hours is not as great. With these standards in mind, I recommend the CMA Exam Academy videos and the Wiley CMAexcel videos. 

1. CMA Exam Academy

CMA Exam Academy takes a very detailed approach to their videos. There is an HD video lecture for every single topic tested on the exam, so you won’t miss a thing. Furthermore, CMA Exam Academy divides the video content out into manageable chunks so absorbing the information requires less effort.

2. Wiley CMAexcel

The Wiley video lectures stand apart for their formatting. Each lecture only lasts for about 30 minutes, so you can easily complete 1 or 2 lessons in one sitting. Watching videos broken up in this way also allows you to digest the information quickly and painlessly. Finally, the pacing of the Wiley video lectures enables you to maintain a steady progress through your review without getting overwhelmed.

In general, video lectures are great CMA review resources. These video lectures in specific are the best.

Best CMA Exam Multiple-Choice Questions

Each CMA exam contains 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), and they aren’t your grade-school level MCQs. Instead, these MCQs come in many different formats, some of which are complicated. On top of that, you must answer 50% of the MCQs correctly in order to move on to the essay portion of the exam. Consequently, doing well on these questions requires you to do more than just memorize definitions and formulas.

Instead, you must reach the levels of knowledge listed in the ICMA’s Content Specification Outlines (CSOs). The ICMA designs the MCQs to assess you for the deep comprehension of the concepts, and only by answering hundreds of practice MCQs can you achieve it. Thankfully, you’ll find enough MCQs in CMA test banks.

Two courses come with the best MCQs.  

1. Gleim CMA Review

Gleim doesn’t have the most MCQs on the market. But due to the difficulty of the CMA exam, I believe MCQ quality trumps quantity. Gleim has about as many unique MCQs as Wiley, and Gleim’s MCQs are more challenging. They more realistically demonstrate how hard the MCQs are and how they operate, so these are the questions you need to minimize surprises on test day.

2. Wiley CMAexcel

If you can’t have the very best MCQs, you can at least have the most with Wiley CMAexcel. Their questions are also high-caliber, and with over 4,000, you really will get plenty of chances to strengthen your weak areas, refine your skills, and build your confidence with MCQs.  

The vast majority of the CMA exam is MCQs, so you can’t afford to settle for sub-par practice MCQs during your CMA review.  

Best CMA Essay Questions

Besides MCQs, the only other type of question on the CMA exam is essays. There are 2 essay scenarios on each CMA exam part, and these scenarios come with 2-7 questions each. The CMA exam employs these essay scenarios to test your ability to evaluate data, choose between alternative solutions, and justify an action. To do well on the essays, you must be able to write effectively according to the exam’s criteria for clarity, organization, and English usage. Additionally, you have to address all question requirements, supply as much relevant detail as possible, and show your work. Clearly, mastering the essays will take some work!

To refine your CMA essay-writing skills, you must complete a large number of practice essays, which you can find in your CMA review course.

Though practice essays are a given in CMA review, one course in particular stands out for its quality essay questions.

1. Gleim CMA Review

As the creators of the first CMA review course, Gleim has the experience and expertise needed to write the best CMA essays. Gleim’s professional educators have been through enough iterations of the CMA exam to know how its essays work and how to generate practice essays that do the same. The Gleim essays also look more like the real thing than anything else. Therefore, you will get the most precise impression of the CMA exam essays when you use Gleim CMA Review.

You must write essays in order to pass the CMA exam. Therefore, you must use high-quality practice essays to improve your writing.

Best CMA Review Audio Lectures

Wouldn’t it be great if you could study for the CMA exam when you’re doing mentally simple tasks like exercising, cleaning, or commuting? Good news! You can redeem this time thanks to CMA review audio lectures. Audio lectures are the auditory content of a lecture, and they allow auditory learners and candidates on the go to maximize their time.

Several CMA review providers record audio lectures, so you have some options.

I recommend the audio lectures from 2 courses: Gleim CMA Review and CMA Exam Academy.

1. Gleim CMA Review

The Gleim CMA audio lectures are basically the Gleim book in audio format. The Gleim books are well-known for being extremely thorough and comprehensive, so that’s good news for the audio lectures. With these resources, you won’t have to miss a thing if you have to listen to rather than read your study materials for the day.

2. CMA Exam Academy

Because the CMA Exam Academy video lectures are well-made, the audio lectures are as well. They’re the audio format of the video lectures, so they are also all-encompassing. Furthermore, they’re convenient, as you can download them to have with you wherever you go.  

If you plan to multi-task during your review so you can keep each study sessions short and sweet, these audio lectures have your back (and ears).

Best CMA Review Study Planners

If you want to pass the CMA exam, you’ve got to make a plan. Specifically, you’ll need to make a CMA exam study plan. This process involves determining how fast you want to pass, finding time in your schedule for regular study sessions, averaging 1-2 study hours a day, and figuring out when you can finish studying. It’s a very important step toward successful CMA exam studies, and it’s a lot easier to take when you use a study planner.

The ideal CMA exam study planner is simple, straightforward, and easy to use. It’s also personalized and adjusts to changes you make throughout your exam journey. Finally, it should record your progress and hold you accountable with notifications. The study planners that fulfill these requirements come from Wiley CMAexcel and Gleim CMA Review.

1. Wiley CMAexcel

The Wiley CMAexcel study planner is pretty impressive. After you indicate when you would like to begin studying, when you would like to finish studying, and how many hours each week you have to study, the planner generates a tailored schedule of sessions and assessments that’s easy to follow and modify.

2. Gleim CMA Review

The Gleim CMA Review study planner is one of the best because it also lets you add test dates and input your availability before producing a detailed schedule of all your study sessions. When you add or remove blackout dates, the Gleim study planner adapts your study session assignments accordingly. It also notifies you about missed study sessions.

With these effective study planners, you can pick the best test dates and ensure that you’re totally prepared in time.

Best Customer Support

How can you distinguish a good CMA review course from a great one? Customer service. The best CMA courses go above and beyond to offer dedicated support to candidates. Standard customer service includes contact via phone, email, live chat, and social messaging. Exceptional customer service encompasses tapping in to the knowledge of experts for friendly and convenient assistance with specific issues. The 2 providers that take these extra steps are Gleim CMA Review and CMA Exam Academy.

1. Gleim CMA Review

Gleim CMA Review’s customer service can’t be beat for 3 reasons. First, Gleim always assigns an exam mentor called a Personal Counselor to each candidate. Your Personal Counselor helps you create a study plan, answers your questions, and encourages you throughout your exam journey. Second, you can work with technical experts to resolve any computer or course access problems. Finally, you can receive deeper insight into exam topics by using the practice question inquiry system within the course to communicate with accounting experts.

2. CMA Exam Academy

Nathan at CMA Exam Academy is so committed to helping you succeed that he makes it hard to fail the exam. Nathan is your CMA coach, so his course includes plenty of opportunities to experience outstanding candidate support. You can get all your questions answered during weekly support calls from Nathan. You can also receive study advice from the unlimited 1-on-1 coaching. Weekly check-ins with Nathan will keep you on track. And with the 24-hour hotline to your CMA coach, you don’t ever have to feel stuck in your studies.

Study aid like this can make a world of difference on the path to CMA exam success, so prioritize courses that prioritize you.  

Definition of a CMA Review Course

A CMA review course is a collection of self-study resources designed to prepare candidates for the CMA exam by concentrating on the exam content. Most of the components in a CMA review course can be accessed online. CMA course material often comprises:

• Digital or physical books
• A bank of practice questions
• Video lectures
• Audio lectures
• A study planner
• Performance tracking software
• Customer service access
• Limited time access

CMA review courses for each exam part can be purchased separately or as a complete set.

So, why should you use a CMA review course? Let me explain the benefits.

1^st CMA Review Course Benefit: Content Coverage

A CMA review course covers and presents the exam content in a convenient and efficient way.

The 2 parts of the CMA exam assess candidates for their familiarity with a body of knowledge related to the areas of management accounting and financial management.

• Part 1: Financial Reporting, Planning, Performance, and Control
  1. External Financial Reporting and Decisions
  2. Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting
  3. Performance Management
  4. Cost Management
  5. Internal Controls
• Part 2: Financial Decision Making
  1. Financial Statement Analysis
  2. Corporate Finance
  3. Decision Analysis
  4. Risk Management
  5. Investment Decisions
  6. Professional Ethics

The Institute of Certified Management Accountants (ICMA) explains the CMA exam content in the Content Specification Outlines (CSOs) and the Learning Outcome Statements (LOSs). While the CSOs offer a high-level overview of the exam content, the LOSs go into more detail about the skills and abilities the exam expects candidates to have.

As a CMA candidate, you can review this information for yourself, but discovering and learning the specifics of the material and developing the skills you need on your own will take a great deal of time and effort. You will have to conduct a lot of in-depth research, which would greatly increase the duration of your studies. This process may also jeopardize your ability to pass both parts within the three-year deadline. Thankfully, a CMA review course will have gathered and distilled all of this information for you. A quality review course features expertly-authored textbooks and lectures that address every area of the exam content. With these resources, you can focus on mastering the material rather than compiling it for yourself.

2^nd CMA Review Course Benefit: Knowledge and Skill Development

A CMA review course ensures that you reach the levels of knowledge and skill that you need to pass in time for exam day.

To measure your study progress, CMA review courses include tools such as performance tracking software and study planners. These tools ensure that you efficiently review all of the exam material. Your CMA review course also monitors your content comprehension because the exam expects you to reach the following cognitive levels:

• Knowledge: Ability to remember previously learned material such as specific facts, criteria, techniques, principles, and procedures (i.e., identify, define, list).
• Comprehension: Ability to grasp and interpret the meaning of material (i.e., classify, explain, distinguish between).
• Application: Ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations (i.e., demonstrate, predict, solve, modify, relate).
• Analysis: Ability to break down material into its component parts so that its organizational structure can be understood; ability to recognize causal relationships, discriminate between behaviors, and identify elements that are relevant to the validation of a judgment (i.e., differentiate, estimate, order).
• Synthesis: Ability to put parts together to form a new whole or proposed set of operations; ability to relate ideas and formulate hypotheses (i.e., combine formulate, revise).
• Evaluation: Ability to judge the value of material for a given purpose on the basis of consistency, logical accuracy, and comparison to standards; ability to appraise judgments involved in the selection of a course of action (i.e., criticize, justify, conclude).

The CMA exam uses multiple-choice questions and essay scenarios to assess your cognitive levels. Therefore, CMA review test banks let you answer practice questions so you can apply what you’ve learned. An exam-emulating test bank also allows you get comfortable with the exam format and functionality in advance. With this familiarity, you can build your confidence and minimize any surprises you may encounter.

3^rd CMA Review Course Benefit: Support System

A CMA review course supplies a support system for additional information, advice, and encouragement.

Most CMA review courses include some form of customer service. For example, your course may permit access to friendly exam mentors who answer your questions, help you create your study plan, coach you through their course, encourage you through your study struggles, and hold you accountable for your review process. You may also be able to rely on a technical team to assist you with computer or course issues. You can usually communicate with these experts via phone, email, or a system within your course. When you purchase one of the review courses discussed on this page, you’ll be able to enjoy access to CMA experts who won’t let you go through the exam alone.

The Cost of CMA Review

CMA review course prices vary, but the average cost is almost $1,200. Most of these courses pack a lot of value into their price points, but you don’t want to pay any more than necessary, especially when you consider the other CMA exam fees you’ll have to cover.

If you don’t purchase CMA review with unlimited course access, you may also have to pay course renewal fees. To avoid this, pass each part the first time and/or choose a course with candidate-friendly guarantees.

To make sure you’re getting the best course for you before you buy, explore the free trials that many providers offer. If you discover the course you’ve chosen doesn’t help you pass like you’d hoped, you may need to purchase another course, which will cost you even more. Signing up for a free demo that shows you how the course works and how well it fits your learning style helps you buy the best course the first time.

Best Budget CMA Review Course

As you can see from the chart, several CMA review courses cost over $1,000. Some of these courses offer a lot of value for the price, but if you have limited funds, you still might not be able to pay for them. In that case, I recommend purchasing what I consider to be the best budget CMA review course: Gleim CMA Review.

Gleim CMA Review is the most widely used course in the industry and one of the best courses on the market. So, you don’t really have to settle when you let your wallet choose your CMA review. Gleim CMA Review is a great value, as it includes 40+ hours of video lectures, one of the largest test banks on the market, assistance from Personal Counselors and accounting experts, audio lectures, and more. And with the Access Until You Pass® guarantee, you can take as long as you need to pass the CMA exam and never have to pay for course access or updated materials again.

With my Gleim CMA review discount, you can get study materials for both exam parts for less than $1,000. Gleim created the first CMA review course in the industry, and the fact that they are still making CMA exam prep today is a testament to their quality. When you use my discount to purchase Gleim CMA Review, you can’t go wrong on the CMA exam.

My Recommendation: Gleim CMA Review

Best CMA Review for Candidates Who Failed the CMA Exam

Failing the CMA exam can happen for several reasons. You may not have studied well enough, long enough, or with the right materials. It may be tempting to blame your review course right off the bat, but you should thoroughly evaluate your own study habits first. If you can honestly say you put all your effort into your studies, used the review course exactly as instructed, and still failed, then you probably do have a good case against your course. When you need to switch out your CMA exam prep, I recommend turning to Surgent CMA Review.

With adaptive technology powering its course, Surgent is the course for CMA exam re-takers. The technology adjust to your study needs, identifies your weak areas, and saves you time as you move through your studies. On top of that, Surgent CMA Review includes a free trial and a great pass guarantee. Finally, this Surgent CMA Review discount makes the low price even better for re-takers. Therefore, Surgent may be just what you need to deliver a passing performance on the CMA exam.

My Recommendation: Surgent CMA Review

Best CMA Review for Accounting Students

Did you know: You can take the CMA exam as an accounting student, so long as you complete the education and experience requirements within 7 years of passing the exam. Sitting for the exam as a student is a great idea because much of the CMA exam content overlaps with your core accounting courses. Additionally, students pay less for IMA membership and CMA exam fees. You should plan to take the exam after your junior year, and to prepare for it, you should use Gleim CMA Review.

Gleim CMA Review is good for students because its thorough exam content reinforces everything you’ve learned in your classes. Plus, it has a great study planner that lets you fit study sessions in between classes, and your Personal Counselor can help you navigate the path to passing the exam and earning your certification. With my Gleim CMA Review discount, you can get one of the best courses on the market at a student-friendly price.

My Recommendation: Gleim CMA Review

Best CMA Review for Accountants

The CMA certification helps full-time accountants take their careers to the next level with increased skills, salary, job opportunities, and more. You don’t want to wait to enhance your career in these ways, so you should earn the CMA as soon as possible. When you use CMA review that covers all of the exam content in a clear, concise, and relevant way, you can pass the CMA exam faster than you think.

Gleim CMA Review and Wiley CMAexcel both present all the information you need to know in simple, digestible formats. Wiley supplies you with bite-sized lessons for absorbing exam topics, while Gleim gives you easy-to-read outlines for every content area. Each course helps you strengthen your weaknesses with video content and big test banks, so they’re excellent for accountants who’ve been out of school and in the field for some time.

My Recommendation: Gleim CMA Review and Wiley CMAexcel

Determining Your Learning Style

Everyone learns differently, which means everyone has a unique learning style. Your learning style is the combination of tools and experiences you need to understand information. To effectively prepare for the CMA exam, you need a review course that accommodates your learning style. That means that, if you haven’t done so already, you must discover what type of learner you are.  

• If you understand faster when someone explains a concept to you, you might be an auditory learner.
• The use of constant movement to help you concentrate can indicate that you’re a kinesthetic learner.
• When you can greatly advance the learning process by watching a video, you may be a visual learner.
• If reading books and taking notes is one of your favorite ways to learn, you’re most likely a linguistic learner.
• To truly grasp a concept, do you need to see the reasoning behind it? If so, you seem to be a logical learner.
• When researching a topic by yourself is ideal for your understanding, you may be a solitary learner.
• Do you prefer working with a group to take on a new topic? You’re probably a social learner.
• And, if you use a different learning approach based on the information you’re covering, chances are that you have more than one learning style, which is common.

Once you’ve determined your learning style, assess how well each review course promises to address it. You can do this by signing up for course demos. Most providers offer limited-time access to a free course demo, which lets you see how a course looks, operates, and caters to your learning style before you make a monetary commitment. These demos are invaluable for helping you find the best course for you.

How to Pick the Best CMA Study Course

When you’re ready to pick the best CMA exam prep for you, evaluate your options based on the following traits:

• How customers have reviewed the course
• How well the course components fit your learning style
• Who has written the materials
• Who presents the lectures
• How much value you will get for the price
• How long the course provider has been in the industry
• What kind of customer service you will receive
• How often the course is updated for the current exam version
• What guarantees and course access periods are included
• Whether you can preview the course before purchasing
• How well the course replicates the exam experience
• How many practice questions are included

This list is long and not in order of importance. Therefore, you can arrange these qualities according to your personal priorities and weigh each review course against your standards and preferences. As I said, different courses will suit different candidates. However, I believe you can find the best CMA study material for you that meets your needs and helps you pass.

If you're still on the fence after reading my reviews, I highly recommend you take advantage of a free trial from one of my two favorite courses.