An Entire Cyber Security Degree in 15 Minutes 

Mad Hat I thought working full-time and going to school full-time was hard...You had two babies and did school!?! You are the man that take heart and grit.

From a lifelong WoW addict and one who also had the most unconventional, weird, too long of a college career. You and I are not so different, Mad Hat. I love not feeling alone in terms of how long it took me to get my cyber-related Bachelor's. Just got my Google Cyber cert last November and have been churning out as many applications as possible. Hoping to get the money for Sec+ here in the next month or so! Thanks for all of your entertaining, relaxed videos on the industry, bro. Really appreciate your content.

my story was: at 16 loved coding --> bullied into"you are never going to be a coder" which decreased my confidence --> moved to the US and started coding again --> realized that I am actually good solving problems --> got a job as a programmer --> darknet diaries podcast --> cybersecurity obsession -> got a job as an AppSec Engineer. (no college)

Hey man, pretty inspiring. Got my BA in Film Production while working in desktop administration for my college all years. Met a guy who put me on to cyber and motivated me to believe I could do it. Now I’m in a digital forensics and cybersecurity masters. Just got the sec+ and now going hard in the paint for the cysa+. A lot of people think it’s a race to the finish line with college but most people don’t realize that you always start with people in a race but usually at the end you’ll have nobody running next to you. Basically it’s your own journey and you shouldn’t give a crap about others journeys or compare. Keep up the good content bro

this is my 3rd time going to school. i’m closer to 30 than 20. i’m about halfway done w my cybersecurity degree that i started in September this year. i don’t work but i’m a full time caregiver to my special needs son. so ready to be done! videos like this are cool bc it shows if you want it badly enough you will make it happen.

This is really reassuring, I did BSc Computer Science and Maths (a 3 year degree) and struggled to complete it over the last 5 years. I spent the whole time feeling like I’m an idiot and maybe computing isn’t for me. Thank you for sharing. 😊

MADHAT thank you! I’m 28 years old and have been considering Cybersecurity for two years now. My story is very similar to yours. Played wow and was in and out of school and after joining the military and getting out I’ve been stuck in retail. It’s literally hell for me. Ive been stuck with hard working, low paying jobs for 10 years. I have my GI bill and want to go to WGU for cybersecurity. I have completed the Google cyber certification already, but to be honest I am afraid. Afraid there will be no jobs or that it won’t pay well and I might not like it. My job history is fast food 3 years, army 3 years, construction 3 years, retail 2 years. I’ve literally hated every one of my previous jobs and need to get out somehow!

Man, this is really inspiring! I took the long way to college and tried coding first as well. At 28, I should be graduating this October with a cybersecurity bachelor's degree. I'm definitely going to get those certs before I do! Thanks, Madhat!

Thank you for this. My confidence in the last 10 seconds grew getting through my 3rd cert lol. Keep the videos coming dude your awesome!

I like how you keep regurgitating the same topics over and over. It's very helpful 😊

Your degree program sounds insane. My local community college has a cybersec degree, and it's only got like 3 non-technical classes required.

appreciate your content as always, humorous, entertaining and informative. Happy holidays!

I looooove your videos and your life stories, thank you for sharing them. I hope you continue to put more content out in the coming future!

I wasted 20 years in hospitality before deciding to finally follow my passion into cyber... took 3 years of study to land my first cyber job and can't believe I didn't do it sooner!

Glad I'm not the only former WoW Addict who's made a recovery and actually accomplished a few things lol. Classic almost put me back in my parents basement, but luckily kids motivate me to keep advancing. Funny enough I also do moving for my wife's Dad's auction company. Kind of wild how similar our backgrounds are -- just finished my Information Systems degree and did an AA in Networking/Cybersecurity previously. Love your content and I'm confident you'll only continue to grow the channel and keep providing value to your audience.

My God, I thought I was the only one stuck for 10+ years in college limbo. But yeah, after graduating and putting it all behind me I felt like a mountain feel down off my shoulders. Awesome and very relatable video.

dude just stumbled onto your content and wanna commend you on friggin epic editing RARELY seen in cybersecurity.

Best part of the vid was the final 10 seconds. CERTS FTW

I was initially doing Kinesiology in College. No fucking clue why other than my family were all nurses and I had tried and true beaten path. Then i heard about cyber security halfway through completing my degree and made the switch. Got a lot of flak from family, covid hit during most of my years in college and I failed a lot of my classes and I grew severely depressed. I'm starting up again going back to school after working for a bit doing caregiving. Taking a Caltech Cybersecurity bootcamp and am going to try again for the classes I failed during covid. I appreciate the backstory on your career and how you got there. A lot of ups and downs that I can relate to. It keeps me motivated. Hopefully down the line I can make a video like this one and motivate people the same way you did for me. Or maybe one day we will be peers.

Right now I am taking a cybersecurity major over at my local community college. This video really makes me wanna finish my degree now, especially after what you endured! 😮

Wow I loved your other videos but this one made me so damn relieved!! I can relate a ton, was/still am a gamer, struggled hard to finish my bachelor's over 7 years... 3 years at CC, 2 year 'break' doing mindless retail work, last 2 years at a uni, just graduated last month! Tbh school wasn't even hard, but the stress of working full time plus deadlines & everything is just torture. Unfortunately our school was no where as hands on or in depth as yours, literally everything was online so I did not soak in much, which is why I have been watching your videos now since I currently work IT support but want to make the move into CS soon (but still not confident in my skills)

Lmao thanks for all the content, I dropped out of college after getting high and doing a presentation in a class I already don’t remember the subject of. I realize than fuck college if you don’t have a clear path of what you wanna do. Couple of dead end jobs later and then becoming a truck driver I realize I was half right. Education is a powerful thing. Never stop learning and get certified on something. Now I’m a quarter through google cybersecurity certification and I’m getting addicted to it. Hope for more growth in 2024 for all of us. Let’s get it 💪🏾

I had completed a computer science degree with a minor in math back from 2015-2018. I always loved my one and only networking class. Used to work in IT but now work as a developer. More money, but am always wondering if I should go back into IT.

I feel you there. "Fuck no! I'm doing certifications!" That could not be any truer. I started our with Simulation Programming and Game Design, because I wanted to work on video games. Years later, I did ended up working on video games and it required zero college as I got my foot in the door through testing/qa and from there, it was straight up, references. After a while, I went into software doing qa, then IT. I had experience already and just like any other job, what you don't know, they'll teach you.

I'm attending WGU online to get my bachelor's degree in cyber security. So far, I'm a month in and have not finished my first class. Which is intro to IT covering IT laws, project management, software, networks, hardware, and topology basic stuff I guess without a teacher btw, only way to get help is to either schedule a call with the professor or email them. I did fail my assessment to pass the class, but they allow 2 attempts so hopefully I pass. Just wanted to say this video gives me hope for the future in my career and choices.

Did not expect reckful warrior in my journey of figuring out my cyber security path

Love the story, love the music. again thank you

I just graduated with a degree in CS and am looking to get into cyber security and the fear of me not knowing anything cyber security related is weighing on me. “Will I need a cyber security cert?” But this video helped a lot, I learned that dam near all of my education can be applied to cyber security. Thanks for easing my mind.

Respect for the old school reckful clip. RIP

I always make sure to like the video. I know Mad Hat has so many great content. Keep up the great work!

every time i decide what i wanna start doing i find something that makes me want to reconsider

You're awsome bro! Some professors suck.

Love this guy. Never played mmorpgs(except like Diablo1/2), but I get it. This guy is saving lives.

I got a good one for you. Started the path to the four year degree in 2007 with the completion of my AAS and I'll be finishing my four year this coming May. Better late then never I guess.

SCADA Supervisor control and Data Acquisition… I use it everyday and most of the engineers at work don’t it’s an acronym.I learned thanks to Mad hat the goat

Just graduated with my cs degree with 3 kids while the wife worked. Still looking for work but man, that was a real grind. Took me 5 years. Thanks for sharing yiur story. Gives me faith that I'll get some work here soon.

Could you do a video where you talk about how you and the wife were able to coordinate between work, the kids, and school? I'm finding it hard to work and go to school with 2 kids.

I’m happy I fell into this channel.

ah yes, a new mad hat video. all is right in the world

bro the blue monday outro - *chef's kiss*

Reckful warrior one of the best videos of all time. Respect for that.

Absolutely loved async online classes.

Currently going to College Studying Computer Science and CEH online, you never disappoint with your videos Madhat 🙌

God damn I did not expect to get hit with a Byron clip in this video. May you live in ever land.

Ty for the life lesson stories!💯💪

I enjoy how he mixes in comedy with the computers.

its all about that last line guys ! GET THOSE CERTS

You are literally a goldmine man. ❤

This is truly inspiring, thanks you Madhat💫

"Would I do it all again? Fuck no, I'm doing certs". This is why we love you Madhat, hahaha ❤

I just started down a rabbit hole of a new hyper fixation....least this one could lead to a better job LOL These videos are great!

Really What a Journey You made it Bro🎉

Second time you've mentioned Discrete Math in a video. Barf lol. Awesome videos man.

Another amazing and UNDERAPPRECIATED video. You have helped me tremendously with advancing my career and I wish you nothing but the overdue success you are owed. Keep it up man, your channel will grow beyond belief in no time. I’m sure of it.

I have a BS in a Natural Resources degree, an AAS in computer programming and a CySA+ cert ... I am working IT for a company in transition.

27 and I'm like 76 credits into my degree after being in the military a while. I already got my SOC job but i'm just gonna get the degree because...I can and i'm not paying for it I guess.

Your end statement is where I started. 🤣 Tried college for a semester and realized I can learn all this on RU-vid and just get certs.

"retook physics and passed the class with an American A". You could have a Netflix comedy special at this rate my guy, that was hilarious.

Wow! Thank you for this. I'm in school learning CIS/SW engineering while working full-time. Kudos to anybody that does it or has done it including yourself Mad Hat because it is a heck of a balancing act. I'm learning a ton and loving it. The IT industry is huge 🔥🔥🔥

😆that ending line, 🔥🔥🔥

There are people that adamantly defend these filler courses too. They refuse to accept they wasted their time and money and just hop on the enlightenment train. Yeah university used to be to better yourself as a person and make you well rounded, but that used to be its entire purpose. Now it’s to specialize in something and be well rounded. With how mediocre most professors are this has turned into more of a promise than reality. I will admit one of my favorite professors was my Chem lab professor. It has nothing to do with cybersecurity but I really enjoyed having him and he made me interested in the material. Too bad most of them don’t even want to be there, their failing model might actually work if they did. I got A’s in almost all of my gen Ed and can confirm it was a waste of time. I gained nothing from them and never will other than my university doesn’t care about anything other than profiting off of us at our every expense. But roar lions I guess

Madhat, did you feel it was a complete waste of time at uni if you can do them all with certifications? I want to know your opinion on it

Who knew Mad Hat was mad jacked

I think he likes playing world of warcraft

Good stuff 👍

44 and just starting out in SC. I've done coding, I HATE coding. I'm worried, but I got this, I think.. I've been researching the best cert to get in a fast way. (quit my job to do "this". 😕 ) Everything's scary at first, just can't F-up by wasting time on getting a bad cert. Suggestions anyone? I love the end, F NO, I'm doing certs. 😀 LOL...

You and I have a similar story. I started a comp sci degree in 2009 at college. Had the same issues with courses. Dropped out in my second year and went right into electronics. That didn't work, I left school, worked for a bit and returned in 2012 for power engineering diploma. Started it left and came back to finish it because i felt like needeed to finish something and i finally graduated in 2017. Got of bunch of job opportunities ranging from 60k-85k but I still feel like i could have done more with my life. There is a cyber security degree offered that is 100% online and i am thinking of starting this winter at 34 years old and hopefully use the next few years to get experience and build my resume. Any advice?

Man it seems like you read my mind, i was going to talk about my semester when i had three classes and on my transcript it reax XXX it was the worst and funniest thing ever. But i learned my lesson i got to stop being a dam bum. Great video .

This video emphasizes: YOU (the viewer) have a place in technology Whether you're in college, considering it, or skipping entirely, there's an area you'll enjoy... it's a matter of finding it So please don't get discouraged if the first area you pick seems hard, boring, or if you have a bad teacher. Also! If you ever feel "dumb" in classes/school that's ok. It shows you think differently, and especially in a field like cybersecurity, having a different approach is a GREAT thing You're probably watching this video because you like tech, so keep digging and ask around. You're in the right place and soon enough you'll find something fun you excel at

ngl i've been grinding my degree/certs for a year now after finally finding what i truly wanna do in life; i'm genuinely glad i was blessed to not have this long of a discovery cycle for my passion 😭😭

I just finished my cybersecurity degree, plus a couple certs (net+, sec+, cysa+). I don't know shit. I've even been a "network technician" at a bitcoin farm for over a year. Basically, I do maintenance things like changing fans or just nothing. Sometimes I call the ISP if the internet goes down. I'm just good at guessing on tests and bullshitting for essays. I'm afraid to apply to places because they might actually expect me to know things.

bro thats one of the things i hated about uni. why tf am i taking so many useless shit im not gonna use in my career smh

man I hope Cyber Security pans out.. went into college thinking I would do chemistry (to get into forensics stuff) but realized how much I hated chemistry after I got a 1 on my AP chem test lmao, so two months before college started I switched to engineering. Didnt care for it or the vibes it had in each class zzzz, so switched over to Pre-Nursing cuz my mom could network me and I thought hey why not... volunteered at a hospital for one day in the ER.. NOPE def no. I then switched to Computer Science, actually liked learning Python but then came around this semester where I had to take a more advanced class of it and I began to dislike the coding. Mainly cuz I was spending so much time at office hours to get the weekly project done and my god naa it was making me hate the coding. So now im switched over to Computer Science, Defense and Forensic aim. I do have to continue on with python in the major but its taking a different approach so hopefully less of the staring at my code wondering why its not working... I've literally switched majors each semester. Partially gladdening partially existential crisis educing. I can at least say I tried at the other majors but makes me wonder if I am even capable of just sticking with a major...

Current working in IT Infra, but taking part time Degree in Cyber Security..

Lmao. You had me rolling, the whole video

degrees freakin sucks, fax certs are the way of living

This video made me feel less idiot for not remembering some of the most boring and theorical parts of my college (I also am studying cyber). Like, I had a whole year about “AWS Security” that was LITERALLY A BIG FUCKING “read the fucking manual” because AWS gives a whole fucking documentation and even WARNINGS about some mistakes and people still manage to fuck up. It was boring because, in my head (and I can be wrong), if i ever have to do this i’ll just… RTFM. The concepts I believe were important, but holy fuck A WHOLE YEAR?

I'm a double major at depaul for cybersec and game design and now im working on certs while in college

Oh my fucking god my alarm in the morning is the sound i heared in the video stop giving me flashbacks zregzrgrtbg

I have a question, in your opinion do you believe getting a computer programming and analysis degree is good for future cyber security positions? Or should I possibly look at different options

Damn Reckful hit the feels.

The American university system seems horrible from what you tell and the subjects very narrow in content, and 10 years for a bachelor in cybersecurity seems a lot. I study computer science, in 3 and a half years you get the bachelor's degree and in 5 and a half years + science thesis you get the full degree, the subjects have a duration between 5 to 15 hours per week where all the concepts of the science itself are deepened a lot. I was struck by the fact that almost at the end you mentioned things like propositional logic, first order logic, and how a CPU works. These are things that I saw between the first and 3rd semester. Anyway I really liked the video and how you explained it. btw, I play WoW too. Greetings from Buenos Aires

I don’t get it. If you do it that quick but you won’t know anything about cyber security when u get in the field

I recognize that lab room! E419??

Sooo moral of the story is get certs instead of degrees?

Bro you are the goat, you killed me with the final 😂😂😂

My respect for you just doubled. As they would say in mother Russia, if a horse pulls the carriage, what does the mule have to say about it?

I did blue collar work most of my young adult life, said “FUCK doing this for the next 20-30 years” and now getting a cybersecurity AND networking degree (bc the difference in degrees is only 4 classes so why not) from my community college and then plan on getting certs and getting to work.

“Fuck no, I am doing certifications..!” - Mad Hat

8:12 IT SCARES ME SO MUCH HOLY DUCK 9:42 AND IT SCARES ME EVEN MORE

RIP Reckful :(

That sounded terrible. I’m sure you are happy with the way everything turned out, but the thought of having to go through that sounds miserable.

So glad I didn't do Computer Science 💀 I can't imagine all of that math...

All i'm getting from this video is that most of what you learned was stuff you could do solo in an afternoon and a manual

That’s tuff I barely tried and got A’s in vector calc and linear algebra at the same time.

This makes me actully want to end it if this is what I will have to deal with if i go collage.

I go to the college that you put for community college. Southwest Tennessee Community College XD the clip felt a bit scary to see my school. lol

In the end it doesnt matter what classes you took, you are working in cyber security.

you saved me 6 years. thank you. i thought cis was noobs and computer science was the way to go.

I took 2 years off college and now im a senior software engineer, idk if i should go back and complete it