How I got my bachelors degree in 5 months at 22 (no debt)

Summary

In this video, the creator Dan shares his journey of obtaining a bachelor's degree in Cyber Security and Information Assurance in just five months and 10 days from Western Governors University. He explains the unique, self-paced, competency-based learning model of the university that allowed him to accelerate through the program. Dan also discusses his initial struggles with choosing a major and dropping out during the pandemic, his discovery of cyber security through social media, and his successful completion of the degree with eight certifications. The video serves as a testament to the potential of online learning and the importance of perseverance in achieving educational goals.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker, Dan, completed his bachelor's degree in Cyber Security and Information Assurance in a remarkably short time of five months and 10 days.
• 🏫 He attended Western Governors University, which offers an online, self-paced learning environment.
• 🤔 Dan initially dropped out of Montgomery College in 2020 due to indecisiveness about his major and feeling like he was wasting time.
• 💡 His interest in Cyber Security was sparked by a video on TikTok, which introduced him to the role of a penetration tester or ethical hacker.
• 🔍 After watching a successful student's video, Dan researched Western Governors University and its competency-based learning approach.
• 📚 The program at WGU includes earning various IT certifications as part of the degree, which can also be costly if pursued individually.
• 📈 The competency-based education model allows students to progress through courses as soon as they demonstrate mastery of the material, rather than being restricted by semester timelines.
• 💻 Dan studied intensively, investing four to eight hours daily, including weekends, to complete his degree rapidly.
• 💼 He is now applying for entry-level Cyber Security jobs and preparing for an upcoming interview, while also practicing security concepts through platforms like TryHackMe and Cisco Packet Tracer.
• 💰 The cost of tuition at WGU is $4,000 every six months, regardless of the number of courses completed within that period.
• 🖥️ All exams, including those for certifications, are proctored, requiring a webcam if taken at home or in-person at a testing center.

Q & A

What is the name of the school Dan attended to get his bachelor's degree in Cyber Security?

Dan attended Western Governors University to get his bachelor's degree in Cyber Security.

How long did it take Dan to complete his bachelor's degree from Western Governors University?

It took Dan five months and ten days to complete his bachelor's degree.

Why did Dan drop out of Montgomery College?

Dan dropped out of Montgomery College because he was indecisive about his major, switched it multiple times, and felt like he was wasting time.

What was the turning point for Dan to get back into education?

The turning point for Dan was when he discovered Cyber Security through a video on TikTok and became interested in pursuing it as a career.

How did Dan find out about Western Governors University?

Dan found out about Western Governors University from a TikTok video where someone mentioned they got their degree and certifications from there.

What is the main teaching method of Western Governors University?

Western Governors University operates on a competency-based learning system, allowing students to progress through courses as soon as they can prove they master the material.

What does competency-based learning mean in the context of Western Governors University?

Competency-based learning means that students' skills and learning are measured rather than the time spent in a classroom, allowing them to advance upon mastering the material, not just at the end of a semester or term.

What kind of certifications does Western Governors University offer as part of their degree programs?

Western Governors University offers IT-related certifications such as CompTIA A Plus, Network Plus, Security Plus, and other vendor certifications as part of their degree programs.

How does the certification process work at Western Governors University?

Students at Western Governors University receive a voucher to take a certification exam, which they can take online or at a testing center. If they pass, the corresponding class is considered complete.

What was Dan's daily study routine like during his time at Western Governors University?

Dan studied anywhere from four to eight hours every day, including weekends, to complete his degree quickly.

What is the approximate cost for a term at Western Governors University?

The cost for a term at Western Governors University is approximately $4,000 every six months.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Journey to a Cyber Security Degree

The speaker, Dan, returns to YouTube after a long hiatus to share his life-changing journey. He reveals that he has obtained a bachelor's degree in Cyber Security and Information Assurance from Western Governors University in an impressively short span of five months and ten days. Dan explains that his previous college experience at Montgomery College was marked by indecisiveness and a lack of direction, leading to him dropping out during the pandemic. However, his newfound interest in the tech industry, particularly cyber security, was sparked by a TikTok video. This led him to research and ultimately enroll in Western Governors University, an online, self-paced institution that offers a unique, competency-based learning approach.

05:01

🏫 Discovering Western Governors University

In this section, Dan delves into how he came across Western Governors University and its accelerated degree programs. He was initially skeptical but intrigued by a TikTok video featuring an individual who claimed to have obtained both a bachelor's and master's degree from the institution in just eight months. This person also mentioned landing a well-paying job in cyber security before even graduating. Dan's curiosity led him to reach out to this individual, who confirmed the legitimacy of the program. After conducting his own research and finding positive reviews, Dan was particularly drawn to the school's competency-based learning model, which allows students to progress through courses as soon as they demonstrate mastery of the material, rather than being confined to traditional semester timelines.

10:02

🚀 Accelerating Through a Degree Program

Dan shares his experience of enrolling in Western Governors University, starting on August 1st and completing his degree by January 10th. He emphasizes the intensive study schedule, often studying four to eight hours daily, including weekends, to accelerate through the program. Despite the challenges and stress, Dan was motivated by the opportunity to quickly enter the tech industry. He also discusses the process of obtaining external certifications, such as CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+, which are part of the degree program and can be taken either online or at a testing center. These certifications, along with the school's structure, allowed him to complete his degree in a fraction of the time it typically takes at a traditional university. Dan concludes by mentioning his upcoming interview for a cyber security role and his ongoing efforts to prepare for a career in the field.

Keywords

💡Cyber Security

Cyber security refers to the practice of protecting internet-connected systems, including hardware, software, and data, from theft, damage, or unauthorized access. In the video, the main theme revolves around the creator's journey to obtain a bachelor's degree in Cyber Security and Information Assurance, showcasing the growing importance of this field in the digital age. The creator's interest in cyber security was sparked by a video on TikTok, which led him to explore a career in ethical hacking and penetration testing.

💡Information Assurance

Information assurance is a subset of cyber security that focuses on ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information. It is closely related to the creator's degree, emphasizing the need for professionals who can safeguard sensitive data against threats. The video script mentions the creator's degree in 'cyber security and information assurance,' highlighting the comprehensive nature of the educational program he pursued.

💡Western Governors University

Western Governors University (WGU) is an accredited online university offering competency-based degree programs. In the video, the creator credits WGU for enabling him to complete his degree in an accelerated timeframe. WGU's unique approach to education, allowing students to progress as soon as they demonstrate mastery of the material, is a key factor in the creator's story.

💡Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor's degree is an academic degree awarded by colleges and universities after completing a program of study, typically lasting four years. The video script details the creator's achievement of earning his bachelor's degree in a significantly shorter time frame than usual, which is a central point of the video's narrative.

💡Competency-Based Learning

Competency-based learning is an educational approach that focuses on demonstrating mastery of a subject rather than accumulating credit hours or seat time. The video explains how WGU operates on this principle, allowing the creator to progress through courses as soon as he proved he had mastered the material, which is a key element in his rapid degree completion.

💡IT Certificates

IT certificates are professional certifications that validate an individual's skills and knowledge in specific areas of information technology. The video mentions that WGU offers various IT-related certifications as part of their degree program, such as CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+, which the creator leveraged to bolster his qualifications.

💡Penetration Tester

A penetration tester, also known as a pen-tester, is a cybersecurity professional who simulates cyber attacks to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a system. The video script describes how the creator became interested in cybersecurity after watching a video about a penetration tester, illustrating the role's influence on his career path.

💡Ethical Hacker

An ethical hacker is a cybersecurity expert who uses their skills to help organizations by identifying and fixing security vulnerabilities. The term is used in the video to describe the type of work the creator found intriguing, which involves hacking into systems legally and ethically to improve security.

💡Mass Applying

Mass applying refers to the strategy of applying to a large number of job openings in a short period. In the video, the creator mentions mass applying to entry-level cybersecurity roles as part of his job search strategy after obtaining his degree and certifications.

💡Try Hack Me

Try Hack Me is an online platform that provides hands-on cybersecurity training through practical exercises and challenges. The video script mentions the creator using Try Hack Me to practice security concepts, emphasizing the importance of practical experience in addition to theoretical knowledge.

💡Cisco Packet Tracer

Cisco Packet Tracer is a network simulation software that allows users to create simulated network topologies and configure virtual network devices. The video mentions the creator using Packet Tracer for networking practice, demonstrating the application of networking concepts in a virtual environment.

Highlights

Dan shares his experience of obtaining a bachelor's degree in Cyber Security and Information Assurance in just five months and 10 days.

He explains the skepticism around the possibility of completing a degree in such a short time frame and promises to break down how he achieved it.

Dan attended Western Governors University, which offers a self-paced, online learning environment.

He previously attended Montgomery College but dropped out due to indecisiveness about his major and the shift to online learning during the pandemic.

Dan's interest in Cyber Security was sparked by a TikTok video of a penetration tester discussing his job.

He discovered Western Governors University through a TikTok influencer who completed his degree there in record time.

The university's program offers various IT certifications as part of the degree, adding value to the educational experience.

Dan clarifies the concept of competency-based learning, where progress is determined by mastery of material rather than time spent in class.

He details the structure of the program, emphasizing the absence of traditional assignments and the focus on objective assessments.

Dan describes the process of obtaining external vendor certifications as part of the degree program.

He reflects on his decision to enroll in WGU after conducting his own research and receiving social confirmation from others.

Dan's commitment to studying 4 to 8 hours daily, even on weekends, contributed to his rapid completion of the degree.

He discusses the financial aspect of WGU, highlighting the affordability compared to traditional universities.

Dan emphasizes the importance of having a webcam for proctored exams, a requirement for the online assessment process.

He shares his current efforts in applying for entry-level cyber security jobs and preparing for an upcoming interview.

Dan concludes by encouraging others to consider WGU if they want to accelerate their education and enter the job market quickly.

Transcripts

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what's going on guys It's Your Man Dan

again

back

Widow another YouTube video man oh my

goodness yo it has been a while since I

last posted that is crazy I think it's

been like anywhere from 10 months to a

year like

oh

look the reason why I've been gone for

so long is because a lot of things have

changed in my life you know a lot of

things have been happening one of those

changes being that I got my bachelor's

degree in cyber security and information

assurance yes sir

in five months and 10 days and I'm sure

a lot of you clicked on this video kind

of skeptical kind of wondering like how

is that possible like this guy is

probably lying you know college degrees

they take anywhere from four to maybe

five years you know so how is that

possible and I'm about to basically

break down everything everything right

here in this video so stay tuned I'm

gonna put you guys on game so how I was

able to do this is by going to a

particular school called Western

Governors University now I had gone to

college both forehand back in 2019

because I graduated high school around

June 2019 and then around August

September of that same year that's when

I started college and I went to the

school school called Montgomery College

I went there for about a year or so

before I actually ultimately dropped out

I remember dropping out the following

year in 2020 around the pandemic era and

when we had like covet and everything

had basically you know transitioned to

online schooling right I would say the

reason why I dropped out at the time was

because you know back then I didn't

really know what I wanted to pursue I

remember correctly I switched my major

multiple times I think like five or six

times I had switched my major from like

a business degree to like a video

production degree to somewhere else like

I was all over the place you know I

didn't really know where I wanted to go

and you know the prom that you faced

with you know constantly switching your

major is that you have to take new

classes that correspond with that new

degree program and eventually kind of

like started to feel kind of like I was

wasting time like I wasn't really

getting anywhere because you know some

of my peers who I had started school

with like they were already kind of like

going on ahead getting a lot of credits

but I was still behind way behind in

credit

because I was very indecisive yeah so in

2020 when we had online school that's

when I dropped out I think I remember I

was sitting in like an accounting class

and I don't know I was just kind of like

fed up with school like my mindset

wasn't Geared for school at the time so

I remember

one day spur the moment I just dropped

all my classes just randomly and then I

just never applied for new ones like

since that time so fast forward to 2022

I knew I wanted to get into the tech

industry but I didn't know exactly where

I wanted to get into so I was kind of

trying different things out I had tried

coding you know I was like maybe I

should become a software engineer I was

practicing some basic HTML CSS

JavaScript I wanted to become a UI ux

designer like I was just trying all

different kinds of things but um I would

say that what really stuck out the most

to me was cyber security and the way

that I I didn't know too much about

cyber security at the time but the way I

came to find out about it was via Tick

Tock because I remember one day I was

just scrolling mindlessly as most people

do on Tick Tock and I stumbled across

like this our guys video he was

responding to like a question in The

Tick Tock and the guy was basically

asking him about what he does in cyber

security and he was basically saying how

he breaks into things things like he

hacks into organizations for money I had

never heard of anything like that before

you know so I was kind of curious so

then I started watching more of his

videos he would talk about cyber

security and it just seems so

interesting I came to find out later on

that his job is something that is known

as a penetration tester or like an

ethical hacker where you kind of just

like hack into an organization Network

for money I guess like how he said

that's like the simple way of saying it

but it's way more complex than that but

I just found it very interesting and I

really wanted to know more like I really

wanted to know like how this guy got

into that because I think in one of the

videos he had mentioned he was like 22.

I was 21 at the time I was like man

we're the same age like how did he do

this so I happened to come across this

one video that he had made where he

basically talked about how he got into

cyber security if you want a six-figure

cyber security job working 100 remotely

from home I suggest you look up the

school called Western Governors

University

this school is 100 online at your own

pace and I got my masters and my

bachelor's degree all in eight months

while you're going to the school you're

going to get a ton of I.T certificates

for free and actually if you were to go

out and buy all these certificates

yourself you'd pay about as much as the

school costs the school it's non-profit

since you're earning certificates while

you're progressing through the

coursework and the degree you're

actually going to be able to land a job

before you fully graduate for example I

was making over six figures before I

even graduated college

school is going to give you all the

foundational knowledge that you need to

land an entry-level job which a lot of

entry level jobs actually pay six

figures or very near so uh hit the

follow button to learn more you said

that he went to a school called Western

Governors University he got his

bachelor's and master's degree in about

eight months and he said even before he

graduated he was able to land a cyber

security role because the school as a

part of the degree program offered him

certifications so he got a few

certifications and then he said he was

mass applying to different jobs and then

eventually something just hit and then

he got his first job like while he was

still in school so after watching that I

was like damn I am like huh how is that

possible how is it possible to get a

degree that fast a bachelor's and a

master's degree like that quick like

like I was kind of skeptical I'm not

even gonna lie I was kind of skeptical

like I kind of thought like he might

have been lying but at the same time I

still was excited you know I still kind

of wanted to give it a chance so you

know I followed a guy and he actually

had followed me back so I use that as an

opportunity to DM him and then ask him

questions you know about what he does

but then about the school as well and he

was saying yeah man like it's legit did

I was able to do that I was able to get

in cyber security and you can too so

after having that conversation with him

I decided to do my own research my own

due diligence and I went to go look into

the school basically I went on to the

website um and I started looking at the

different programs that they had I seen

they had different I.T programs but they

also had specifically a cyber security

degree so I was looking into it I seen

that the program like the guy said

offered quite a bit of uh I.T like

related certifications like as a part of

the degree program they offered like the

CompTIA certifications CompTIA A Plus

network plus Security Plus cysa pentez

plus and then like some other different

kind of like vendor certifications

um so I was like wow like that's kind of

crazy but I wasn't fully I wasn't fully

there yet so I needed a bit of like

social like confirmation so I started

watching videos on YouTube of people who

had gone to the school maybe not

necessarily for cyber security but for

other degrees and their experience and I

kept on seeing a lot of good things I

kept on seeing people saying like it's

it's accredited it's online it's

self-paced uh you can you know finish it

at your own time they operate on this

Foundation of competency-based learning

and things of that nature so I was like

okay okay then I I guess it it might be

legit like it might be legit you know

and what I mean in regards to

competency-based learning is actually

I'm gonna go on their website and I'm

going to read it here on my phone so it

says here what is competency-based

education simply put a measure skills

and learning rather than time spent in a

classroom students progress through

courses as soon as they can prove they

Master the material rather than

advancing only when their semester or

term ends if you can learn faster and

spend more time on schoolwork or lean on

knowledge you already have from previous

work or school experience you can

accelerate through your courses

essentially what that means is that you

are able to accelerate very quickly

within the program because the way that

they structure their school it's not

like normal University where you are

stuck in a few classes for a few months

basically each class has one exam they

call it objective assessment OA or one

paper basically or I can't find out you

know some classes had both but most

classes have either one or the other

they give you some material to basically

study and then once you go you know take

your time to like study for that

material this and that and you take that

objective assessment or or you follow

some sort of rubric and then you write

uh the paper and you pass either one the

class is done there's no quizzes there's

no homework there's no projects there's

not like random busy work or whatever it

may be like that's literally it so

that's how you are able to move forward

you know and there's no limit to how

many classes that you can take in a six

month slot that they give you which is

considered one term so let's say you

can't finish all those classes within

that first six months you go into

another six months which is considered

another term and then if you can't

finish in that time then another six

months so on and so forth but the

certifications that they offer you kind

of operate a bit differently these are

not certifications like from the school

themselves these are external like

vendor certifications so how it works is

that they'll give you a voucher to go

take a certain certification like a

CompTIA a plus you use that voucher you

go to a website called Pearson VUE and

you can set up to take the test uh via

like their platform their software like

you download it on your computer and you

take it at home or you can go to an

actual physical testing center and take

the test which is what I did a lot of

times

um so I guess if you think about it that

kind of defeats the purpose of it being

online the school being online but um

yeah you go take the test and then you

pass or you fail the test and then the

results get transferred back to WGU

right so if you pass then the class that

corresponds with that certification is

considered done it's considered past but

if you fail then you have to work with

like the teacher for that class or

course instructor to you know do more

practice he'll probably give you some

material to study and then when he feels

like you're ready then that's when he'll

give you another voucher and then you're

able to take the test at a later date so

I came to understand how the guy was

able to you know finish very quickly

because he must have been putting in a

lot of hours uh for each class

complaining them just knocking them out

like one by one and I guess it's kind of

funny because you know I had dropped out

of college previously and my mindset was

kind of that of yeah I'm probably never

going back to school to be honest but

this seemed like too good of an

opportunity not to do you know if I was

able to essentially accelerate through

the program and finish my degree quick

like I could lessen the amount of time

that I'm in school because I'm not

really that much of a school person if

I'm being honest and I could actually

get into a career just the thought of

that like it made me really excited I

didn't know if I could actually finish

the degree that quick but I kinda

believed that I could so I ended up

telling my parents about the school and

just like how I was you know they were a

bit skeptical they hadn't heard of

anything like this before either so they

took some time to do their own research

search as I did and then eventually like

they seemed that it was it was legit

like the school was accredited the

school was legit it's real it's online

it's self-paced it's it's just

unorthodox if that makes sense and I

told them I really want to do this and

they're like okay so then eventually I

enrolled so I started August 1st and I

ended January 10th so that's five months

and ten days like I said in the

beginning of the video I only came in

with about three classes from my

previous college worth of credits and

then the Google It support certificate

cert um I had to get that because they

have a requirement that you either have

to have like it if it's like an I.T

related degree or cyber security degree

you have to have some sort of I.T

experience for at least a year but if

you don't you have to get this uh

certificate so I went out to go get that

certificate it didn't take too long I

got that and then I had my three classes

worth of credits and that's it so it's

not like I came in with like a lot of

credits like I had a lot of work to do

so it was really just a lot of grit you

know it was hard you know I'm not gonna

like just sit here and act like it was

easy it was definitely hard I was

studying anywhere from four to eight

hours every single day even on the

weekends you know it was it was pretty

draining it was pretty stressful

definitely a stressful time in my life

but I just I knew I had to make it

happen you know and I guess I'm

fortunate because you know I live with

my parents right I'm young so I didn't

really have to have a job you know I

didn't really have anything else that I

was doing any other like crazy

responsibility so this is really all I

was doing this is all I was doing all

day so I guess that adds to why I was

able to finish so quickly and now I got

a degree in about eight certifications

so uh what I've been doing as of late is

just Mass applying to different entry

level cyber security rules seeing if I

can land one I actually have an

interview on Monday so I'm very excited

for that but also I've been doing more

practice I've been using certain

websites like uh try hack me or the

software Cisco Packet Tracer to kind of

like practice some security Concepts or

networking in a practical sense instead

of just you know learning theory because

I feel like that's important as well

doing some home labs and uh yeah that's

that's what I did to get my bachelor's

degree in five months if you want to do

the same thing the school is called

Western Governors University if you put

in time you can definitely finish Fast

in one term like how I did uh but even

if you can if you need like another term

another six months or another another

six months it's fine you know go at your

own pace it's still faster than a four

year oh and last but not least I forgot

to mention that it's 4 000 every six

months if you're completing six months

you only pay four thousand for a degree

if you do two terms then it's another 4K

so 8K if you do three terms and it's 12

but hey I mean it's still cheaper if you

think about it than a lot of schools and

also you do need a webcam because all

exams are objective assessments as they

call them uh are proctored the WG ones

and the certification ones if you take

it at home then yeah you need a webcam

but if you go to the testing center of

course like they're watching you so like

yeah that's about it you know

um yeah

Danny again signing ow

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