🗒️My OSCP Preparation Journey: How I Cracked the Exam
Note: Resources & Tools Valid for Both OSCP and OSCP+
My OSCP Preparation Journey: How I Cracked the Exam
The OSCP journey is one of the toughest yet most rewarding challenges I’ve taken on. I wanted to share my experience—how I prepared, the ups and downs, and how I managed it alongside a full-time job. Hopefully, it can help anyone planning to take the plunge.
Getting Started
I officially began my OSCP prep in October–November 2024. At first, I hadn’t bought an official voucher, so I leaned on unofficial resources to get started. I explored:
TCM courses
Hack The Box (HTB) machines
VulnHub machines
A few TryHackMe challenges
Courses on Active Directory and other network-based attacks
My main goal was just to build confidence and understand the basics before diving into anything more serious. Since I was working full-time, I mostly studied after office hours, and weekends or public holidays became my dedicated time for hands-on labs and machines.
Taking the Official Route
By December 2024, I felt ready to move forward, so I got the Learn One Subscription from Offensive Security. But life had other plans—workload and client projects kept me from starting right away. Balancing exam prep with a full-time job was tough!
After finishing the KLCP exam in February 2025, I finally had the headspace to focus solely on OSCP.
Learning & Practicing
I started with the official OSCP course materials, combining reading with hands-on practice:
Going through every topic in the course content
Practicing lab exercises to really understand each concept
Solving HTB and OffSec Proving Grounds machines to strengthen skills
By March 2025, I had a good rhythm, though progress slowed at times due to client work and mental fatigue. Even so, I kept watching relevant videos to stay in the learning mindset.
Going Full Force
By May 2025, I resumed preparation with full intensity:
Solving HTB machines using TJ Null’s checklist
Practicing extensively on OffSec Proving Grounds
Reinforcing techniques on network and system exploitation
By June–July 2025, I had gone through a lot of labs and machines. But I won’t lie—the pressure and stress of the exam were very real. By the end of July, I felt mostly confident enough to attempt the exam, but at the back of my mind, there were still self-doubts and a bit of stress.
Still, I knew I had to get it done. So, I decided to schedule the exam for the second–third week of August, right around a long weekend. I figured that would be the perfect time to give it my best shot and (hopefully) crack it.
Exam Day
After a couple of weeks of final prep, I booked my exam for Sunday, 17th August 2025, 9:30 PM IST. Anxiety? Definitely. Stress? Absolutely.
I’ve actually written a separate blog about my exam day experience—covering how I prepared myself in those last moments and how I managed the pressure during the 24-hour exam window.
But in short: with focused effort and determination, I managed to pass on my first attempt.
Reflections
Looking back, my 10–11 months of preparation were intense but incredibly rewarding. Doing this alongside a full-time job and client commitments taught me a lot about discipline, persistence, and mental resilience.
A few takeaways from my journey: If I had to sum up my OSCP prep, here are the things that really made a difference for me:
Get the basics right first – Don’t rush straight into the official material. Build a strong foundation with other resources first.
Mix study with practice – Reading alone won’t help. I made sure to balance theory with labs so the concepts actually stuck.
Do as many labs as you can – The more machines you solve, the better. And yes, don’t be afraid to check walkthroughs when you’re stuck. They’re not for copying—they’re for picking up tricks and shaping your own methodology.
Have the “Try Harder” mindset – It’s cliché, but true. Keep pushing, experiment, and develop your own testing process as you go.
Take your own notes – This one is huge. Other people’s notes can inspire you, but your detailed, custom notes will save you during the exam. For me, they were a total game-changer.
Stay consistent – Some weeks I only managed a little progress, but I kept moving. Even small wins add up.
Look after yourself – Stress and burnout are very real. I had my share of mental breakdowns along the way, so taking care of your headspace matters.
Plan around your life – Don’t compare your pace with others. I had to juggle client work and a full-time job, so I built a timeline that worked for me, not against me.
Passing the OSCP while managing work is challenging, but it’s absolutely possible with focus, consistency, and persistence. Having proper notes and the right resources makes all the difference—it can really help you crack the exam in the best possible way.
I’ve also shared the resources I personally used and found most helpful in another blog, so feel free to check that out if you’re planning your own OSCP journey.
Hacker's Mantra: We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us. — Anonymous
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