BCA Student to Ethical Hacker Career Timeline

Year 1 — Weekly Plan:
Mon-Fri — College + 2 hrs coding practice
Sat — Linux CLI practice (2 hrs)
Sun — Review + 1 CTF beginner challenge

Core topics:
- C / Python fundamentals
- Data structures basics
- Linux file system & commands
- TCP/IP & OSI model overview

Year 1 Milestones:
□ 100+ coding problems solved
□ Comfortable with Linux CLI
□ Understand OSI model
□ Created GitHub account
□ First beginner CTF completed

Year 2 — Weekly Plan:
Mon-Fri — College + 2 hrs networking/security study
Sat — TryHackMe beginner paths (2 hrs)
Sun — Review + writeup

Core topics:
- TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS
- Wireshark & packet analysis
- Linux hardening basics
- CIA triad & cryptography
- OWASP Top 10

Year 2 Milestones:
□ Completed TryHackMe beginner path
□ Can analyze packets in Wireshark
□ Understand OWASP Top 10
□ First vulnerability writeup published
□ Setup personal lab (VM + Kali)

Year 3 — Weekly Plan:
Mon-Fri — College + 3 hrs labs/cert prep
Sat — HTB/TryHackMe machines + writeups
Sun — Interview prep + applications

Core topics:
- Recon & enumeration
- Vulnerability scanning
- Exploitation basics
- Web app pentesting
- Report writing

Year 3 Milestones:
□ 20+ HTB/TryHackMe machines completed
□ CEH or eJPT certification earned
□ 5+ public writeups on GitHub/blog
□ Resume + LinkedIn optimized
□ 10+ internship/job applications sent
□ First interview cleared

Daily Lab Tracker:
Date: _________
☐ Lab environment setup
☐ Recon/enumeration practice (1 hr)
☐ Exploitation practice (1 hr)
☐ Writeup notes
☐ Reviewed progress

Today's Findings:
1. 
2. 
3. 

Tomorrow's Targets:
1. 
2. 
3. 

Weekly CTF Tracker:
Week: _____ 

Machines Attempted:
1. 
2. 
3. 

Machines Solved:
1. 
2. 

Skills Practiced:
1. 
2. 
3. 

Writeups Published:
1. 
2. 

Next Week's Goals:
1. 
2. 
3. 

Certification Tracker:
Target Cert: _________ (CEH / eJPT / Security+ / OSCP)

Study Hours This Week: _____
Practice Labs Completed: _____
Mock Exam Score: _____

Topics Covered:
1. 
2. 
3. 

Weak Areas to Revise:
1. 
2. 

Exam Date: _________
Status: ☐ Not Started  ☐ In Progress  ☐ Passed