I started studying for the CPTS with no real experience in offensive cybersecurity around December 2024. This was during my sophomore year in college, so I was unable to complete this certification very fast. I worked at it off and on. I eventually completed all of the work around June. I studied for most of July, and took the test at the beginning of August. I got lucky, and got my results back in 6 days.
There are many many many reviews of CPTS, and if you’re reading this, you are probably more interested in how to pass it.
So, this post will be short and sweet. Here is what I did (differently) to pass it.
- Redo every single skills assessment x3. This is extremely important. This step gets you used to how hack the box problems and methodology work. I also created small writeups on each skills assessment, however, they were extremely small. A few sentences each, just enough to remember how it worked when I read over them.
- Ippsec list (and machines in general). I came from a background of around 5 medium - easy level CTF’s before beginning work on CPTS. This is nowhere near enough practice failing in a stressful environment. Also, do your own small writeups.
I completed this list twice over the course of a month, and 20 extra htb machines for good measure.
Apart from those changes, I followed everyone else’s normal advice for passing this test. Great notes, reading the material, yada yada yada. There is no way you can pass this exam without taking good notes.
My writeup was 146 pages. I used SysReptor, and copied all of it through Grammarly (something I probably should do on this blog as well, nevermind). Here is my feedback. 
I also completed AEN module blind for the first time, requiring a few hints to move on. This was a great help. However, I think doing the Ippsec list helped the most. That list is available here.
Good luck fellow students!