I would hustle to do both, if possible.

I'd also be very careful assuming that a cyber security degree from your average college is useful at all. It might be, but could easily not be useful, compared to experience at a tech job.

I would do some serious due diligence to see what the record of that college is, in terms of actually placing their cybersecurity graduates in a job that requires that degree.

I just talked to a lady whose 20 year old son just finished a certificate program in app development at a local trade school/technical school. His next step was a job as custodian at the school where his mom was a teacher.

So, the certificate didn't do him any good. (I'm often a fan of certificates, though, at least over a full-on, expensive degree).

Preface: I didn't watch the video yet.

There is no reason to pick between the two. As a man that earned a degree while being a father, husband, and working full time plus side gigs you can work a full time job and be a full time student. Its not easy but you can do it. My college was not free either.

My personal experience was that most of the courses I took in IT/Prog were inferior though this can vary between universities. I learned far more on my own doing side work. Thing is, many employers still require or expect a degree. Its a ticket into the game. You don't have to have it but it does open some doors that might otherwise be closed.

I would say if you have to go into debt for college that changes the dynamics. I did that and paid off my debts pretty quickly by being frugal and working two jobs. To this day I'm not sure if it was worth it. I am pretty convinced I could have learned more quickly (opportunity cost) by working at an agency and doing open source sooner and avoided the debt. Its hard to say where I would have ended up but getting real world experience trumps a degree in any IT field (outside of MIT computer science type stuff). Its amazing what you can learn on your own today. The main issue is proving your knowledge which is why the degree still holds value.

This one would make a good poll!

I'd certainly want to be paid in bitcoin, if I worked for a bitcoin mining company.

Bitcoin mining will always be here. Being 18 half way through a free technical degree can't be replaced. I would take the job part time and remote while in school, telling them school is priority. If they can't handle that, they aren't a good employer and they aren't even good people to be around

Bitcoin mining companies operate on pretty thin margins. It's possible to get laid off and then not have a scholarship. If there was no scholarship, I would lean more towards mining. As others have said, you don't have to choose between the two.

Bitcoin needs cybersecurity experts, too. Just this year, a bug capable of taking down all nodes running lnd was discovered using simple fuzzing.

No reason why he can't apply those skills to Bitcoin in the future. We need more adversarial thinkers.

finish college degree because you have a full ride

better to work for bitcoin mining company during a bear market