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Result: Passed - Score: 831
A quick log of how I prepped for and passed the AWS Security Specialty exam.
Background
- DevOps/Cloud Engineer, 5+ years of experience
- ~2-3 years hands-on with AWS
- AWS Certs held before attempting SCS-C03:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (Oct 2025)
- AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate (Jan 2026)
So yeah, I already had some XP with AWS and got 2x Associate-level certs before attempting the Security Specialty.
Timeline
~2 months, on and off - Struggled a bit with staying consistent in trying to finish the Udemy Courses. Kept starting and stopping without finishing them.
Final 3 weeks, locked in - Annoyed at my progress with the Udemy Courses, I switched entirely to using Practice Exams. Found it more interactive. This is where things actually clicked and prep became consistent.
Lesson learned: For a cert like this (with real AWS experience already backing it up), practice-exam prep was far more effective for me.
Study Resources
Primary: Practice Exams
- Tutorials Dojo – AWS Certified Security Specialty Practice Exams (SCS-C03) This was the backbone of my prep, especially in the final 3 weeks. I went ahead and did a consistent grind and review of all the questions. If I made a mistake, I took note of it. Why I was wrong, what the correct answer was. If I still didn't get it, I asked AI to dumb it down until I did. Here's my Practice Exam Logs before actually taking the exam.
| Practice Exam | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Randomized Test | 52.31% | Jul 6, 2026 |
| Review Mode Set 1 | 75.71% | Jul 30, 2026 |
| Review Mode Set 2 | 65.71% | Aug 1, 2026 |
| Review Mode Set 3 | 64.62% | Aug 9, 2026 |
| Randomized Test | 89.23% | Aug 9, 2026 |
| Randomized Test | 89.23% | Aug 11, 2026 |
| Timed Mode Set 2 | 90.77% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Timed Mode Set 1 | 89.23% | Aug 14, 2026 |
Supplementary: Video Courses (targeted, not full playthroughs)
Used these reactively. I'd just search a topic on their courses where I was weak at, then watch that. Maarek courses are a given when doing AWS Cert Preps. But Zeal Vora's course, although quite lengthy, was kinda fun to watch. The guy sometimes goes off on tangents and tells anecdotes from his industry experience and how it relates to the topic at hand.
- Ultimate AWS Certified Security Specialty [NEW 2026] SCS-C03 — Stephane Maarek
- [NEW] AWS Certified Security Specialty 2026 — Zeal Vora
AI-Assisted Deep Dives
So AI obviously is a must nowadays. When I didn't get something, I'd use AI to further break it down, ask follow-up questions, get analogies, or clarify edge cases until it stuck.
Staying Motivated
Every time I felt a bit down with my progress, I'd just lurk on the r/AWSCertifications sub. Seeing other folks in the trenches, sharing their prep, posting their pass stories, honestly hit different. Gave me that "if they can do it, so can I" push to lock back in.
What Worked
- Practice exams > passive video watching.
- Targeted topic review
- AI as a tutor
- Prior hands-on AWS experience made a real difference.
What I'd Do Differently
- Start the practice-exam-heavy approach earlier instead of spending the first ~6 weeks trying to grind through full video courses.
Takeaway
I already had the hands-on AWS experience. I already had 2x AWS Associate Certs going in. So really, I should've just trusted that and gone straight to practice exams to find my weak spots, instead of grinding through full courses first. This is what worked for me. If you're already coming in with real AWS experience, don't sleep on practice exams.
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