Cybersecurity competitions play a crucial role in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in cybersecurity education. After reviewing 239 articles, 88 of them focus specifically on their educational impact, analyzed using a mixed-methods approach that employs word clouds and advanced analytics to uncover key themes. Competitions like Hack the Box, TryHackMe, and Capture the Flag (CTF) provide hands-on engagement with real-world challenges, enabling students to develop expertise in areas such as cryptography, web exploitation, and reverse engineering. Teachers emphasize how well these platforms link classroom instruction with practical application. The National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC) and CyberPatriot are two competitions that emphasize the value of cooperation and teamwork in solving challenging cybersecurity issues. Additionally, they give students the chance to network with professionals in the business. Even though there are still issues like time investment and the emphasis on offensive security rather than defensive, including these contests into academic programs is a crucial first step in matching learning objectives with business demands. In the end, these experiences give students professional recognition, real-world skills, and capacity to meet the changing demands of the cybersecurity industry, preparing them for prosperous careers in the sector.