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Status: 4th year, BS CS Position: Software Engineering Intern Location: Remote
Note: I am not comfortable putting specific questions up. It's not like they'd really help you anyway, there's basically no chance of getting asked the same question. They all focused on data structures and algorithms.
Pinterest (Offer, accepted) 1 online challenge (via Karat) 2 technical phone interviews (Karat, then Pinterest engineer) Offer on October 15
Reflection I'm really grateful I ended up with a few offers. I was pretty bad at data structures, algorithms, and interviewing but after about 3 months of practicing, I felt really confident. I ended up doing 300 LeetCode problems and 8 professional mock interviews (probably a bit overkill) but I'm happy I did them. I did a little bit of EPI as well. By my last interviews, I was pretty comfortable answering almost any question with good speed too. Question difficulties ranged from easy to hard.
I used to think there was some shortcut, but it just comes down to practice. The more you practice, the better you'll do! Make a study schedule that works for you, and stay consistent. I did maybe 4-5 new problems a day at first, then did a bit less once I started feeling burnout. Focus on the fundamentals (arrays, strings, DFS, BFS, graphs, etc.). I also recommend using Anki to review old problems (this helped ingrain common patterns in my head). Don't focus on memorizing problems, but recognizing those common patterns.
I don't go to a great school for CS, I did all of my learning and prep outside of school. I'm not super smart either, I think I got like a B- in lower division DS & Algos and have a below average GPA for my major. I had a TERRIBLE GPA freshman year, but after realizing that I needed to put in work, I rebounded. I don't think GPA is super important, but rather the projects and experiences you have on your resume.
The offers I accepted will be my first internships so I'm super excited!
I hope this post inspires people to keep grinding. I was getting anxious in August when I wasn't hearing back from a lot of companies, but it takes time and patience. Don't be discouraged by some rejections, just keep on going.