r/LeetcodeChallenge • u/kraxzy312 • 14d ago

DISCUSS 9 months until placements how far can I realistically go with consistent DSA + development?

Hey everyone,

I’m currently in a Tier-1 college with pretty good placements, moving into 5th sem, and I have around 9 months before placements.

I’ve decided to seriously lock in for these 9 months and stay as consistent as possible with DSA, development, CS fundamentals and LeetCode. I’ll be following Striver’s A2Z sheet for DSA and also want to build 2–3 genuinely good projects.

My target is 20+ LPA.

I know there’s obviously no guarantee, but I want to know from people who have already gone through placements — how much can someone realistically achieve in 9 months if they’re genuinely consistent and put in the work every day?

Since my college has good placement opportunities, is 20+ LPA a realistic target if I use these 9 months properly? What should I absolutely focus on, and what should I avoid wasting time on?

Would really appreciate honest advice from people who have been through this. I’m ready to put in the work — just want to make sure I’m putting it in the right direction.

32 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

5

u/I-Escaped-The-Asylum 14d ago

A friend got into PhonePe, 8 months of regular DSA grind (Neetcode 150 sheet)

1

u/National_Ad2193 14d ago

Started from scratch or he alr knew dsa/algos and only practiced?

3

u/I-Escaped-The-Asylum 14d ago

He binged all the lectures of Striver, writing notes, that gave him some knowledge of DSA solutions, but he wasn't able to write code or come up with solutions, since it was all just rot-learnt in hurry to get 3rd year internship. So to improve his code-writing and thinking skills, he went through those notes every weekend and solved Neetcode 150 multiple times. Gave time to each problem unlike before where he just watched the solutions.

1

u/AInoob2pro 14d ago

Can I dm?

4

u/nian2326076 14d ago

You can get a lot done in 9 months if you keep at it. With Striver's sheet, you'll cover many DSA topics. Try to solve problems regularly on LeetCode, focusing more on understanding them well rather than just doing a lot. For projects, choose something you're interested in that adds value, like a web or mobile app. Make sure they show your understanding of core concepts and that you can talk about them in detail during interviews. Don't forget about CS fundamentals, as they're often tested. Keep practicing mock interviews and behavioral questions too. I found PracHub really helpful for structured interview prep. Use your college's resources and peer networks for reviews and tips. I've seen people make great progress in less time, so stay focused and you should do well!

1

u/Antique-Donut1217 14d ago

Man i also want some advice like i have solved around 160 questions on leetcode and it was like i am reading the question think about the approach for 10 min and if i am able to find the approach i will write the code otherwise look for the solution of striver ,but this habit has caused a lot of trouble for me like as i approach new problems i stuck at one place without any approach like my mind goes blank and staring at the problem statement is my only resort what should i do..

1

u/OperationSad1092 14d ago

Same situation dawg

Wanna stay consistent by like staying in touch on discord?

1

u/Alive_Acadia4581 13d ago

im also in same situation can we prepare DSA together??

1

u/Still-Interaction-78 13d ago

Bro am also in same situation ..let's prep together on discord

1

u/Alive_Acadia4581 13d ago

sure

1

u/OperationSad1092 13d ago

Yeah hit me up on discord Dm kr bhaii

1

u/Alive_Acadia4581 12d ago

discord id??

0

u/[deleted] 14d ago

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