ok so i just got through the Google new grad SWE interview (L3) and i've spent the last year obsessively prepping. here's what i'd tell myself 12 months ago if i could.
the process for new grads is usually: OA (online assessment), then phone screen with one engineer, then a 4-round onsite (virtual) if you pass. some people get fast-tracked from STEP internship or from referrals and skip the OA. i didn't have that.
Online Assessment: two coding problems, 90 minutes. both felt like LeetCode mediums. one array/string, one that had a graph component. i think they're checking if you can write working code under timed conditions. don't optimize prematurely, just get it working first.
Phone screen: one problem, 45-50 min. similar difficulty. they're also watching HOW you think, not just whether you get the answer. talk through your approach before you type. seriously.
Onsite: 4 rounds back to back. for new grad it's: 2 coding rounds (the hardest part) 1 behavioral (Googleyness) 1 could be coding or a lighter systems chat depending on your interviewer
behavioral for new grads is more lightweight than senior. they're not expecting you to have managed a team. they want: times you showed initiative, handled feedback, worked with others through a disagreement, persisted through something hard. class projects count. internship stories count.
what i'd spend time on: neetcode 150 is genuinely the right resource. do the blind 75 first and then expand practice talking while coding. record yourself once or twice, it's uncomfortable but it works know big O cold read about google's culture a little so your behavioral examples land
took me about 4 months of part-time prep. i coded 1-2 problems daily and did mock interviews every other week. the mock interviews helped the most.
happy to answer questions. i know how stressful this process is as a new grad especially in this market.