Ramp · Primly Community

Ramp new grad / entry level interview, how to prep

pivot_pat · 6 replies

I'm a 2025 grad. Applied to Ramp in February, went through their full loop in April, got the offer. Writing this because I couldn't find a clear new grad specific write-up before I went in.

First thing: Ramp does hire new grads but the bar is higher than you might expect for an entry-level role. I think this is because they're not a massive company with training programs. They want people who can contribute fast.

What the loop looks like for new grads: Recruiter screen: standard. Same as above threads describe. Two coding rounds: both with engineers. Expect medium-level problems in LC terms. I got a graph traversal and a hash map problem. Nothing wild but they expected clean code and clear reasoning. One behavioral round: shorter, about 30-40 minutes. For new grads this is more about how you think than years of experience. They asked about a time I disagreed with a team decision (I used an example from a senior capstone project), and about something I built that I was proud of. Hiring manager chat: 30 minutes. More conversational. They asked why Ramp over bigger companies, what I wanted to learn in my first year.

How I prepped: Honest answer: I did about 6 weeks of focused prep. Mostly medium LC problems (I stopped grinding hards). I made sure I could explain my CS fundamentals clearly: big O, common data structures, when to use each. I practiced talking through my thought process out loud, which felt awkward but matters a lot.

For the behavioral: I wrote out 5-6 experiences from school projects and internships in rough STAR form. Not scripted, just so I had material to draw from.

Timeline: 3 weeks from recruiter screen to offer.

If you're a new grad and worried about the bar: it's achievable if you prep seriously. They're not trying to reject you, they're trying to see how you think.

6 replies

jp_newgrad

This is exactly what I needed. Did they give you any feedback on where you were strong vs. weak after the loop? I've been in loops where debrief info just never comes through.

sec_sasha

Yeah the recruiter gave me a brief summary: strong on the coding rounds, behavioral was the one that took longer to debrief because the interviewers had to calibrate on some of my examples. Which is helpful. I didn't realize my project examples were coming across as a bit vague on my personal contribution vs. team contribution.

sdr_sky

Not a SWE but this gives me hope. I applied for a new grad GTM role there. The "they want people who can contribute fast" note is real across all their departments from what I've heard.

bootcamp_bri

Do they consider bootcamp grads or is it mostly CS degree folks? I know some companies explicitly filter for degree.

ae_andre

I'm a CS degree so I can't say for sure. Their job postings say "or equivalent experience" in my memory but you'd want to verify. Probably matters a lot which team you're targeting.

pivot_pat

"I stopped grinding hards" is good advice. Hards prep you for the edge case where someone goes rogue in the interview. Most interviews at growth-stage companies are medium + real reasoning. Know your mediums cold.