Getting an SDE role at Amazon or Google from a non-IIT college
Seniors from VNIT Nagpur, including one from Chemical Engineering, reached Amazon and Google with a consistent daily DSA routine, mock interviews with seniors and real projects. Their most repeated regret was starting system design too late.
A DSA routine that actually worked
- Pick one resource, such as LeetCode or GFG, and solve daily. Do not try to cover every topic.
- Build the foundation in arrays, linked lists, trees and graphs before moving on.
- One senior solved about 300 LeetCode problems grouped by pattern, going from easy to medium to hard.
- Keep a list of solved problems and review it weekly to find weak areas.
- Practise under time pressure. Knowing the theory is not the same as solving in an interview.
When to start system design
Earlier than you think. Three of the five seniors below said they started system design too late. A senior who interned at Google said they would study system design alongside DSA from the start. Another recommends Grokking the System Design Interview and practising designs of real systems such as Twitter or Uber.
Mock interviews and explaining your thinking
Several seniors underestimated communication. They fixed it with whiteboard practice and mock interviews with seniors and peers, explaining their thought process out loud. A Chemical senior spent the last three of six months of preparation mostly on mock interviews and revision.
Projects that support the application
The Google intern built full-stack projects with React, Node.js and MongoDB. Another senior contributed to open-source projects on GitHub, which gave them visibility and real-world code experience to talk about in interviews.
If campus placements do not work out
A VNIT CSE senior did not get any big company on campus. They rebuilt their profile with a public GitHub portfolio, regular coding contests and a stronger LinkedIn presence, and landed a FAANG internship off-campus.
Can a non-CS student get an SDE role?
Yes. A Chemical Engineering senior from VNIT Nagpur joined Amazon in Bengaluru after about six months of preparation. They started with Python and data-structure basics, solved two or three problems a day on LeetCode and HackerRank, then spent the last three months on mock interviews and revisiting hard problems.
Real journeys from Atyant seniors
CSE, VNIT Nagpur → SDE, Amazon
Final year
What worked: Kept a daily DSA routine for months and practised whiteboard coding with seniors.
What they would change: Tried to cover every topic instead of mastering the commonly asked ones.
CSE, VNIT Nagpur → SDE, Amazon
14 months of preparation
What worked: Solved about 300 LeetCode problems by pattern, studied system design and contributed to open source.
What they would change: Started system design late and tried to learn everything at once.
CSE, VNIT Nagpur → Software Engineer Intern, Google
Serious prep from second year
What worked: Built DSA depth and full-stack projects, entered coding contests and did mock interviews.
What they would change: Did not focus on system design or interview communication early.
CSE, VNIT Nagpur → FAANG off-campus internship
Final year
What worked: Built a public GitHub portfolio and did LeetCode and Codeforces contests regularly.
What they would change: Did not start internship prep in second year.
Chemical, VNIT Nagpur → Amazon, Bengaluru
About 6 months
What worked: Learned Python and DSA basics, solved two or three problems daily and did mock interviews.
What they would change: Did not practise enough under time limits or study company-specific patterns early.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get into Amazon or Google from an NIT?
Yes. Several VNIT Nagpur seniors on Atyant joined Amazon or interned at Google, including one who got their FAANG internship off-campus after not getting a big company on campus.
How many LeetCode problems should I solve for FAANG?
One senior who joined Amazon solved about 300, grouped by pattern and moving from easy to hard. The seniors stress patterns and consistency over a raw count.
When should I start system design preparation?
Alongside DSA, well before final year. Starting system design late was the most common regret among these seniors.
Can a non-CS student crack an SDE interview at Amazon?
Yes. A Chemical Engineering senior from VNIT Nagpur joined Amazon after about six months of Python, daily DSA practice and mock interviews.