188: Interview Preparation - Final Assessment
Assessment
Present the project, solve an unseen DSA problem, write SQL from a schema, explain one system design, and deliver two behavioral stories. Trace one request and one failure from browser to database.
Completion record
Record strengths, unresolved risks, target roles, and a four-week maintenance plan. The course is complete when you can explain decisions and evidence, not when every advanced topic is memorized.
Final assessment details
Assessment runbook
Use 10 minutes to present the project and trace one successful request, 20 for an unseen DSA problem, 10 for SQL, 15 for system design, and 10 for two behavioral stories. Explain assumptions before implementation. For DSA, include brute force, invariant, edge tests, and complexity. For SQL, explain join cardinality, null behavior, indexes, and tie handling. For design, state consistency and failure recovery. For behavior, distinguish your action from the team's.
Worked final test set
Use an empty and duplicate-heavy DSA input, a SQL user with zero related rows and a tie, a design dependency timeout plus duplicate write, and behavioral follow-ups asking for an alternative and an observable result. Trace the same task creation through browser validation, API authorization, database transaction, response, and asynchronous work. A failed test is acceptable if you identify the assumption, correct it, and rerun a focused test.
Scoring rubric
Score 0-4 for project evidence, DSA reasoning/correctness, SQL correctness/explanation, system-design tradeoffs/failures, behavioral evidence, testing, and communication: 28 points. Pass at 20 with no zero for correctness, security, or honesty. Record evidence for every score, the top three risks, and a four-week plan with one targeted improvement per week.
Pass the core track when the project is runnable and tested, the DSA solution is reasoned rather than copied, SQL queries are correct and explainable, the design names failure behavior, and behavioral stories show personal evidence. Keep advanced guides as a targeted backlog for the roles you pursue.