Google Interview Experience – Google University Graduate 2026
Summary
I interviewed for a Google University Graduate position, successfully navigating the first DSA round with a graph and string problem, but unfortunately struggling with a Coin Change variation in the second round, which likely led to my rejection.
Full Experience
I recently had my interview experience for a Google University Graduate 2026 position.
My first round was a 45-minute Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) session. The question involved an implementation-heavy graph problem where the nodes themselves were strings. It could be solved using standard graph traversal techniques. I implemented a BFS solution and was able to complete it within the allotted time, without needing any hints from the interviewer, who was very friendly. There was also a follow-up question which I managed to solve easily using a heap. My prediction for this round was a Strong Hire / Hire.
The second round also lasted 45 minutes for DSA, followed by 15 minutes for a Googliness assessment. The DSA question was described as a variation of the classic Coin Change problem, which is available on LeetCode. Unfortunately, this interviewer was not as friendly and provided no hints. I spent the entire time trying different approaches to figure out the solution, but I couldn't land on the correct one, and as a result, I wasn't able to write any code within the given 45 minutes. The Googliness portion of the interview, however, went fine. My prediction for this round was Strong No Hire / No Hire / Lean No Hire.
It's been two weeks since my last interview, and I haven't received any response, which likely means I was rejected.
Interview Questions (1)
I was presented with an implementation-heavy graph problem where the nodes were represented by strings. The solution required using graph traversal techniques.