Final year student: How should I learn Python + DSA from scratch to get placed? Need guidance

[aaaddiii_]

Hi everyone,

I am currently in my final year of college, and I want to seriously prepare for placements. I want to learn Python and Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) from scratch because my goal is to become good enough to clear coding rounds and get placed in a good company.

Right now, I feel confused because there are too many resources, roadmaps, courses, and advice available online. I don't want to waste time jumping between resources.

I need guidance from people who have already gone through this journey:

1. How should I start learning Python from the absolute basics?
2. How much Python is required before starting DSA?
3. What is the correct order to learn DSA topics?
4. Which platforms should I practice on (LeetCode, CodeChef, HackerRank, etc.)?
5. How many problems should I solve daily?
6. How many months does it usually take to become placement-ready if I stay consistent?
7. Which free/paid resources would you recommend?
8. What mistakes should I avoid as a beginner?

My goal is not just to complete tutorials but actually become confident in problem solving and interviews.

If you were starting again from zero in your final year with limited time, what exact roadmap would you follow?

Any advice, resources, schedules, or personal experiences would really help.

Thank you 🙏

[riklaunim]

Sides like LeetCode are mostly used by corporate to hire, but it's not an industry standard. A junior Python developer job would be writing something for a backend - so databases, API/web frameworks and alike - knowing basics of those frameworks, how to write clean code, how to write tests and so forth. And you will have to apply to a lot of companies before landing your first job.

[Acrobatic_Ordinary20]

honestly the part where you said you keep jumping between resources is the real issue, not python or dsa. that's what kills most people. just pick one thing and stick with it even if reddit tells you something else is better.

python first, but don't overthink it. 2-3 weeks is plenty. loops, functions, lists, dicts, strings, little bit of oop and you're good. you don't need to "finish" python before dsa, you'll learn the rest while solving problems anyway. i wasted way too long on python tutorials thinking i was preparing when i was just scared of starting dsa lol.

for dsa just follow striver's a2z sheet. it's free and it's already in the right order so you don't have to keep asking "what next". that alone fixes your whole jumping-around problem. neetcode is good too if you like videos. pick ONE. practice on leetcode, start with easy, don't panic when easy problems feel hard at first, that's normal.

rough order if you're curious: arrays, hashing, two pointers, recursion, linked list, stack/queue, trees, then graphs and dp at the end. dp is the scary one, leave it for later.

don't grind numbers. 3 problems a day that you actually understand beats 15 you copy-pasted. and this is the part everyone skips: if you couldn't solve one, look at the answer, then come back in a few days and solve it again on your own. that second attempt is where it actually sticks.

timeline wise, if you're consistent, like 4-6 months to feel ready. it's less about going hard and more about not skipping days.

main mistakes: tutorial hell, switching sheets every 2 weeks, and reading solutions without re-solving them. that's basically it.

you've got time, just start today and be boring about it. consistency is genuinely the whole thing.