Mock Session Analysis — How to Learn from Every Practice Interview

The Post-Mock Analysis Loop

Raw practice without analysis doesn't compound. This framework turns each session into targeted improvement.

Error Classification

After each mock, classify every mistake:

Category	Example	Fix
Pattern miss	Used brute force instead of sliding window	Study pattern catalog, add to flashcards
Off-by-one	`range(n)` vs `range(n-1)`	Trace through with small input before submitting
Edge case	Didn't handle empty array	Always list edge cases before coding
Complexity error	Said O(n) but it's O(n log n)	Analyse every loop and recursive call
Communication gap	Coded silently for 10 min	Practice narrating while solving
Time management	Spent 35 min on problem 1	Set internal alarm at 20 min to check progress

Weekly Error Log

Week ___

Session 1:
  Problem: ___
  Category of mistake: ___
  Root cause: ___
  Action item: ___

Session 2:
  ...

Top pattern this week: ___
Will drill this week: ___ (specific topic)

The 3-Day Drill Cycle

After identifying a weakness:

Day 1 — Study

Read the pattern guide (e.g., sliding window)
Trace through 2 solved examples by hand

Day 2 — Practice

Solve 3 problems using that pattern from scratch
No looking at solutions until done

Day 3 — Test

Solve 1 timed problem in the pattern
Score yourself on all 6 rubric dimensions

Performance Tracking Chart

Maintain a weekly average across the 6 rubric dimensions:

          W1   W2   W3   W4   W5
Understanding  3    3    4    4    5
Approach      2    3    3    4    4
Code Quality  3    3    4    4    5
Communication 2    3    3    4    5
Edge Cases    2    2    3    4    4
Complexity    2    3    3    4    5
AVERAGE       2.3  2.8  3.3  4.0  4.7

Target: increase by ~0.5/week. Reach 4.0+ by week 4.

Green/Yellow/Red Zones

Score	Zone	Action
4.5 - 5.0	Green — Ready	Maintain, focus on communication polish
3.5 - 4.4	Yellow — Close	Target weakest dimension, drill 2x/day
< 3.5	Red — More work	Revert to fundamentals, slow down mocks