Crash LeetCode SQL 50 (Review)

SQL50 Leetcode review

It has been over four years since I first started using SQL. Throughout my four years at The Ohio State University pursuing a B.S. in Data Analytics, SQL was an essential tool for my coursework, various projects, and my role as a Research Assistant.

One of my most comprehensive experiences was in CSE 3241: Database Systems. In that course, I built a MySQL database for a dental business from scratch. The project covered the entire lifecycle, from designing complex relational diagrams (ERDs) to final implementation.

As I approached the job market, I wanted to benchmark my skills, so I tackled the LeetCode SQL 50 challenge. Interestingly, I found it significantly more approachable than the LeetCode Python tracks. While concepts like complex Joins and Subqueries occasionally presented hurdles, consistent daily practice helped me develop a strong intuition for them.

While I found the Medium-level problems manageable, the Hard problems often felt unnecessarily convoluted. After solving them, I was frequently left wondering if real-world scenarios would ever truly require such “twisted” logic. Nevertheless, completing the set was a great way to solidify my foundations before starting the next chapter of my career.

A sceenshot of SQL50 progree in July 2025