TLDR - Third Time’s a Charm: How Sean Kelly Passed Codesmith Admissions Codesmith’s admissions process is intentionally rigorous to ensure both technical excellence and inclusive growth. The process is designed to be a learning experience , supporting re-applicants and helping them grow through multiple attempts.
Many strong alums, like Sean Kelly , failed the interview multiple times before being accepted—and went on to succeed. Sean began his coding journey at age 49 , pivoting from the car industry after COVID disrupted his career. Despite solid self-taught skills, Sean struggled with technical communication and interview anxiety at first.
Persistence paid off : with the help of a supportive pair programmer, Sean passed on his third try. Today, Sean is a Software Engineer II at McGraw Hill and mentors others through the Codesmith process. He credits his success not just to coding ability but to soft skills like communication, resilience, and teamwork .
Key advice from Sean: Embrace being wrong—it’s part of growth. Prepare for simple questions—they can trip you up. Don’t overhype interviews in your mind—they’re learning opportunities.