Foreign Service Officer Test

FSOT Test: What to Expect

The FSOT test, formerly known as the Foreign Service Written Exam, is the test given by the U.S. government to anyone who wants to work for the country in diplomatic service. While the exam is of a general nature and does not require any specialized knowledge, it is quite wide-ranging and difficult to pass. In fact, only about 30 percent of those who take the test make a passing score. While a college degree is not strictly required, it is very hard to get hired into the Foreign Service without one, even if one is able to pass the FSOT.

There are four sections on the test, which lasts around three hours and can be taken at authorized testing centers all over the U.S. (Test takers who fail can retake the test, but they must wait at least 11 months before doing so.) One section is Biographical Information. This is a set of questions about your background to see what qualifications you would bring to the Foreign Service. Absolute honesty is the only acceptable policy here, as embellishments are sure to be caught further down the road in the hiring process due to extensive background checks.

Job Knowledge is another section of the FSOT. Questions in this section will vary greatly, testing your knowledge of American history, principles of government, world history, regional conflicts, current political trends and movements both here and abroad, geography, demographics, etc. This is probably the section that most people find the hardest and the most difficult to prepare for. Another section is English Expression, which tests how well you understand and write the English language. Because Foreign Service agents represent America to the rest of the world, strong language skills are a must.

The final section is the Essay. Given a list of topics, you will be asked to pick one or two and write an essay about them, stating an opinion and backing your views with reasoned arguments. Because the test requires a lot of typing on this section (as well as some on the Biographical section), brushing up on your typing is imperative. It is also strongly recommended that you purchase a good FSOT study guide and/or flash cards to help you pass the other sections. Because the test is so difficult, few people pass it without extensive preparation.

Foreign Service Officer Test: Tips for Passing

If you are hoping to land a job in the diplomatic corps of the United States government, you will need to pass the Foreign Service Officer Test, sometimes referred to by its previous name, the Foreign Service Written Exam. This test is only the first hurdle that must be overcome in order to qualify for a Foreign Service job, and it weeds out a high percentage of hopeful candidates. Only about 30 percent of test takers receive a passing score. Do not let that discourage you, though. There are several ways of improving your chances of making a passing grade on the Foreign Service Officer Test.

The best preparation is a college degree in a major like Diplomacy or Political Science. Although no college degree is required in order to sit for the test, most successful candidates have a degree in one of these fields or in a related one, such as American History. The next most important tip is to stay abreast of current affairs on both a national and an international level. When you take the Foreign Service Officer Test, you will be given a point of debate on a topic and told to choose one side or the other, and then you must write an essay defending your position. Many times these assigned topics will have some relation to a national or international conflict, and if you are not familiar with current events, It will be very obvious. Third, you will want to read on a regular basis a wide variety of American newspapers and magazines such as The New York Times, The Economist, TIME, and Newsweek, as well as such newspapers as The Telegraph of London, along with English-language websites of other major foreign media. Fourth, you will want to read some standard reference books on style and grammar, as you will be expected to be well-spoken if you hope to represent the U.S. in a foreign nation.

Fifth, while this may seem irrelevant, you should probably work on improving your typing speed and error rate. The Foreign Service Officer Test is given on a computer, and much typing is required. A person who cannot type very fast or makes lots of errors has little chance of passing. Sixth, take advantage of a good study guide about the FSOT to help you prepare. These guides are updated frequently to reflect the newest versions of the test, and they are an excellent way for you to know what to expect. Passing the Foreign Service Officer Test is hard, but with proper preparation, you can do it.

FSOT Study Guide: Why You Must Have One

A good FSOT study guide is a necessity for anyone who hopes to pass the Foreign Service Officer Test. Many people underestimate the FSOT exam for a couple of reasons. First of all, the FSOT is a test of general knowledge instead of specific knowledge. This fact leads many applicants to assume that it is easy. The second main reason is that no college degree is required in order to take the FSOT, and again, people tend to wrongly assume that this means the test is not difficult. The reality is that this exam is one of the most difficult standardized tests currently in existence. Only around 30 percent of the people who take the FSOT pass it, and this figure includes people taking it for the second or third time.

It is virtually impossible to pass the test without using a good FSOT study guide. That is because the questions are so wide-ranging that the vast majority of people are simply not able to earn a passing grade without advance preparation. Applicants will be expected to be conversant about seemingly minor details of American history, legal theory, principles of government, and all of the amendments to the Constitution. They must also be able to answer questions about the history of foreign countries, current conflicts and trends all across the globe, and much more.

The English Expression section of the test is also quite difficult. Because Foreign Service Officers represent America around the world, they are expected to be very well spoken and to possess excellent writing skills. An essay is also required, and learning how to properly craft arguments that impress the testing authorities is not something one can easily do on his or her own. Trying to pass this rigorous exam without a good FSOT study guide is an exercise in futility. The failure rate of nearly 70 percent of all test takers is all the evidence one needs in order to be convinced of the importance of studying for the FSOT.

A Foreign Service Officer Study Guide Is Worth Many Times Its Cost

A Foreign Service Officer study guide will be the best investment you will ever make if you hope to become a Foreign Service Officer. A job in the Foreign Service means serving the United States by working in any of the hundreds of foreign countries around the world or in the State Department in Washington, DC. Foreign Service jobs pay very well and are highly respected and prestigious positions. As a result, they are also highly sought after. The competition is intense, and only about one in ten people who take the FSOT will make the final cut. Do not even think about starting down this road without a good Foreign Service Officer study guide.

As we said, only about 10 percent of people who apply to be a Foreign Service Officer eventually get hired, and the first hurdle that must be overcome is the Foreign Service Officer exam. Fail it, and you will not be allowed to take it again for another eleven months. Failing the test repeatedly will be detrimental to your chances of ever being hired as a Foreign Service Officer. Here is a shocking statistic you may not be aware of: only about 30 percent of the people who take the FSOT make a passing grade. Nearly seven out of ten people will fail, and many of these individuals will be very bright men and women with degrees and honors from America's top colleges and universities.

The failure rate for the FSOT is so high, even among some of the smartest people in America, because the FSOT test is so comprehensive. To pass it, you will need to have extensive knowledge about American history, a thorough mastery of the Constitution and its amendments, familiarity with current political conflicts in the U.S. and hot spots around the globe, extensive knowledge of geography and world history, and much more. That is why so many highly intelligent people fail the exam; the test is one of the most inclusive tests in existence. If you are hoping for a career in Foreign Service, do not let this discourage you. The high failure rate is good news for you, because with a good Foreign Service Officer study guide, you can be one of the 30 percent who pass the exam, and you will be well poised to move on to the next phases of the hiring process.