The DipNotes

Hello PBJ

The entry process for FSO's is indeed long and uncertain.  It's also highly competitive, but not so much against your school grades.  Having a high school on the FSO test and testing well in foreign language will help you further than anything else.  I would say that entering the FS right out of college is not likely.  There will be waiting time from several months to a year at best.  However, you really need to take the FSO exam, language exams, and then be invited to the oral exam as soon as possible.  All of those do not guarantee entry, but are necessary first steps.  Once you get accepted, you then must pass a Medical Exam and Security Clearance, which can take many more months.

FSO's do not require any previous experience.  They are generalists by trade, and are trained by the State Department.  The Foreign Exam test will show your aptitude towards this career, and test a broad range of general knowledge, not any one subject.

Good luck, and if you want this career, you will have to work at it, and learn to be very patient.  The number one reason people drop out of this race is the uncertain waiting.   It's brutal.