How to take the

Foreign Service Officer

exam
The exam, they say, is the most grueling government exam because
the DFA is the most elite office in government. Out of 628 examinees in
2011, only 9 passed
Rafael Ignacio
Published 4:45 PM, November 24, 2012
Updated 12:21 PM, November 06, 2013

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For those planning to take the Foreign Service

Officer exam (FSOE):
Define realpolitik and describe how this principle
is evident in the strategies of Otto Von Bismarck
and Camillo di Cavour.
This is one of the questions in the world history
portion of the FSOE written test.
Ive heard people say that the FSOE is the most grueling government
exam because the Department of Foreign Affairs is, they say, the most
elite office in the government. Some even dare say that the exam is
more difficult than the bar. I really wouldnt know but one things for
sure: the mortality rate is definitely higher in the FSOE. Out of 628
examinees in 2011, only 9 passed. That's 1.4%. I heard there was even
a year when no one passed.
I'm one of the lucky 9 who made it. And so to help future examinees
prepare for the FSOE, I thought of writing down and sharing my
experience. This is my own small way to thank and show appreciation
for the people who supported me and helped me make it through.

The exam is difficult because its the type of exam which you cant
really study for. The scope covers everything under the sun, and,
actually, none of the topics I studied for was asked. The exam proctor
told my batch that the best time to review for the FSOE is in college,
which is a little bit too late by now, right?
So the best tip I can give is simply to make reading a habit. Try
committing yourself to read for at least 30 minutes every day and youll
have a pretty strong fighting chance. What to read? The local news,
Inquirer and Star editorials, The Economist, the International Herald
Tribune, you get the idea.
Aside from reading, discuss what youve read with friends so youll
develop a deeper appreciation for the material. If your friend isnt
familiar with what youre talking about, explain it in simple terms. The
best way to learn something is to teach it, right? Discussing with friends
will also help you practice making an argument based on what youve
read which is essential, particularly in the written test. Tip: these topics
come out every year ASEAN, PH-China relations (e.g., PHs claim on
the West PH Sea), and current programs of the government. Sure
points!
To prepare, I camped in coffee shops to read up on world history. I read
"A History of the World" by Perry, Davis, Harris, Von Laue, and Warren.
It is the textbook I used in high school history class. (You probably used
this too.) I also read briefing papers submitted by DFA to the
Presidential Management Staff (PMS) this is where I work, by the
way. To break the monotony of reading, I went to museums National
Museum, Ayala Museum, BenCab Museum in Baguio and watched
movies and documentaries with a historical backdrop like The Downfall
(Der Untergang), The Counterfeiters (Die Flscher), Bagong Buwan,
etc.
1. Qualifying Test. (At Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 8 am to
12 nn.)
This exam is pretty much like a college entrance exam. It covers basic
high school knowledge (logic, grammar, math) but the time limit is so
tight that it seems the test was not designed to be completed. Youll just
have one minute to answer each question so budget your time well. In
my case, I shotgunned about 30 questions! (Take your pick C is the
key or A is the way.) Skim through the whole exam and answer the
easy questions first. For the reading comprehension section, read the
questions first so youll know what to look for when you read the

selection. I think you know these already.

People say this exam is a more sophisticated version of the Civil
Service Exam (CSE) which, I heard, is a no-brainer. But, of course,
dont underestimate it! I used the CSE reviewers sold in National
Bookstore and MSA reviewers I borrowed from a friend. Familiarize
yourself with the test types to save time in answering them. Just keep
on answering the reviewers and youll be fine. Also, be sure to sleep
early the night before. This can make or break you.
2. Preliminary Interview (At DFA, 20 minutes.)
Three panelists will conduct the interview. Best tip: be honest. The
examiners wont check whether you know the GDP growth rate for the
first semester 2012 or the population of Brunei so no need to review
that much on facts and figures. Theyll most likely ask you to explain
what you do in your current job or what you think a Foreign Service
Officer does. Clich, but you just really have to be yourself. If you dont
know the answer, say so! Dont pretend you know everything because
they wont expect that you do. When they sense that youre giving them
crap, theyll pick on you even more. Be direct and precise with your
answers. Whats important is that you can explain yourself and prove
your point in a clear and organized manner. Be confident but not
cocky.
To give you a better sense of how the interview is, heres a list of what
they asked me:
a. What do you do in the Presidential Management Staff?
b. What can you contribute to the DFA? How?
c. What can be done to ensure a professional merit-based DFA? (I
talked about President Aquinos appointment of about 20 career
ambassadors.)
d. You seem to have contradicted yourself you said that the
Presidents appointment of career ambassadors will ensure meritocracy
in the DFA but the President appointed Secretary Del Rosario, who is a
political appointee. Please reconcile.
Memorize the Three Pillars of PH Foreign Policy and relevant examples
for each. This will serve as a useful framework and you cant go wrong
if you link your answers to the pillars. Also, read up on recent news on
the DFA so youre updated and youll have a war chest of examples

which you can use to impress the panelists.

3. Written Test (At DFA, 3 days, 8 am to 4 pm, depending on how fast
you finish.)
This is a 3-day essay-type test. Make sure to construct your answers in
a structured and organized manner. Begin by giving a categorical
answer then proceed with supporting statements in order of
significance. You wont go wrong with answers in 3-part theme style
which Im sure you learned in high school. A professor of mine said that
the examiners put more premium on the justifications you lay down than
the categorical answer. So just take a stand then build your argument
and supplement it with examples.
To give you a better sense of the level of questions, heres a list of
some of the questions they asked us:
a. English (20%).
- A Filipino citizen was sentenced to receive the death penalty in China
for acting as a drug-mule. As Secretary of Foreign Affairs, propose a
plan, which outlines the courses of action the President may undertake.
b. Filipino (5%).
- Towards the end of El Filibusterismo, a priest in the novel discussed
the idea of freedom. Describe what the priest said and relate it to how
Philippine society understands freedom today.
c. PH Political, Economic and Cultural Conditions (30%).
- Give five examples of the governments proposed Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) projects and give a brief explanation for each.
- Explain how the Conditional Cash Transfer program will alleviate
poverty.
- Name a National Artist and describe the significance of his/her works.
d. International Affiars (20%)
- What are the benefits of forging an ASEAN Economic Community in
2015?

e. World History (20%).

- Compare and contrast the Spanish colonization experience of Latin
America and the Philippines.
f. Foreign Language (5%).
- I took Japanese. They asked for the meaning of basic greetings and
expressions and to identify the correct particle needed to complete the
sentence. Note that the whole test, even the instructions, was written in
Japanese.
To prepare for this test, I compiled sample questions from blog entries
on the FSOE. I only actually studied for the World History section, my
weakest area, and focused on Asian and Western history but none of
these came out!