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Didn't pass this year.  should I request a rescore or no? the cut off is 154 I think.2014: Biographic Questionnaire:42.3 English Expression:53.9 Job Knowledge:49.2 Multiple Choice Total: 145.4 Got this last year...wondering where I went wrong: 2013: Biographic: 47.76 English: 55.92 Job Knowledge: 55.43 Total:159.11 dalliance fucked around with this message at 07:53 on Oct 30, 2014 |
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Oct 30, 2014 07:43
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Passed with a 170 total and 8 on the essay. 2nd year in a row. Hope I can get through the QEP this time. My sympathies to everyone who didn't pass for whatever reason.
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Oct 30, 2014 08:07
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Biographic Questionnaire: 42.3 English Expression: 50.2 Job Knowledge: 57 Multiple Choice Total: 149.5 I knew my biographic score would be low as I was taking it. Didn't prepare for that part and struggled to come up with examples.
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Oct 30, 2014 10:15
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Boom Baby! Biographic Questionnaire:59.88 English Expression:53.9 Job Knowledge:52.32 Multiple Choice Total: 166.1 Your Essay Score: 8 Captain Bravo posted:I do! I've been kind of quiet until the next test rolls around. Speaking of the tests, has the last round of results come in yet? I'm wondering how Leroy did. (Please don't take the candy man away from us, Gub'ment!) Don't worry, there's no way in hell I will pass the QEP. I have done nothing but work in kitchens for the last 10 years, and never worked a government job in my life. (although I have bid on government contracts as a candymaker) I'm just having fun just chasing a dream job that I would be awesome at, but have no related experience and little chance of getting hired. Leroy Diplowski fucked around with this message at 13:35 on Oct 30, 2014 |
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Oct 30, 2014 13:29
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Biographic Questionnaire:50.5 English Expression:53.9 Job Knowledge:53.88 Multiple Choice Total: 158.28 Your Essay Score: 7 Looks like I'm moving forward (barely)!
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Oct 30, 2014 13:34
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And so I live to fight another day as well. Biographic Questionnaire: 70.81 English Expression: 59.45 Job Knowledge: 52.32 Multiple Choice Total: 182.58 Your Essay Score: 8 I am going to use the same PNs that got me to the OA last time around. Since my FSOT score this year is even better than last year's, I am hoping that means I'm in even better shape with the QEP. But of course, it would be just my luck if more of the people who passed in my cone this time around are rocket scientists. Also, Captain Bravo--check your email!
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Oct 30, 2014 13:44
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Dang... did OK on the questions, but I guess my essay sucked. I did get caught up in rewriting it up to the last minute Biographic Questionnaire:54.02 English Expression:57.6 Job Knowledge:53.88 Multiple Choice Total: 165.5 Your Essay Score: 5 So close! I'll try again next year.
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Oct 30, 2014 13:57
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Man_of_Teflon posted:Dang... did OK on the questions, but I guess my essay sucked. I did get caught up in rewriting it up to the last minute I'd probably pay for a regrade of the essay.
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Oct 30, 2014 13:59
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TCD posted:I'd probably pay for a regrade of the essay. What he said. If you got a 5, that means one rater passed you while the other rater didn't. Pay for the rescore! If you can get a 6, you can continue your candidacy in February with the QEP. If you get another 5 (or a 4), then you're only out a couple bucks and still have to take the test again next fall. Go for it! You never know!
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Oct 30, 2014 14:24
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I had no idea that was a thing, thanks!
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Oct 30, 2014 14:26
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Congrats and condolences all around! So great to see so many passers. Leroy Diplowski posted:Boom Baby! Good to manage expectations but don't discount yourself. The raters read hundreds of identical internship/federal agency/military responses. You'll bring something unique. Plus - and I know it doesn't feel this way now - raw experience truly doesn't matter. It's all about your ability to communicate your own narrative.
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Oct 30, 2014 15:50
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Also happy to look over a handful of PNQs when the time comes.
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Oct 30, 2014 15:57
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The Mantis posted:Also happy to look over a handful of PNQs when the time comes. Thanks for the encouraging words and I will probably take you up on this. Is it just me or are the PNQs totally different now than in 2011?
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Oct 30, 2014 16:32
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Leroy Diplowski posted:Is it just me or are the PNQs totally different now than in 2011? Not sure if there was a change after 2011, but they're no different from the PNQs of 2012 and 2013.
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Oct 30, 2014 16:39
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I feel like a lot of the questions could be answered by the same narrative. (Obviously I'm not going to do that...) Are the questions public/are we allowed to discuss them openly?
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Oct 30, 2014 18:32
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Drewski posted:I feel like a lot of the questions could be answered by the same narrative. (Obviously I'm not going to do that...) Are the questions public/are we allowed to discuss them openly? The PNs are not covered under the non-disclosure agreement. But a lot of people are reluctant to share their PNs publicly because everyone is in direct competition with everyone else within the same career track. One common misconception about this stage is that you need a certain "score" in order to advance. That's not really correct. The truth is that all the candidates are RANKED, not scored. So if State only decides to take the top 15% of candidates in Career Track X and invite them to the OA, then only candidates ranked in the top 15% will receive good news. Unlike a regular score, no two candidates within the same track can have the same rank.
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Oct 30, 2014 19:03
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My essay came back with a score of 0. Is there any way that I can have someone look at it without paying for a regrade?
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Oct 30, 2014 20:45
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TCD posted:I'd probably pay for a regrade of the essay. I agree. My essay score dropped 3 pts to a 5 this time, while my test score stayed 30 pts above the cutoff. I write simple prose for a living, so this seems odd (unless I went totally off the track). One set of eyes passed my (and your) essay the first time and it's only 30 bucks for another shot...why not gamble?
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Oct 30, 2014 22:00
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Mayor Dave posted:My essay came back with a score of 0. Is there any way that I can have someone look at it without paying for a regrade? Odd. Unlikely. The only way I imagine that happening is a) an error, or b) you didn't answer the question they posed.
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Oct 30, 2014 22:03
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Mayor Dave posted:My essay came back with a score of 0. Is there any way that I can have someone look at it without paying for a regrade? Did you answer the question that was posed? Did the proctor cite you for a testing violation? Did you write your essay in a foreign language? (derp) Did you inadvertently select all the text and delete it somehow? Or, the most likely scenario, did you score at least a 154 on the multiple choice section? If you didn't, then your essay would not be graded at all--hence, a zero.
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Oct 31, 2014 05:14
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zzonkmiles posted:
So that's why they weren't impressed by my exposé in klingon...
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Oct 31, 2014 05:46
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A note to those looking for regrades of the essay. I was told when I called them earlier this year that the only way to get a regrade is to actually call in, speak with a person, and ask them for the regrade. The way they explained it, the website and the testing centers are not able to get you one, you have to call Pearson and request it.
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Oct 31, 2014 07:54
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^^^ To confirm, the careers.state.gov says this and this is what I did. Hopefully my essay's 5 will turn into a 6, worth $30 to see.
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Oct 31, 2014 14:11
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The Mantis posted:Congrats and condolences all around! This, so much this. I'd hazard a guess that working in kitchens has put you in multi-cultural situations, requires adept think-on-your-feet skills, developed organizational and efficiency skills, refined your ability to work under pressure while maintaining morale and a fun working atmosphere, a plethora of problem-solving opportunities, perhaps some supervisory and training experience, and more!
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Nov 1, 2014 07:25
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Looks like I was in the paid MSI group... I'll take it 
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Nov 1, 2014 09:01
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TCD posted:Looks like I was in the paid MSI group... Paid MSI finally came through? Thought I saw something about AFSA fighting for it. Congrats! The gift that keeps on giving...
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Nov 1, 2014 11:22
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TCD posted:Looks like I was in the paid MSI group... Good job!! My step increase came through yesterday too. Awwww yeah.
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Nov 1, 2014 16:41
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I took the FSOT again (this time in political cone) while waiting for the security clearance on my prior consular cone candidacy to go through: Biographic Questionnaire: 74.72 English Expression: 59.45 Job Knowledge: 60.12 Multiple Choice Total: 194.29 Your Essay Score: 8 Absolutely no idea how the biographical section went so well, I did almost exactly the same thing as last time.
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Nov 1, 2014 17:35
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problematique posted:Paid MSI finally came through? Thought I saw something about AFSA fighting for it. Congrats! The gift that keeps on giving... Er, AFSA is fighting for 2013s. This year half of the MSI group were paid - half were not (they are fighting for the other half). I was in the closer half... so I was probably a few numbers away from getting my 3  .
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Nov 2, 2014 18:34
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qwertyman posted:Multiple Choice Total: 194.29
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Nov 2, 2014 19:25
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qwertyman posted:I took the FSOT again (this time in political cone) while waiting for the security clearance on my prior consular cone candidacy to go through: Yeah, that's a ridiculous bio score.
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Nov 3, 2014 04:16
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tismondo posted:Holy hell that's probably the best multiple choice score I've seen. I've been following this thread for many years now. You should share study tips if you have them.
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Nov 3, 2014 08:21
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There are a few people who scored in the 180s on the MC section and failed the essay. That's gotta hurt.
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Nov 3, 2014 14:27
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Womacks-JP-23 posted:You should share study tips if you have them. For the biographic section, I bullet pointed everything and kept consistent as much as I could. I didn't put the highest possible answer on every question. Honestly, I did the same thing as last year, which got me a score about 10 points lower. Job knowledge is really not much more than trivia, which I have always had a talent for. As for English, I'm an attorney and my job is literally to read and edit documents all day, sometimes editing documents from non-native English speakers. It gives you lots of practice for what the FSOT is testing for. I already have a candidacy in the consular cone in which I'm waiting on the security clearance, but if I get through on this current political come candidacy, I'm not sure how that would play out.
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Nov 3, 2014 19:37
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It's really interesting to hear that you didn't select the top answer for each of the bio questions. If I don't make it through the QEP this year I'll have to remember that for my next test.
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Nov 4, 2014 00:30
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zzonkmiles posted:There are a few people who scored in the 180s on the MC section and failed the essay. That's gotta hurt. I'm one of those unlucky souls. I had an 8 on the essay last year (my first try! I made it through to the OA and scored a 5.2, missing passing by .05) and received a 5 this time, while my MC score stayed about the same. I have worked 20+ years as a professional writer, so I doubt spelling or grammar did me in. I can see losing a point, but 3 seems like a huge drop -- so I asked for a rescore. Bio is my strong suit: 68.55 this year, last year was about 1 point less. My advice on bio: both years I made a point of giving diverse examples for each of the write ins. I wanted to show I wasn't a one trick pony. For example, if it asks for favorite foods, make you don't just list desserts--- include vegetables, fish, something international and an obscure grain to show you're well rounded. Try not to answer a question with examples that are related to just work, church or sports. Mix it up and show you have a wide range of interests and talents. Do the same with the answers to your PNQs--- those essays are your chance to show that you're not just a test score, but a living, breathing person. BEX isn't only trying to figure out if you can do the job, they're trying to see if you'll get along with the rest of the family. And qwertyman is right--- be honest with the multiple choice bio options, you can't be best at everything. A little humility goes a long way. You also have to be consistent with your answers, so read each question carefully -- you may find a couple that are worded differently, but ask the same thing. Your answer should be the same for each. Trixiehaha fucked around with this message at 04:44 on Nov 4, 2014 |
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Nov 4, 2014 04:38
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So, is anybody here going to be at the FS/State networking event on November 13 in Durham, North Carolina? I received an invitation.
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Nov 6, 2014 17:30
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Any of you fine people willing to take a look at some of my PN's and give feedback?
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Nov 8, 2014 17:49
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Sure. Shoot me a PM.
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Nov 8, 2014 17:51
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The Mantis posted:Sure. Shoot me a PM. Thanks. Sent you them.
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Nov 10, 2014 02:33
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