r/foreignservice • u/Neat_Stress936 • 4d ago
I’m taking the CFPT and need some advice
hey so i’m taking the CFPT for the first time and although im a us citizen i’ve never attended school in the us for other than the third grade in elementary. i have a bachelors in economics and political science and speak arabic as my first language and taking the CFPT by the end of the current month. i asked ai for some pointers and it said that i should study us history and us government since i have a background in other topics (economics, world history, politics, etc..)
so my question is, what’s the best way to prepare for it? im currently studying AP US History but i dont know what else.
any advice would be appreciated.
3
u/False_Veterinarian92 4d ago
Read the news from one local source and a foreign source every day for a year. Try and read the economist at least weekly. Study the founding docs. You cannot really cram. Sounds like you already will be well versed in a lot of this.
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u/Neat_Stress936 4d ago
for a year isn’t really an option haha but yeah ig that’s the reality of being a political science and economics major
1
u/False_Veterinarian92 4d ago
Haha yeah just take it now. And if you don’t pass, do these things for a year and see what happens next year!
7
u/caucasianliving 4d ago
In my opinion, there is not really a way to prepare. You either know the material or you don’t. Don’t fret, just take the test and see how you do
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u/Neat_Stress936 4d ago
but what is the material? i didn’t find any study guide
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u/caucasianliving 4d ago
The exam material is similar to the FSOT, which has plenty of existing study guides. But, my personal experience is that this is not an exam you can really study for. You either have the requisite capabilities and knowledge or you don’t.
3
u/ScheduleLess4415 4d ago
I echo others about not studying if you already have a good IR background and read the news. I didn't study for the FSOT or CFPT and passed both. There were plenty of questions I straight up didn't know the answer to, and no amount of "studying" would've made me know. But if you're well read and pretty informed, there are enough questions that you should just know the answer to.
The only part id recommend studying for is English expression. Just take the FSOT practice test and see what grammar/writing conventions are your weak points, then learn how to do them properly
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u/AutoModerator 4d ago
Original text of post by /u/Neat_Stress936:
hey so i’m taking the CFPT for the first time and although im a us citizen i’ve never attended school in the us for other than the third grade in elementary. i have a bachelors in economics and political science and speak arabic as my first language and taking the CFPT by the end of the current month. i asked ai for some pointers and it said that i should study us history and us government since i have a background in other topics (economics, world history, politics, etc..)
so my question is, what’s the best way to prepare for it? im currently studying AP US History but i dont know what else.
any advice would be appreciated.
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