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Some General Advice Here:

• Talk with your academic adviser or career adviser
  

• They will probably have information about student programs, such as Pickering/ Rangel, or they might be able to get you in touch with an Alum
  
  

• Get in touch with the Diplomat-in-Residence (DIR) in your area
  

• The DIR is always a great resource for an FS-related Qs, but they can also give really great insight on the career. See if they will plan a visit to your university
  
  

• Maintain relationships with faculty and directors
  

• Works wonders when you can get a letter of recommendation later on from a supervisor/ faculty that can strongly advocate for you
  
  

• Apply for a U.S. Department of State internship
  

• The deadlines for the summer are released very early (i.e. OCT/NOV 2016 for Summer 2017), but this is the best way to get experience and make connections for a future career in the FS
  
  

• Pick up a language (ESP a Critical Language)
  

• http://clscholarship.org/
  
  

• Read up on the career
  Career Diplomacy
  
  Inside a US Embassy
  
  *Look into Fellowships
  Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship
  
  Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program
  
  Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship
  
  Payne is for the FS with USAID
  
  I hope that helps!

Are you familiar with https://www.italki.com/ ? It's a pretty great resource to work on conversation in a way that's tailored to you.

Also, if grammar trips you up, this book is highly recommended: https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Spanish-Grammar-Self-Teaching-Guide/dp/0471134465/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1526487698&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=spanish+grammar&psc=1

Bill Burns has a new one out that is excellent. https://www.amazon.com/Back-Channel-American-Diplomacy-Renewal/dp/0525508864/

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Prudence Bushnell's book is also excellent. https://www.amazon.com/Terrorism-Betrayal-Resilience-Embassy-Bombings/dp/1640121013/

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Not a career FSO, but I also really liked Wendy Sherman's book. https://www.amazon.com/Not-Faint-Heart-Lessons-Persistence/dp/156858816X/

Naked Economics is a really great, approachable book that i've read and re-read before taking the test. I highly recommend it!

Not the same guy, alas, though I've heard good things about Jimmy Mauldin. Nicholas Kralev, who is the interviewer, is also a real mensch. He recently put out an excellent book called America's Other Army discussing the changing priorities of the foreign service. I highly recommend it,

Remember that the Job Knowledge is only one section of three, and that it encompasses more than just American Foreign Policy. Make sure you review everything.

That said, I re-read this book every year before taking the test, and it was a pretty good review for me: Rise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy Since 1938. It used to be on the reading list, not sure if it still is.

Er, not really. If you want to go really comprehensive here's a post I made over at r/suggestmeabook with the reading list I used to prep for the test
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/3umzlz/looking_for_a_book_list_to_help_me_understand_the/cxh36xm


And this is the book I used for the management terminology

http://www.amazon.com/Organizational-Behavior-Managing-People-Organizations/dp/1133626696/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1442932724&sr=1-14&keywords=organizational+behavior


Plus Spark Notes US History and the Constitution, you should be good.

I really recommend outpost by Ambassador Chris Hill. It is my favorite FS related book. 5/5, plus a bonus point for throwing shade at Dick Cheney.

i would do a search on amazon and your local library for study guides.
this is the one I [bought] (https://www.amazon.com/Complete-FSOT-Study-Guide-Preparation/dp/1523814993/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480022309&sr=8-1&keywords=foreign+service+officer+test+study+guide+2016)
and i got several more at the lib
i found the practice tests really helpful

If you take a look at the job knowledge section, there are only 60 questions, with at least 10 different topics included in that section. That means there just won’t be a ton of math questions. However, you need to be prepared to handle the topics they throw at you, and for that I highly recommend this book: Everything You Need to Ace Math In One Notebook

We Meant Well by Peter Van Buren

I read these two and then just did all the questions on the app and the study guide (use the 2017 version because it has the answers to the practice situational judgement questions! 2018 doesn't):

Rise to Globalism:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142004944/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

CliffsNotes US History

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764563726/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you have enough time, read Inside a US Embassy . It answers most of those questions and may give you material for more in-depth questions. Your university library may have it in the stacks, or available through inter-library loan.

A decent place to start: https://www.amazon.com/Absentee-Landlords-Survival-Guide/dp/0965381714

Currently reading American Ambassadors: The Past, Present, and Future of America’s Diplomats and also suggest a unique one in Foreign Circus.

Cliffs Quick Review American Government

https://www.amazon.com/CliffsQuickReview-American-Government-Stephen-Voss/dp/0764563726/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

"The Mirror Test: America at war in Iraq and Afghanistan" is a good read. https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Test-America-Iraq-Afghanistan/dp/0385351127