I worked for DOS before on a temporary appointment and have worked with many DOS FSOs and civil servants, On the topic of FS hiring, went_away is completely correct when he says it is one of the government agencies most highly attuned to pedigree. In fact, I agree with everything went_away has written based on my experience working in the DC area. Capable policy applicants who go to schools outside the beltway have a much lower chance. That's just the reality. The article in the link below has the chart of feeder schools and it is not just crazy, wacky coincidence that so many Georgetown, GWU (a few blocks from DOS), American, etc. graduates working in DOS just happen to hire so many other graduates from the same universities. While you might call it corruption in another country, here it's called a network. If it was actually a level playing field, you would have far more FSOs from outside the DC area. I have read many hopeful posts on here from people who haven't worked in the DC area claiming "university doesn't matter for govt jobs" and things like that but graduates from DC area schools often help out those from their schools. https://newsdesk.gmu.edu/2015/02/mason-ranks-seventh-country-placing-foreign-service-officers/