Fast Stream 2010 Competition

Reply 20

jdld

Drogue

I thought I wanted to be Humphrey, until I watched the West Wing. Now I want to be Josh Lyman.

No, it's Toby all the way! His skills at misery amaze me.

Reply 21

TCU

moley

It takes 5 posts (approx) in my department and if you fail the career development panel twice then you're taken off the faststream, although you can stay in the civil service.

Money goes up a fair bit after 2 years and then substantially after 3 further years. I think. I should probably find out.

Thanks very much for your reply. Can you elaborate on a "fair bit" and "substantially"... or if you could quantify them that would be even better.

Best regards

Reply 22

Quady

OP

20

TCU

Thanks very much for your reply. Can you elaborate on a "fair bit" and "substantially"... or if you could quantify them that would be even better.

Best regards

Just for that dept right?

Reply 23

TCU

Quady

Just for that dept right?

I am more than interested in a variety of responses, just to get as wide a picture as possible, but I know you have already been kind enough to offer your info. Cheers

Reply 24

starry skies

Meh, went up about 1k this year...not much extra shows up monthly in my bank account after tax :frown:

Reply 25

be83

Dear All,

I've just spent several hours trawling through the entire 2008 & 2009 threads - thanks to all of you for the useful contributions, I now have a much clearer idea of what I'm facing in the next few months.

I currently have a few questions which I'm wondering if anyone could help me with. I'm aware that I'll probably get the answers in 2 weeks when applications open and the practice tests come out, but I'm doing some revision now, so I want to know what direction to go in based on last year's tests.

These are my questions:

1) Am I right in thinking that except for final stages - FSBs, there were no separate tests or separate questions for DS / HoP applicants - they just needed to get higher scores on the same tests?

2) Am I right in thinking that the verbal reasoning tests last year consisted only of passages of text with T/F/Cannot Tell questions? And there were not any of the questions which ask you to arrange sentences in the correct order, find the gramatically incorrect sentence etc?

3) And the numerical reasoning tests consisted only of data interpretation (tables and graphs etc), and nothing like geometry, algebra etc?

Would be grateful if anyone could put me right with any of the above. Now I'm going back to my GCSE maths book.

Thank you!

B

Reply 26

Stomm

14

I'll do my best to answer as well as my memory allows...

be83

1) Am I right in thinking that except for final stages - FSBs, there were no separate tests or separate questions for DS / HoP applicants - they just needed to get higher scores on the same tests?

Yes, although there are DS and HoP 'Open Days' that you can go to, which obviously have nothing to do with the assessment, but are useful to help you understand things a bit better. I haven't managed to make a DS one yet actually...

be83

2) Am I right in thinking that the verbal reasoning tests last year consisted only of passages of text with T/F/Cannot Tell questions? And there were not any of the questions which ask you to arrange sentences in the correct order, find the gramatically incorrect sentence etc?

IIRC yes, it's not a clerical spelling test... Actually I've taken one of those for the DWP, and I managed to fail it... :eek:

be83

3) And the numerical reasoning tests consisted only of data interpretation (tables and graphs etc), and nothing like geometry, algebra etc?

Again IIRC it is all data interpretation, the biggest sort of thing from what I remember seemed to be extrapolating results both into the future and into the past. Figuring out growth rates, or applying growth rates, etc...

That reminds me actually, I need to start doing some revision of my own. A full year filled only with looking after two small children, shopping and gardening can rot the brain somewhat...

Reply 27

Quady

OP

20

be83

Dear All,

I've just spent several hours trawling through the entire 2008 & 2009 threads - thanks to all of you for the useful contributions, I now have a much clearer idea of what I'm facing in the next few months.

I currently have a few questions which I'm wondering if anyone could help me with. I'm aware that I'll probably get the answers in 2 weeks when applications open and the practice tests come out, but I'm doing some revision now, so I want to know what direction to go in based on last year's tests.

These are my questions:

1) Am I right in thinking that except for final stages - FSBs, there were no separate tests or separate questions for DS / HoP applicants - they just needed to get higher scores on the same tests?

2) Am I right in thinking that the verbal reasoning tests last year consisted only of passages of text with T/F/Cannot Tell questions? And there were not any of the questions which ask you to arrange sentences in the correct order, find the gramatically incorrect sentence etc?

3) And the numerical reasoning tests consisted only of data interpretation (tables and graphs etc), and nothing like geometry, algebra etc?

Would be grateful if anyone could put me right with any of the above. Now I'm going back to my GCSE maths book.

Thank you!

B

1) They only need to score higher at the assessment centre, the initial tests and etray is just a single pass/fail mark for everyone applying for the graduate fast stream.

2) True

3) True

Reply 28

Stomm

14

Quady

1) They only need to score higher at the assessment centre, the initial tests and etray is just a single pass/fail mark for everyone applying for the graduate fast stream.

Except of course that the final written (as opposed to multiple choice) element of the etray forms part of the FSAC...

Reply 29

Quady

OP

20

Stomm

Except of course that the final written (as opposed to multiple choice) element of the etray forms part of the FSAC...

And is therefore part of the FSAC not etray :P

That matters for when you do it, but as you say doesn't affect the marking.

Reply 30

be83

Dear Stomm & Quady,

Thank you both very much for your clarifications :smile:

Hopefully I'll be back with more questions after navigating the online tests.

Good luck all,

B

Reply 31

redalert

I'm applying this year - have some serious work to do on the numerical tests! can anyone recommend a good book? I've been working through my old CGP GCSE maths book, but so much is irrelevant. Does anyone have any idea of preferred departments yet?

Reply 32

be83

Hello Redalert,

There are a whole series of books published by Kogan Page and mostly written by a chap called Mike Bryon, which people recommend for the FS tests. I've got a couple and they do seem quite good.

B

Reply 33

Quady

OP

20

be83

Hello Redalert,

There are a whole series of books published by Kogan Page and mostly written by a chap called Mike Bryon, which people recommend for the FS tests. I've got a couple and they do seem quite good.

B

I don't think they have been recommended by anyone who has actually got through.

Reply 34

jdld

I used the Mike Bryon book and got through this year.

However, I hesitate to put that down to the book. I used it mainly for the maths and it's not a terrible guide to the kind of questions you'll get (though not brilliant either), but as I recall they did tend to be easier than the real thing and there were some wrong answers. You're much better off looking at the self-assessment questions and revising independently anything you found tricky.

In summary: don't expect too much of the Bryon book, but it'll do you no harm.

Reply 35

Quady

OP

20

jdld

I used the Mike Bryon book and got through this year.

In summary: don't expect too much of the Bryon book, but it'll do you no harm.

I didn't mean people don't get through if they use them.

I'd save the money and do some dummie applications for other grad schemes, the SHL tests are much closer to the feel of the fast stream ones - mainly as they are computer based and timed.

Reply 36

naddles

1

The numerical test is scaring me, time for some intense revision!

Reply 37

Stomm

14

Ooh, registration opens on Monday....

Reply 38

Badwa

7

Hi everyone,

These questions are directed to those who may have gone through the process or can shed some light on some issues I have.

1. Can I apply if I graduated last year and have been working for the year? Will the fact that I'm currently in a private sector job be a negative?

2. Is it best to just apply for one dept? Or can you apply for 2 without any negative effect on both applications?

3. How cast iron is this feature that someone with a 2.2 can apply and have a very good chance of gaining a job? Are there some depts which will only take 2.1+?

Thanks for the help in advance!!

Reply 39

starry skies

1. Yes. No, actually work experience (of whatever denomination) counts in your favour
2. If you want to join the FCO you'll have to put diplomatic service as your 1st choice, though note that the success rate is extremely low. Otherwise excepting if you want to do one of the parliamentary clerkships, the european fast-stream or the economics/stats route, then it's central depts and you don't really get to 'pick'.
3.You're not assessed on the class of your degree, and it's irrelevant to the application process as long as you can prove you've met the minimum benchmark (i.e. a 2.2). No one cares where it's from either, just in case you were wondering.

Fast Stream 2010 Competition

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