The Process

For those of you who are not familiar with the FS process, here's the cliff notes version.

1.  Take the written exam.
2.  Once you pass the written exam, take the oral exam.  If you fail the oral exam, you have to start again with the written.
3.  Once you pass the oral exam, you send in some sort of a personal statement/collection of essay questions... I think.  Not sure if this comes after the written or oral exam.
4.  Obtain top secret clearance.  This could take months, unless if you already have it.
5.  The entire family obtains medical clearance.  This was a pain for my 5 year old NJ, who has peanut and tree nut allergies.  We had to go back and forth from the pediatrician's office to tweak this and add comments to that.  But he finally got cleared, yay.
6.  Everything is brought before a suitability board.
7.  Get put on the "register."  You are ranked on the register by the scores you received on the exams.  You get extra points if you prove proficient in a language, are a veteran, etc.  So the higher your score, the higher up on the register you are.  You can only be on the register for 18 months. 
8.  The people skimmed off the top of the register and are invited to the A-100 class (basic FS orientation) as they are formed.  If you don't get called within 18 months, you have to start the process over from step 1.
9. After A-100, you get your job specific training and language training, if any.  Then you're off to your new adventure.