Japanese Proficiency Test

[mongoloid]

Hi, I've done some googling on this subject, but I am still confused about several things. Wondering if any body can give me a good pointer on this.

I first thought that the test was run a few times a year, but from what i can gather, it's a once a year event. In December. Is that right?

If it's run once a year, I wonder if it would be a good strategy to skip level-4 and level-3 and go directly to level-2. (Since that's the recognized level for day-to-day conversation by business). If I fail, I can take it again next year. Instead of going from 4, then 3, then 2, which would take 3 years anyways. I think I can pass if I take level-2 3 times.

For practise, is there good book or past exam I can purchase? Any suggestions on where to get these kind of materials?

Greatly appreciate your help!

-Mongo

[MShingen]

The JLPT is a test of speed and accuracy and nothing else. But in order to accomplish that, you need to have a certain level of Japanese standard in Grammar, Listening and Vocabulary. To take JLPT 2 straight away may not be a wise choice unless your Japanese language is really that powerful (minimum 600 hours of studying Japanese) and you are very familiar with the format of the test.

[PaulTB]

What he said.

You can skip 4 and 3 if you want - but don't expect to be taking the level 2 exam after one year of evening & weekend studies. [Three years would be more likely].

[Elizabeth]

More threads on the subject....


http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread...&threadid=4148

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread...&threadid=5552

[PaulTB]

Originally posted by Elizabeth
More threads on the subject....


http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread...&threadid=4148

I see you took level 3 in 2002.
Taken level 2 yet, or don't you plan to?

[Elizabeth]

Did I say that?

No, I'm considering Level 2 this December but haven't done anything about it yet....挑戦してみるのはいいことですね。勉強にも目� Wがあるとやりがいも出てくるのではないでしょうか？

[PaulTB]

Originally posted by Elizabeth
No, I'm considering Level 2 this December but haven't done anything about it yet....挑戦してみるのはいいことですね。
勉強にも目標が・るとやりがいも出てくるのではないで しょうか？

One of your characters got eaten. (I think this forum automatically breaks lines after a certain number of bytes - and of course Japanese takes twice as many bytes as English per character.)

I think you probably should. I got level 2 in 2002 (although it was far from a walkover) one year after I took level 3. From what I've seen of your Japanese you should have no real trouble in making it by December.

[Elizabeth]

Originally posted by PaulTB
I think you probably should. I got level 2 in 2002 (although it was far from a walkover) one year after I took level 3. From what I've seen of your Japanese you should have no real trouble in making it by December.

OK--well, thanks, Paul. I'll search out some prep materials when I'm in Japan this March at least and play it by ear from there. At the moment I'm still way too reliant on dictionaries and textbooks, tutors, etc but ever so laboriously I can sense things starting to piece themselves together.

[mongoloid]

So it's true the test is run once a year. That sucks. What if you get like 59% on level-3. Well, I guess you can try level-2 after getting 59% on level-3 a year later.
But that's not a confidence builder. I would rather get 45% on level-2.

Anyone agree to this?

Thanks!

[PaulTB]

Originally posted by mongoloid
What if you get like 59% on level-3. Well, I guess you can try level-2 after getting 59% on level-3 a year later.
But that's not a confidence builder. I would rather get 45% on level-2.

What you don't seem to realise is that if you think you might get 59% on level 3 you're much more likely to get 25% on level 2 (which I'll remind you is the amount you'd get by rolling a four sided dice for your answer each time).

You've got plenty of time to get a past paper or two before applying - I suggest you see for yourself just how difficult level 2 is. I don't think that sitting in an exam room for an afternoon understanding practically none of the questions would much of a confidence builder.

[mongoloid]

Hahaha. Actually I did a san-kyuu test(without the tape though), and my score with 56%. That was last year, and I haven't studied much since then. I will get a nin-kyuu test from the past for sure before I decide on anything. It strikes me weird is that why would you take san-kyuu or yon-kyuu knowing that it's not recognized at all.

Here is what Ed Jacob says in his studying guide:
<quote>
WHO SHOULD TAKE IT?
Before you decide to take the JLPT, you should do some serious thinking. Ask yourself if you really need to take it because if you don't, you will be putting yourself through a lot of aggravation for nothing. In fact, a lot of people will tell you that taking the third and fourth grades is a complete waste of time. You can't get a job with them, you can't use them to get into university, and the only people who will be even vaguely interested in your having them are other Japanese students or teachers. If you just want to "Find out my level" or "motivate myself", then see if you can talk to a Japanese person or set some other goal like reading the newspaper. There's no reason to waste $50, fill out your name and address 17 times on the mind-bogglingly complex application and take a two hour train ride to the middle of nowhere just to motivate yourself or find out how much you know.
You will find the occasional job advertisement asking for someone who has passed the third grade, but they are very few and far between. The second grade will help you to get a job working for a Japanese company if you have some other marketable skill to go with it, and it is important for people who want to work in the tourist industry.
</quote>

[senseiman]

I took level 3 in 2002 and Level 2 last year. I'm going to be getting my test results this month, so I still don't know if I passed but am pretty confident that I did well.

Its a real pain that they only have the test once a year.

As Ed Jacob says, the level 3 isn't worth much, but it can act as a confidence builder. I think if I had tried for level 2 in 2002 I would have failed miserably and it probably would have discouraged me from continuing my studies. But passing the level three motivated me to study hard for the level 2, which I'm confident in having passed.

Taking a test that is too difficult and you are sure to fail is not at all wise. I say you should take the level 3 if you think its the right level for you. That way you'll at least get the satisfaction of having succesfully completed something. If you want to try the level two, don't bother paying the 50 bucks and taking the train all the way to the test centre to fail it. As has been mentioned, they start selling copies of the tests not long after they are held, so why not just buy a copy of last years test and take it at home to judge your level instead? It'll save you time, money and the dissapointment of having failed.

[PaulTB]

Originally posted by mongoloid
Hahaha. Actually I did a san-kyuu test(without the tape though), and my score with 56%. That was last year, and I haven't studied much since then.

You really should mention these things earlier you know. :-P

So when you were worried about gettting 59% on level 3 - you were worrying you'd only be able to improve by 3% by December. Huh?

Assuming that wasn't a lucky practice and that the listening is about as difficult (you really need to take the listening bit of the practice test as well) then you should be able to do level 2 by December. Provided that you really, really work at your study from now on. Basically don't book anything else for every evening and weekend until the exams.

[Ewok85]

I took the 2nd grade test last year, it was very hard, if i pass at all it will be only just. I spent all of last year from march onwards studying in japan, most of the time towords the jlpt. About june i'd gotten back up to grade 3 level and went nuts with the kanji (theres a 1000 you know, and they use some of the real nasty ones that you dont see anywhere cept in the newspaper or adult litrature). My japanese friends were of mediocre help, those in first year (yr 10?) had trouble with the grammar and even my teacher made mistakes (thank god for the answer sheet in the back). Try 3rd grade, no point paying the money for 2nd if you cant do 3rd first. Plus it shows how well your study plan is working

Any idea when results will be in? I need to use it to up my uni course to something challenging

[PaulTB]

Originally posted by Ewok85
Any idea when results will be in? I need to use it to up my uni course to something challenging

Should be February, but probably March. :-P

[Ewok85]

Small update now, I've been bursting to say this and find out from others. I got my results back and i.... PASSED! *cough*

So how did other people do? I know Elizabeth did 2nd grade as well

[SkaKid0911]

Hi everyone. I was just wondering if there is an age limit (as in you have to be a certain age to take the test) for the JLPT. I haven't found it anywhere and I was sort of curious. If anyone knows I would like to know. Thank you.

[Ewok85]

Theres no age limit as far as i know

[Eternal Wind]

how is the test like,is the difficulty hard or adverage?

[SkaKid0911]

Well, it's different depending on how much you know and what level you take. The different levels are 4 (easiest), 3, 2, 1(hardest). I have never taken it and have only read things online, so you can find more out here to choose what level you should take:
http://www.thejapanesepage2.com/kanji/jlpt.htm

Remember, I have never taken it so please, if someone has and I said something wrong then correct me. Arigatou.

[Ewok85]

The test is pretty hard. I'd say level 3 is attainable after completing a high school/university level course. Spend a year in japan you can do level 3 alright, 2 years you could do level 2 and maybe 3 but probably more like 5 you could do level 1.

Level 1 is very very hard apparently

The only problem with it is thats its not so much of a 'true' test of your japanese, it doesnt test if you can write japanese or speak japanese.

If you want a quick idea of how hard it is send me a pm, ill give you some q's from 3rd 2nd and 1st grade

[neko_girl22]

You might be interested in trying out this :

http://www.kanjistep.com/en/online/w...est/intro.html

It's a JPLT placement test, gives you a bit of an idea what each level is like. (But, it doesn't have 1-kyuu) Enjoy!!

[senseiman]

Congrats, Ewok.

I got my 2kyuu results back the other day too and I also passed! YAYYY!

Didn't do too well on the Kanji/vocabulary but the listening and reading/grammar sections I kicked butt on!

[Eternal Wind]

Originally Posted by nzueda

You might be interested in trying out this :

http://www.kanjistep.com/en/online/w...est/intro.html

It's a JPLT placement test, gives you a bit of an idea what each level is like. (But, it doesn't have 1-kyuu) Enjoy!!

nice link there,but it's to hard for me ne!

[cacawate]

Wow, congrats to the both of you! You guys are inspirations to me! Study on! Oh, and Senseiman? You always trick me into thinking you're Elizabeth. Devious.

-Jeff