JLPT 2007

[jbiesnecker]

皆さん、お早うございます。

My wife and I just signed up to be signed up (the JLPT signup system is strange in China because of the number of people taking the test) for the 3-kyuu exam this December. I'm hoping to go to graduate school in 2008 studying East Asian history, so I'm hoping that a JLPT 3-kyuu pass (along with my Chinese) will bolster my grad school application.

I know it's pretty early for the 2007 exam, but I figure the earlier I start preparing the better my chances are. I started studying Japanese (via JapanesePod101) last October or November, and since the middle of January I've been going at it with some gusto. I'm hoping that I can still do well given such short prep time, maybe fudging a bit and using my Chinese character knowledge in places where I don't really know the Japanese. Here's hoping.

Any other JPodders out there planning to sit the exam in '07? 頑張ってください！

[Rizu]

I too am taking 3kyuu, but in New York. I am studying a lot now. I really picked up the pace back in February. Trying to make the best of all the time we have until December. I want to be sure to pass!

[doa_Leon]

Me too but I am going to do it in Bern (Switzerland)
Good Luck and "happy learning"

[Anim8Grl]

I just started learning Japanese in August of last year in prep of going to Japan to teach this august. I hope to take the 3Kyuu in December( in Japan)...is that too much? I realize 4 kyuu is more realistic, but the description I read was that 4Kyuu was equiv. to a college level Jap101 class. Since 1 class is 4 months of study, is it silly to say that I could be ready for the next level up, or would you advise I just take the 4 kyuu?

[Shavone]

i'll be tking 3 kyuu this year too! missed 4 kyuu last yr...残念です。 tking it in Singapore. come this May I wld have studied Japanese for a year. hope to "certify" myself with JLPT

[annie]

I just started learning Japanese in August of last year in prep of going to Japan to teach this august. I hope to take the 3Kyuu in December( in Japan)...is that too much? I realize 4 kyuu is more realistic, but the description I read was that 4Kyuu was equiv. to a college level Jap101 class. Since 1 class is 4 months of study, is it silly to say that I could be ready for the next level up, or would you advise I just take the 4 kyuu?

take 3.
16 months of studying (if you're serious about the studying) is enough for level 3.
I've known other English teachers (at eikaiwa even) who have passed level 4 after less than 6 months of studying.

even if it's a bit too hard for you, it'll be a good experience if you plan to take any of the higher levels eventually.

[padrik]

今年2級だと思う。。
2kyuu in L.A. this year, I need to get back into studying, ack... 皆、一緒に頑張ろう！

カール

[tiroth2]

I was planning on 1級 in Chicago this year but it's been tough going...if I can't get my practice test scores >70 by the registration deadline, I might give myself an extra year of studying.

[Ulver_684]

I was planning on 1級 in Chicago this year but it's been tough going...if I can't get my practice test scores >70 by the registration deadline, I might give myself an extra year of studying.

Tiroth2-san!

Me too! I'll go for JLPT 2008 NYC and Hilary for President!

[tiger]

I'm contemplating 2-kyu (in Japan) this year, but seriously have to get the kanji books out again. I've seriously been stuck between doing 3-kyu three years ago and getting my act together for the next level. Even my spoken level seems to have tapered off even though I live here in J-land.

Is it generally more helpful to remember kanji by writing or just doing flash-cards?

[TheProfessorOne]

I will be aiming for 3 as well too this year.

[jkeyz15]

level 2 or 1....haven't decided yet. As it currently stands, 2kyuu

[kichigaijin]

I have a master plan for the next few years.
Honestly, right now, I'm somewhere between a 3 and a 2 in grammar, vocab, and listening, but not kanji.

The thing is, from looking at past tests & study guides, the JLPT is really bad about being chock-full of trick questions; especially on the listening, so I'm going to pace myself.

This year I'm taking level 4 while trying to break 730 kanji by test time.
Started over from scratch a month or two ago, averaging 20~25 kanji a week, stepping it up to 30 a week with this new tutor I've got.
I have a concrete goal of 365 kanji by the end of August.

In September, I'll start going through level 4 practice tests intensively- about 1 per week to make sure I'm fresh on the material and prepared for the test.
Otherwise, most of my study (with the new tutor) over the next couple months will be from the Unicom level 3 book.

Next year will be level 3, followed by level 2 the year after.

My weekly Japanese class is on break for the summer, but the textbook we've been using (a Japanese-only textbook from Japan) will have us to level 2 upon completion- which we're on pace to finish by the end of June 2008.
Definitely plan to be started on the Unicom level 2 book by early next year.
I've also got a huge library of topic books (the Kodansha Language Guides), kanji/vocabulary builders (Kanji in Context, Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters), textbooks (Nakama, JBP), and readers (graded readers, 昔話, books at various reading levels) that I'm going through as well. Using my ADD to my advantage, I guess you could say.

Don't know that level 1 will be at all feasible; but I think I may give it a shot in 3 years depending on how comfortable I feel with the kanji.
Meaning; if studying for level 1 just means working on some advanced grammar, learning a bunch of new words, and running through any old test I can get my hands on, I'll give it a shot. If I am not comfortable with the 常用漢字 by then, maybe I'll wait a year or 2.

Lately, studying Japanese is about all I've got motivation to do. Been doing largely self-study for a looooong time and have little to show for it, except decent speaking ability (I largely ignored reading). These tests will give me a chance to finally have something to show for my effort. I also would really like to be able to start reading Japanese novels.

Up until about 9 months ago, I'd been training kickboxing very seriously for years, to the exclusion of everything else. Went through some stuff almost a year ago and when I recovered I realized my priorities had changed. I like kickboxing, but I can't block out everything else to focus on it anymore. On the other hand, studying Japanese with every free minute I have is really a lot of fun. My passion's definitely for studying now.

tonbo
I think everyone's different.
Flashcards don't help me much learning kanji.
I got both sets from White Rabbit Press and then it was like "now what?".
I need the tactile experience of writing out the strokes so I can get a feel for the character. I may not remember perfect stroke order, but it's more than enough to get an intimate knowledge of the character.
I'm using the kanji-a-day pads, followed by further repetitions in 2 separate kanji renshuu notebooks- total about 130 repetitions per character; as well as covering readings and popular combinations.

One touted benefit of flashcards (especially online flashcard programs) is periodic repetitions, which do a lot more to help you remember than forced memorization. I'd rather get the bulk of my periodic repetition through reading books, websites, articles, emails, etc; even if only a subset of kanji are for regular use- because at least then I can kill 2 birds with one stone. I also have a planned repetition scheduled next year when I finish up the second kanji-a-day calendar and migrate over to the Kanji & Kana series from Hadamitzky and Spahn.

You gotta find what works for you and run with it, whether it's Hadamitzky & Spahn, Henshall, Heisig, flashcards, kanji-a-day, or kanji renshuu books.


hope this wasn't too much of a hijack

[annie]

kichigaijin-
You'll drive yourself batty if you take one practice test a week for 3 months.... I'd recommend taking level 3 this year. It sounds like you'll be where you need to be by December and there's no real advantage to taking 4.

You don't need to sit all 4 of the exams. It sounds like you're plenty motivated without the exams. If you like to take tests, or if you want to have an "official" label on your Japanese skills, go for it. But, the exams are expensive and they're not fun.

I'm thinking about level 1 this year. But, since I don't have any real purpose in taking the exam, other than to pass it, I'm not sure if it's worth the money. Or if I'm motivated enough to study for it. (especially as I'll be spending 2 months this summer traveling and not speaking/studying Japanese)

[kichigaijin]

Definitely going to think about it.
I might do practice tests for 6 weeks before the test instead of 3 months.
I could probably take level 3, but I don't know that I'd be as confident about my grasp of the material. Taking level 4 gives me a chance to isolate the test format from the material, to figure out if there's a method to the madness.
Mostly, I came up with the schedule to ensure that I'm on pace for level 2 without a huge break after level 3 - which would probably happen if i took level 3 this year.

If and when I ever move back to Japan, I'd love to take the JTest.
I also plan on taking BJT.

I like test taking as motivation, but I also want whatever certs i can get to have a little more mobility in my career. I've found myself knee-deep in a career field I'm not sure I want to stay in and having recognized, certified Japanese ability would give me opportunities to do other things.