So basically I was planning to do the N3 at the end of this year in December but it got booked out in less than 5 hours so I was thinking about shooting for the N2 instead. I’m able to currently answer maybe 70% of the online practice questions on the JLPT website but I’m still not really sure how hard the real test is in contrast. If I do decide to go about taking the N2 what advice would you give? (ex: how many hours, important notes and etc). Also for a final note, I would like to express that I’m still only 16 so I have school to do on top of studying for the JLPT.
13 comments
One of the more difficult things about the exam is time management I.e making sure you have enough time to get through everything. So if you do end up taking it, I recommend taking a full practice exam under the same conditions as the real test, identifying your strengths and which sections you will spend the most time on etc.
Do practise tests as much as possible. Find out which section gives you the most trouble (for me it was reading, for you it may be listening) and work on it until you at least consistently get passing scores. Have you taken N5 or N4 before? If so, you’re familiar with the format, the time management at least a bit.
N2 has a bit of grammar and vocab that isn’t used in daily life. So 1 accept that (I know many students who get frustrated by learning things they likely won’t use until they get to Japan and try to read a lease contract in Japanese), 2 learn from a book, there are plenty N2 preparation guides, just trust a book, don’t go full “immersion only” with your limited time.
Passing mark for N2 is around 1000 kanji and 6000 vocabulary. At average it takes around 2000 hours of learning, including all that practice we need to be comfortable with it. Basically it’s a bit tricky situation, because we can learn all materials needed for N2 in 2-4 times faster. Like if we use Anki, 6k vocabulary is only around 100 hours, and even if we double for pronunciation+written forms, it’s still only 200 hours or even less. We would spend more time on grammar, but it’s still going to be very far off from 2k hours. But there is a huge difference in practical ability. For example, many people at first read only 30-50 words/minute, but after 1-2k hours of learning it becomes 200+ words/minute. Reading speed is very important, the faster you read, the more time you have. Similarly there are improvements in listening too.
So in many cases it’s rather like 500-1000 hours of actual learning and 1000-1500 hours of practicing with it in any way person likes, maybe media, maybe chatting/talking, maybe something else.
Also notice that if you focus on intensive Japanese learning, your grades in school can easily drop. Simply because you memorize a lot of Japanese and have less resources left for other subjects. Foreign language classes, which probably are balanced for school/university learning, usually aim at N4 in a year or N2 in 3 years. Just to show expected tempo to learn alongside other subjects.
You have to be fast, the N5 here booked out in 3 minutes. Guess I’m taking the N4 next year
Website is very limited and rough guide but the practice test books are good. Do one as a general check then do another one and time yourself. I’ve only done N1 but I believe the strategies should be somewhat similar
Can’t really give any advise in the test itself but I’d say justgo for N2. The worst thing that could happen is that you fail a test which is of a higher difficulty than the one you originally wanted to take. You still have almost half a year to study, you might surprise yourself.
I went straight for N1 without any prior experience taking the JLPT and passed — with middling scores, but I ended up getting a job in Japan so who cares — without really expecting I would. Go for it! The worst that happens is you fail, but know how close you are to N2. The bright side is you might pass anyway.
If you can answer 70% of the questions in the real test, that’s an easy passing grade. I’d say just take it. Maybe take a past paper or two at home (you can find them online if you search hard enough) to get used to the structure and time limit.
If it’s not a particular burden for you (financially/time-wise), why not. You can take the test as many times as you want, and challenging myself to a higher level than what I thought I was comfortable with helped my motivation to study.
As the others have said, just do a ton of practice tests. When you don’t understand something, make a card for it in Anki and you’ll know the next time. The most intimidating part for me at first was reading the long texts, but there is no way around it other than practicing.
You scared the shit out of me, thinking I missed the sign-ups.
Not till September 6 here. I should set an alarm.
Do it lol. N2 is much more useful than N3 and there’s still a lot of time left until December. Not to mention that 70% correct answers would most likely be enough to get a passing score anyway (unless your strengths and weaknesses are very imbalanced). If anything, taking N3 would be ridiculously overcautious.
Just go for N2! Challenge yourself a bit.
I will give you some advice for N2. The reading essays are long. You need to manage time and bring up all of your speed on the test.
Good luck!
JLPT is expensive, save your money until you’re confident you can pass N2 or N1. Why pay “the man” for a low qualification at 16 years-old?