How long should I study before taking the JLPT exam

Hello everyone,

I've been studying Japanese for 4 months and I'm seriously interested in its language and culture.
I'm currently dedicating 4 hours/week (classes + preparation) plus a few minutes to improve my kana skills and vocabulary.
My question is: if I keep this pace, when should I take JLPT4? What about the other tests?
I've already asked some people at my school and each one has a different answer. I think I have a gift for languages and Proficiency tests don't scare me at all since I've already taken them for other idioms and did pretty well.

I'd appreciate your answers.

I'd take them when you're ready. In other words, try some of the practice questions and if you think you're ready take the main test. Even if you're not ready, the score will give you a benchmark of your progress. So even if you don't pass it's not a total loss.