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JLPT N3 in 7 months?

Jrc01

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1 May 2013
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I was going to apply for Monbusho scholarship, but there's a rules change made in my country this year. One of it is to have JLPT certificate (N4 for specialized training/N3 for undergraduate) if my national exam score doesn't pass the minimum score requirement.
I'm going to apply for specialized training college, which means I need JLPT N4/more. Since I think that having N3 certificate might help me getting higher chance to get the scholarship, I've decided to take N3 this December.
I still have 7 months from now on, and have learned all kanji from Basic Kanji Book 1 (250+ <- this includes almost all N5 kanjis) and know most of N5 vocab. I have alot of free time, maybe 10-12 hours per day (have graduated from school and not working), and free all day (except Sunday, only 10 hours of free time at most). Do you think I'll be able to reach or even pass N3 only in 7 months, and by studying everyday for 10-12 hours?
The registration is on August, and I have to decide whether I'm going for N4 or N3. If I go for N3 but in the end I couldn't pass the test, then I have to wait for next year for JLPT test, and another next year for monbusho (and I'll reach the age limit soon without even realizing it!). Any help will be much appreciated!
 
How good is your Japanese? If you could understand the basics, I would say it probably doable. Maybe you can first try the past N4/level 3 tests to see where you're at?
 
How good is your Japanese? If you could understand the basics, I would say it probably doable. Maybe you can first try the past N4/level 3 tests to see where you're at?
I believe I'm only around 60-65% (or maybe 65-70%) of N5 since my grammar is still pretty bad (maybe I need to studying the particles more). About listening and reading, I practice on listening through anime and japanese songs, and as for reading, at least I can understand and read long text/paragraph that consist the 250+ kanjis from Basic Kanji 1.
 
One suggestion would be to keep studying hard and to do two N4 mock exams at the end of July. Time yourself exactly and do it without "cheating". If you pass those 2 mock exams in July with decent scores then I think it makes no sense to take N4 in December. So in August you could just register for N3.

If you don't do so well on the N4 mock tests in July, then in August you should consider registering for N4, to be absolutely sure that you can qualify for Monbukagakusho.
Hope this helps
 
Currently I almost finished Basic Kanji Book 1&2, and all materials for N5, so I think I can finish N4 by this July. Will surely try the mock test asap. Anyway, thank you very much for the answers guys!
 
As you said, you got lots of time in a day, so I would say N3 is very doable. :) How are you progressing with N4?
 
Sorry for the late reply.
I've already finished the vocabs and kanjis for both N4 & N5 but the grammar :\ I just knew that the registration time is on August 19th - Sept 13, so there are still time to decide.
I only need to learn 180+ more kanjis (this already includes the N3 kanjis) which I believe I can finish quickly, but there are still 3000 vocabs for N3 and grammar for N5 to N3. I think I can finish the vocabs in one month, but do you think finishing grammar from N5 to N3 in 1.5 - 2 months is enough?
I didn't study at all last month due to some reasons, but there are still more than 3 months left and I'll keep studying like a madman. Is it still possible? This might be a bit OOT, but do you have any suggestions for a grammar book that can help you learn from the basic to N3? I'm really get lost in the grammar and don't know where to start :l
 
Have you tried doing a (timed, including listening section) N4 paper yet? If you couldn't pass N4 (easily) if you had to take it today, N3 by December seems impossible. Reading speed and the listening section could be particular issues.

In terms of JLPT grammar/prep books, I've heard decent things about the Kanzen Master series. You need to be familiar with the test format. There are not longer public test requirements (lists of kanji/vocab/grammar required), so be aware that any lists are just what people have extrapolated from the old test requirements + some info from past tests.

If not having either N4 or N3 means you can't go for the scholarship at all, if I were you I'd go for N4. Race through a beginner textbook/online course to get through the basic grammar, and then work on past papers/JLPT prep books - make sure you work on your time management.
 
You still have more than 3 months to December, even if you hasn't started you still have enough time to pass even the N2 level.
Make a plan, use excel spread sheet, the key is to study every day (very important) even 1-2 hours is enough. You should follow the schedule strictly.
From personal experience, I studied for 4 months and passed the N2.

Also, Jrc01, kanji is not as important as you think, kanji/grammar/vocab is all stuck in the language section, but you have language, reading and listening sections, so at most, kanji is worth maybe less than 5% of the exam. So don't worry about how to read and write kanji much, focus just on understanding the meaning. The reading and listening sections even at N2 levels are easy and straight-forwarded (not like the SATs) with a little effort you can get over 90% on those 2 sections easily. With that, you just need to get over 1/3 correct on the remaining language section to pass.
 
Have you tried doing a (timed, including listening section) N4 paper yet? If you couldn't pass N4 (easily) if you had to take it today, N3 by December seems impossible. Reading speed and the listening section could be particular issues.

In terms of JLPT grammar/prep books, I've heard decent things about the Kanzen Master series. You need to be familiar with the test format. There are not longer public test requirements (lists of kanji/vocab/grammar required), so be aware that any lists are just what people have extrapolated from the old test requirements + some info from past tests.

If not having either N4 or N3 means you can't go for the scholarship at all, if I were you I'd go for N4. Race through a beginner textbook/online course to get through the basic grammar, and then work on past papers/JLPT prep books - make sure you work on your time management.
I'm not really worry about my time management since I have like 10-11 hours of free time per day and I've been studying for that long since May. I haven't tried doing the mock exam but I already tried the sample test on jlpt site. I believe what I need is just some study for the grammar section since I can do the other section pretty good. But I already chose N4 now and already registered since I also think that it's better to do something that you already know what the result will be. I'd like to go for N3, but if I didn't slack off last month, I would've been able to do N3 xD; Anyway, thank you for your suggestion!
You still have more than 3 months to December, even if you hasn't started you still have enough time to pass even the N2 level.
Make a plan, use excel spread sheet, the key is to study every day (very important) even 1-2 hours is enough. You should follow the schedule strictly.
From personal experience, I studied for 4 months and passed the N2.

Also, Jrc01, kanji is not as important as you think, kanji/grammar/vocab is all stuck in the language section, but you have language, reading and listening sections, so at most, kanji is worth maybe less than 5% of the exam. So don't worry about how to read and write kanji much, focus just on understanding the meaning. The reading and listening sections even at N2 levels are easy and straight-forwarded (not like the SATs) with a little effort you can get over 90% on those 2 sections easily. With that, you just need to get over 1/3 correct on the remaining language section to pass.
4 months for N2?! How long did you study per day? And there I thought being able to learn up to N4 in 3 months is already fast enough. So you mean vocab and grammar is the most important? I did see that the questions on the sample test still have furigana on it although the kanji is for that level, though. May I know what books you used before? Especially the one for grammar and maybe vocabulary. Currently I'm using Dictionary of Basic Japanese grammar, but finishing that one will really take time.
 
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