Tuesday, February 17, 2009

JLPT 2008 test result

I got the result from the Japanese language proficiency test (JLPT) 2008 today and as I thought I passed it with a broad margin.




The passing score for level 1 is 280 points, 70%, I got 321 points which is about 80%.
While I had almost 90% correct answers on the most important part of the test, the reading and grammar, I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed with the listening section of the test, only reaching a score of 67%. One reason for that is that the CD player broke down half way through the test, we had to listen to a bunch of questions another time, the CD player broke down again, causing people to get upset and some slight disorder in the hall and the staff had to get a new one. Also caused me to lose my focus totally.
Also I have to admit that I have a tendency to get confused easily during the JLPT listening tests. Even though I hear and understand what they say, the dialogues and following questions can be quite tricky and is not only a test of your listening comprehension, but just as much a test of your short-term memory. While I do have a talent for logical thinking and can usually get the gist of a long text very quickly, I believe that I also have a certain 'talent' for hearing things and immediately forgetting it or not really paying enough attention to it or just being lost in my own thoughts for a moment. It can be a useful talent when you're tired and spending time with someone who's constantly talking and you just don't want to hear it, but not when you're doing a listening comprehension test.

I also had my final examination at school a couple of weeks ago. Got 95,5% correct answers altogether on the four tests that we took (vocabulary, reading, grammar and listening). The best score in my class, which is the highest class in the school. In other words I can now leave Japan next month without any regrets regarding my studies. Ever since I decided to go to Japan to study Japanese, my policy has been that I'm taking big loans and using big money for my education here so I'm not going to let it go to waste.

Finally, I wonder how it can take more than two months for the guys at the Japan foundation, who administrates the JLPT, to correct the tests and send out the results. Especially since the tests are digitally checked by computers. Once you've finally received the result after more than two months of waiting, you just get a small note with your scores. If you want an A4 document with your result printed on you've got to make a photocopy of the small test result note that you recieved and send it back again to the Japan foundation together with 1000 yen. As if the 5500+yen that the test originally costed wasn't enough already.

To make things even more strange, people who take the test in Korea can pay some extra fee to get a code and check their test result on the Internet already a few weeks after the test. This is the one widely recognised test of the Japanese language and therefore very important when applying for jobs etc. Shouldn't everyone get their results at the same time to make things fair?

9 comments:

Unknown said...

wow you passed level 1! how long did you study all in all to pass level 1? oshiete kudasai :)

Brandt (ブラント) said...

I started studying Japanese at a language school here in Sapporo in April 2007. Didn't know much more Japanese than 'konnichiha' at that time, so started from the first chapter of the beginner level.
Passed the JLPT level 3 in December 2007 and studied like a mad man during 2008, decided to skip level 2 and go straight for level 1 which served as a good source of motivation. From September until December last year I studied from morning until evening at least six days per week.

I'll put up a post about how I studied when I have the time!

Unknown said...

wow! what a determination, it's amazing and a bit unbelievable too. you studied for just a little less than 2 years. do you think you could have done it if you studied in sweden and not in japan? すごい! おめでとう ございます!

Brandt (ブラント) said...

ありがとうございます!
No, I wouldn't have been able to do it in Sweden. I've been going to a language school monday-friday every week and studied Japanese full time during these two years.
Even though school hasn't always been that great, it's at least been a schedule for me to follow and I've known what to study and in which order to pass the test.

Also, living in Japan with a Japanese girlfriend, hanging out with Japanese friends and speaking Japanese to a lot of different people in different situations is a crucial point. That's difficult if you don't live here.

I'm sure you can pass the level 1 without living in Japan, but it makes things a lot easier if you've at least lived here for a while before in that case.

勉強でがんばってね!

Anonymous said...

HOw old are you? I think is a important data to know, maybe as people get older is more difficult to learn new things. And, how did you did to go living to japan? I want to go, but I do not where to begin looking at...
I have studied japanese for 2.5 years and I did 2kyu last years, I'm waiting my result, but I think I have a few chances. Any advise would be really appreciated. (how did you study, etc)
By the way, I dont speak a perfect english, but I do may best!

Brandt (ブラント) said...

I'm 25 years old.
The first step if you want to study in Japan should be to decide where in Japan you want to go and then search for language schools in that city/region, for example on google.
Contact a few different schools with any questions that you've got and choose the one that you think seems to be the best one for you.
It's usually no problem to be accepted by the school and the school will help you with finding a place to stay, health insurance and visa etc, so all you need is to make a budget, save money and decide when to go!
The Japanese yen has become very expensive lately, so unfortunately it has become quite expensive to stay in Japan compared to only a bit more than half a year ago.
If you're at about level 2 now, I think you should be able to pass level 1 if you study in Japan for one year, but that's of course different for each person, depending on motivation etc..

Anonymous said...

where and how did you meet your girlfriend?

shizuka said...

after passing jlpt level 1, what's next?

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