A Surreal Experience: The JLPT

If you want to know why I haven’t be writing drama reviews this week, this is the reason why.

This weekend I drove up with a friend to Atlanta, Georgia to take the JLPT. The JLPT, for those that don’t know, is the Japanese Language Proficiency Test; a test that is designed to gauge your abilities in the Japanese language. You are able to pick from five levels, ranging from easiest to hardest, and be tested. Results usually are delivered between two to three months and either people pass it or fail it.

This year the test was changed from the old format and I will say that there were some big changes from the old test that threw me for a loop. I took the N5 (easiest level) this year just to test the waters for the new format, especially since it was a spontaneous decision to take the test at the last minute, and after drilling for three months for the test and taking old exams for practice, the new JLPT is definitely looking for something different in the test takers than the previous tests.

You have to go into the test knowing more than the minimum. They want people to take the test showing that they know Japanese and not that they crammed the vocabulary list (which does not exist btw) in a three month time span. 

My problem with the N5 was two things: It’s easier than the JLPT ４級 and there was not an emphasis on grammar. The Japan Foundation says that the N5 is the equivalent to the old 4級 but it seems as if the N5 is a more dumbed down version of the old test. There wasn’t as many questions compared to the old test. The listening section was too easy, to the point some in the class laughed at one of the questions. Also, there really wasn’t an emphasis on grammar – to me at least. The test seemed to want to gauge your reading comprehension skills than really drill you for your grammar like the old test.

I definitely felt a bit tripped up because I dedicated 60% of my time studying the grammar points I kept failing on the past test papers and none of those questions were even on the test – I was definitely ill prepared for that. I finished the vocabulary/kanji section in 10 minutes of the 25 minute time and the grammar section I took 40 minutes on because of all the long reading passages and spent the last 10 going over my answers.

I probably should have taken the N4/N3 like all my friends told me to do. I did feel that I kind of wasted my time after I took the test as I didn’t feel a challenge. But, regardless, I came for the experience and it definitely was an experience. Seeing so many people speaking Japanese, some huddled in corners cramming, and others with their parents. Definitely a whirlwind in that building.

Now, for that age ol’ debate of is it even worth taking the N5: There were people in that room struggling with the test. If you are truly a beginning of the language, then take the N5. Do not waste your money trying to take a harder test that you know you’re not prepared for. It was my fault for overestimating the N5 with my skill level in Japanese, but had I taken the test five years ago I probably would have struggled as well. The JLPT is all about testing your proficiency, don’t use it as a way to get your ego stroked, do it for yourself not for others.

Results come out in February. Lets hope that letter comes with my certificate.