I’ve just decided that I’ll go after the JLPT this year, so I’m looking for resources/communities to help. I’m debating on going after level 2 or 3, but I think I’m about 3. There’s no 2 and a half, is there??
Quick intro: I’m 26/m from the US, now an English teacher and actor living in Tokyo. I have a bit of a background in Korean, so some of the grammar/cultural backing to the language is easier for me…and I knew a few Hanja (Korean Kanji) before. I’ve lived in Japan just over a year, and started studying about a week before I came.

Now - to the question….follow-up to Naz’s question:
Anyone have any personal experience where the JLPT has helped you? I’d love to hear some stories.

At this point, my only motivation to take it is that I want a motivation. Having a goal like the JLPT gives me direction to my studies and a reason to push myself a bit. That’s always fun. It could come in handy in the future…I guess. How has it helped you?

I would like to see more dynamic presentations based in Flash and video for some of the Learning Center exercises. I have not joined the higher level, because I don’t feel like I am ready and much of the content is on other websites in one form or another.

However, Japanesepod101 is moving quickly, and I hope the interest and revenue stream supports all of your hard work!

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I don’t know about Americans becoming intimate faster than Japanese. We don’t usually come up with nicknames for our friends, and that seems more intimate to me. -chan seems really intimate too.

I think what part of the US you’re in affects it to. For example, people in the South are probably more likely to being open to getting friendly quicker than say New York and that area. That’s not meant as a slight against other regions of the US. It’s just how the people down here in the South typically are.

-san is always translated as Mr or Ms or whatever, but is that really a good translation? If you call your friends -san then it doesn’t seem like a good one, though there’s nothing else in English that fits anymore.

Sometimes it’s good, but not all the time. I’ve seen professional subtitles of anime where they would translate classmates calling each other -san as “Mr/Ms.” I hate that. Mr/Ms/Mrs are very respectul titles in English. The problem is that the range of “respect levels” -san covers is a lot wider and hits those levels below what Mr/Ms/Mrs do. Since there isn’t any equivalent in English, it’s up to the translator to use Mr/Ms or not. I think it’s a mistake to use them all the time. Sometimes it’s best to just leave something out of a translation than trying to force it into a construct in the target language is just doesn’t fit into.

Nazさん、yes, level 2 is for getting a working position in some companies, while other may require level 1. Level 1 used to be known as the necessary for college enterance, although I know many people that we’re admitted just having taken the level 1 and taking the university test. Apparently this has changed. For those not interested in this, it does look quite nice on a resume, as opposed to “I speak Japanese.”

Harvさん、thanks for helping out.

Lizさん、so much depends on social status and age relation here. Younger people lose the さん very quick if they are classmates and the same age toward one another, but may never lose it toward older people. Foreigners tend to lose the san quick too.
As for the JLPT stuff, we won’t change the questions, but we’re going to be adding a lot more!! Every week. This week we released a lot more, plus audio questions.

Buckoさん、thanks for helping! But a lot may also depend on getting in the door. Many foreigners can speak and comprehend much better than reading and especially writing.

Lauraさん、some very good points. So much has gone informal! I even had a professor I know get angry me at me for trying to be respectful and call him by his last name + professor. He insisted on his first name!

Robさん、we’ll see what we can do about JLPT 2 stuff. But it may take a while.

Reneさん、yes, you’re right about this. I’d say the Chinese have a clear advantage, but younger Koreans don’t have the Kanji background, so the test is getting harder for them. The Koreans I went to school with we’re a bit older, and they smoked the test. I think one got a 393/400! But the younger ones didn’t do as well. English speakers will see an advantage arise if they stick with it long enough to get into a specialty, as there are so many katakana words in any given field. So although it takes a while, English speakers do have certain advantages!

I think the number of hours they expect you to get to that level in is a joke, it may be right for level 4, but get to level 2 in 600 hours?!?

I just spent the past hour catching up on the lessons again! But I have finished my lessons at university for the summer, so I’ll probably be listening and posting every day, and you’ll be my only source for practicing for JLPT 2 over the summer! It’s really helped a lot to listen to this!

-san is always translated as Mr or Ms or whatever, but is that really a good translation? If you call your friends -san then it doesn’t seem like a good one, though there’s nothing else in English that fits anymore.

The move away from titles in the US has been pretty extreme when you think about it. I don’t think I’ve called anyone except doctors by a title in my adult life. It’s hard to imagine calling my boss “Mr Smith” while he calls me “Laura”. How could we have a proper conversation with an imbalance like that?

I’ve heard you need a minimum of level 2 to work in Japan (in a Japanese speaking environment).

Level 2 info:
The examinee has mastered grammar to a relatively high level, knows around 1,000 Kanji and 6,000 words, and has the ability to converse, read, and write about matters of a general nature. This level is normally reached after studying Japanese for around 600 hours and after completion of an intermediate course.

Level 1 info:
The examinee has mastered grammar to a high level, knows around 2,000 Kanji and 10,000 words, and has an integrated command of the language sufficient for life in Japanese society. This level is normally reached after studying Japanese for around 900 hours.

http://www.jees.or.jp/jlpt/en/jlpt_guide.html

In regard to the JPLT materials, they are fantastic. I’m not going to take that test but I enjoy trying to answer the questions and was thrilled to get some of them right. At some point, would you ever change the questions, because it would be possible to memorize these particular questions….know what I mean??

I think it’s required to get a job in Japan or get into a Japanese university. I’m not sure which levels are needed for either though. I suppose it depends on the job or university.