- WaniKani Level: 6
- JLPT Level: N5, took and passed this in December 2018
- Resources/Materials(Completed): Self-studying at home, “Japanisch Schritt für Schritt” Book 1 plus various Youtube videos
- Your Next Goal: Taking JLPT N4 next year (i.e. 2020)
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- WaniKani Level: 17
- JLPT Level: Passed N3, failed N2
- Resources/Materials(Completed): Genki, Tobira, and a year of language classes at a Japanese university
- Your Next Goal: Focusing on WK again (I am just getting back into it after 3ish years of neglecting it, thus the low level), revisiting Tobira since I’ve forgotten a lot, practicing reading books, and hopefully retaking/passing N2 next December.
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I used Sou Matome as my main study source because I liked the way it grouped similar grammar a bit better. It also feels more light and less scary because it has a lot of images and not a ton of content. That was fine for me because I have a teacher for additional explanations but it would not be sufficient on its own.
Try! however is a nice compromise. More info than Sou Matome but still a bit more friendly and less dry than Shin Kanzen Master. If you really study everything in Try! then I think you are well enough prepared for N3. You can always do the two sample tests a month or so before the test to see where your week areas are. And when you do that: definitely time yourself to get a feeling for how much time you will have during the real test.
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- WaniKani Level: 36
- JLPT Level: Passed N5 in December 2018. Currently at a self-assessed N4-N3 level.
- Resources/Materials(Completed): Duolingo Japanese (original tree, pre-update), Lingodeer Japanese I & II, Learn Japanese from Manga, Bunpro N5-N4 grammar + most N3 grammar.
- Your Next Goal: I’m aiming to do either the N4 or N3 in July next year. My listening needs a lot of work and I’m not reading nearly enough as a I should be. I’m going to Tokyo in a few weeks so hopefully I’ll be able to pick up some manga, books and Nintendo Switch games to bring back with me. I’m hoping to have reached level 60 on WK before I sit the exam.
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Thanks for the info.
- WaniKani Level: 13
- JLPT Level: N5 (estimate)
- Resources/Materials: 1 year of Japanese classes and completed Genki 1 as a refresher after the course.
- Your Next Goal: Finish Genki 2 and start Tobira in January and pass the N3 in 2020
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- WaniKani Level: 18, going to be at this level for a while
- JLPT Level: Going for N3, but I’m probably more between N4 and N3
- Resources/Materials(Completed): Minna no nihongo completed, Tobira halfway or so, Nihongo no Mori on youtube for N3
- Your Next Goal: N3 in December, but fail or win, the goal after that will just be one level at at time, one chapter of Tobira at a time.
I think Grammar at this point in my studies, is more important than the Kanji, but that is because I’m way behind. Better is to do it at the same time, as you can’t really do one without the other and say you’re competent at a language.
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Thanks, I did not know.
WaniKani Level: 3 (I’m baby 
)
JLPT Level: Everyone keeps telling me I’m at JLPT 4, but in practice I would say JLPT 5. Never taken a test because who has that kind of money? And also no car in America means no random December testing when I need to be working during the break for uni money.
Resources/Materials(Completed): I am not a finisher. I’m a starter, go real harder, then burn out real faster kind of gal. That being said I’ve completed 3 years of university level Japanese classes using Genki 1 & 2 as well as An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese. However, my teachers didn’t use the books traditionally so I have no idea if I’ve ever completed them, though I genuinely don’t think I did. Currently I’m working through “学ぼう！にほんご” (Manabou! Nihongo) and the green New Approach to Elementary Japanese textbooks at the behest of my Japanese professors here in Japan.
Your Next Goal: My current goal is to continue WaniKani to learn kanji better, and to work on formulating spoken sentences better. Also, ideally, I would like to reach N3 or N2 level while I’m here. I write really well when given enough time. I can read pretty decently (not if there’s a lot of kanji bc baby at lvl 3 here), and I can understand a lot if the native speaker isn’t too quiet or fast with their words (a challenge particularly in the Kansai area for me–that and Kansai dialect send help guys…). But when I need to respond? God I sound like a bumbling idiot.
I’m doing a lot of self-study while I’m abroad. I bought two kanji workbooks from the Minna Nihongo line because I really just need the kanji practice as I never really learned how to learn kanji properly in university. I didn’t really think the different readings were important?? (I was a DUMB baby guys. I laugh at past me not trying hard enough.) I’m going to events where I speak Japanese more often (even if I do sound like a stuttering child sometimes). So there are lots of things going on to get better. It’s just, understandably, a slow process.
And, I too, think grammar is just as important as WaniKani, or any method of learning kanji, don’t be like freshman in college me and just think that everything is okay to be in hiragana or that magically your brain will absorb the vocabulary from basic grammar work. I did NOT try hard enough to learn vocabulary or kanji during my first 3 years of Japanese. It’s really biting me now because I can’t read a lot of the menus or pamphlets and such. It’s a bummer, and I don’t want anyone else to feel that way if/when they make it to Japan. It’s ALL important.
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WaniKani Level: 03 - I started about 3 weeks ago.
JLPT Level: I passed N5 in 2017 but was really demotivated in general because I went to classes and they kept changing my teacher which I found tough because i’m the sort who needs consistency (yes even the teachers) so I just dropped out after passing N5. I also didn’t engage in any material outside the textbook and classroom activities / homework so that probably didn’t help either.
Resources/Materials(Completed): Minna no Nihongo 1-1, 1-2 and 2-1 and iTalki lessons with two lovely ladies but one stopped lessons and the other had a baby so yeah. I’m going to add another line below…
Resources/Materials(Current): Wanikani has been a breath of fresh air for me. The consistency it requires absolutely suits my personality so much so that I was inspired to restart Japanese classes. I am very aware of the potential for burnout as I have a FT job as well so i’m doing a lot of simple exercises, but the key thing is that I do it daily no matter what. My current routine which takes about an hour in total that i’ve maintained since starting WK is a) All WK reviews + lessons if i’m not too tired for the day b) couple lessons of Duolingo (5min) c) Mondly daily lesson (useful for practicing recognising kanji but not much else) d) one lesson and one review on LingoDeer Japanese 1 (takes 5-10mins depending on the content) e) one episode of an anime just to get used to hearing the language again and f) BunPro (I only just started yesterday so no comments on this yet. Skipped a lot of stuff though cos I know most of the N5 grammar).
Your Next Goal: Completing Japanese the Manga Way (grammar guide) by Sep 2020, completing WK 30 by Dec 2020 and taking N3/4 in Dec 2020 as well. When it comes to whether i’m going to be taking N3 or N4, i’ll assess just before the end of the enrolment period. If it looks like i’m definitely on track to be well past WK 30 before Dec, i’ll sign up for N3.
Unsure if it’s doable but the last three weeks has been the busiest it’s ever been at work and I found my Japanese Hour to be a welcome respite and even relaxing to some weird extent.
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I would advice you to do a practice test as well, to see whether your grammar is in the same range as well, when deciding between N4 and N3.
Good luck!
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Yeah the school where i’m taking Japanese classes is known for their JLPT prep classes and they start really early so i’ll ask to sit in to the first lessons for both and see how I go too. Not gonna try N3 if it means a guaranteed fail 
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FYI, I’ve noticed that the practice tests they have on the JLPT website seem to be a little easier compared to when I took the actual test. So make sure you check different resources to try to get a more complete picture
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- WaniKani Level: 36
- JLPT Level: N2 (passed with 52%, so I don’t really consider myself to be N2 level. That said, I did attempt N1 last week but it was a car crash so the less said about that the better)
- Resources/Materials(Completed): Too many to talk about, but Minna No Nihongo 1 & 2, J-Bridge Intermediate and the Shin Kanzen Master books (reading/grammar only) for N3 and N2. Currently working though 中級を学ぼう！
- Your Next Goal Currently living in Japan but unemployed, so finding a good job with an IT type foreign company here is next on the list, followed by actually revising N2 grammar so I feel like less of a fraud for having passed N2, then attempting N1 again next July or December. If I can get a job without N1, then I might actually try N2 again in July 2020 first, then go for N1 properly in December 2020
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WaniKani Level: 9
JLPT Level Just barely failed N2 by 3 points. I blame moving for eating up all my study time. Still mad.
Resources/Materials: I’ve played with Sou Matome, but it seemed a little N3 rather than N2. Much preferred Shin Kanzen Master. Other than that, just basic novels and such. Translating is a hobby.
Next Goal: Not forget Japanese. That’s about it.
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Wouldn’t practicing speaking better than going for N1 if you want to get a job? I mean usually, N2 is enough for jobs.
Usually yes, but it happens. I applied to a position at Sony and they refused because I didn’t have N1. (and it was in the requirement)
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I think there’s a bit of oversaturation, anymore. It used to be that you could skirt your way into a job on an N2, but there’s so many people applying with an N2 that more and more employers will turn you down unless you have an N1.
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WaniKani Level: 11
JLPT Level: I passed the old N4 and failed the old N3, but that was a long time ago. I’m hoping to get up to about N3 level before the 2020 test in the USA.
Resources/Materials(Completed): Michel Thomas Japanese (whole series), Genki 1,2, Tobira, Some JapanesePod101, YesJapan (Whole Series), Japanese Level Up (Beginner, Starting Intermediate).
Your Next Goal: Floor it with WK and get to level 50-55 by the end of 2020. Finish JALUP Intermediate and Advanced Levels, start reading easier manga (yotsuba, etc.), start going to Japanese conversation groups again, pass JLPT N3+.
What about BJT? I would think it would be more practical unless it’s less recognized than JLPT.