So, it turns out my score on test #1 was actually pretty good (95/200). After studying many Level 4 kanji characters for several hours and taking test #2, my score was 67/200.

AND, I realized that I did one of the sections wrong on test #1, so my actual score was 85, not 95!

There are several problem points.

1. Sometimes I don’t know the vocabulary because there are gaps in my knowledge due to being a second language learner.

2. Sometimes I can’t remember how to write the kanji from previous tests (Levels 10 to 5, which I have already passed but have forgotten many of the details). They are all fair game on this test, but I am primarily studying the characters from Level 4 and they don’t seem to show up very much in the practice tests that I am doing.

3. There are 10 different sections on the test and there are ones that I am stronger at and ones that I am weaker at. I’m better at the first five sections (with results ranging from 40% to 90%) and weaker at the last five sections (with results ranging from 0% to 30%).

4. There is an element of luck involved. If I happen to know the vocabulary or the kanji, then I am able to answer, but if I happen not to have ever seen the words before, then I am sunk. And there is no way to go through and learn all of the possible compound words that can be made from 1300+ kanji.

In order to pass, I would need to review all six previous levels (1006 characters), but I don’t have enough time for that. So, I will just keep studying the Level 4 kanji, and keep taking the tests, and not worry too much about passing. Studying the Level 4 kanji is useful to me, whereas going back and re-learning all of the details about the first 1006 kanji is not really necessary at the moment because I can read them — I just can’t write them.

Stay tuned for more updates on my progress or lack thereof.