Got my score too!  I thought I was going to be really borderline, but it looks like I passed with good scores. Kanji is still my weak area, and I'll need to stick to a rigorous routine in 2016 to fortify it.

My 2015 JLPT N3 scores:

Language Knowledge (vocab/grammar): 38/60
Reading: 42/60
Listening: 60/60

Total Score: 140/180

Vocabulary: A
Grammar: A

My listening score boosted my overall the most, but remember, I've been studying that for 23 years!  I'll probably go for N2 in December, but there is a lot of studying remaining to get me there.

Last year 90/180, this year 109/180, relieved that I passed, reading score is much improved, however grammar is still a weakpoint ©, I found N4 grammar to be straightforward in comparison.

Regarding grammar I found that with sample papers out of the four possible answers can usually get down to the 2 most likeliest of answers, then in the end pick wrong one, they all so similar, well plan to take n2 this year.

(2016-01-26, 9:32 pm)ariariari Wrote: OK, so I got my score. As expected, I failed. Here's the breakdown:

Language knowledge (vocab/grammar): 25/60
Reading: 19/60
Listening: 20/60

Total score: 64/180

Vocabulary: B
Grammar: B

Reflecting on both the score and my experience, my story is that I was near the lower threshold for language knowledge for this level. But once you threw in reading and listening at the level they were testing at, it really all just fell apart for me.

Provided that I keep up my current study habits, I do not think that it will be hard to get a better score next December. I am on track to finish both my N3 kanji book and N4 grammar review book by the end of June.  And I'm already doing a lot more reading,  of a lot more different types of stuff, than I was doing when I took the exam.

As before, I really wish they offered the test more than once a year here in the US!

So here's some interesting trivia: According to their score interpretation page I actually passed each subsection (you needed a 19/60 on each section). But I was well off the total pass score, which needed a 95/180.

For some reason I thought that you also needed a B on vocab and grammar, but that site says that those score are just for reference.

(2016-01-27, 12:18 pm)ariariari Wrote: So here's some interesting trivia: According to their score interpretation page I actually passed each subsection (you needed a 19/60 on each section). But I was well off the total pass score, which needed a 95/180.

I remember you saying you thought you bombed the listening section, but you squeaked by there. Are you adjusting your study plan at all in reaction to the results?

(2016-01-27, 1:22 pm)poiprotocol Wrote:

(2016-01-27, 12:18 pm)ariariari Wrote: So here's some interesting trivia: According to their score interpretation page I actually passed each subsection (you needed a 19/60 on each section). But I was well off the total pass score, which needed a 95/180.

I remember you saying you thought you bombed the listening section, but you squeaked by there. Are you adjusting your study plan at all in reaction to the results?

Good question. I don't think so. I mean, I know that I have these holes in my grammar, and going thru this N4 grammar book I think is the right way to handle that for now. I just don't want to progress with more grammar until I feel like I have a solid understanding of everything that I really "ought to know by now". And the N3 kanji book seems like something that I can knock off sooner rather than later. I'm pretty sure that I know most of the kanji they use on sight, but this book (shin kanzen master) also has vocabulary and teaches things like common readings, etc. I really enjoy using the book, so I'm happy to dedicate time with it.

These both seem like goals that I can tackle with self-study and within 6 months. So taking J-CAT now and after completing them seems like a good thing. I expect to reassess then. I don't think I can plan much past these goals.

But I've also started doing more pleasure reading. Last year I only became able to read NHK Easy News in the 2nd half of the year, and I read it quite a bit. But it was the only thing I read. This year I've also started reading manga like Yotsubato. 

The only thing I really don't practice now is listening. And I'm OK with putting that off for a while. I might just need more vocab and grammar before I find enjoyable things to listen to. I'm also mostly doing this for fun. So if listening just becomes a weakness for them then that just be OK.

(2016-01-27, 1:45 pm)ariariari Wrote:

(2016-01-27, 1:22 pm)poiprotocol Wrote:

(2016-01-27, 12:18 pm)ariariari Wrote: So here's some interesting trivia: According to their score interpretation page I actually passed each subsection (you needed a 19/60 on each section). But I was well off the total pass score, which needed a 95/180.

I remember you saying you thought you bombed the listening section, but you squeaked by there. Are you adjusting your study plan at all in reaction to the results?

Good question. I don't think so. I mean, I know that I have these holes in my grammar, and going thru this N4 grammar book I think is the right way to handle that for now. I just don't want to progress with more grammar until I feel like I have a solid understanding of everything that I really "ought to know by now". And the N3 kanji book seems like something that I can knock off sooner rather than later. I'm pretty sure that I know most of the kanji they use on sight, but this book (shin kanzen master) also has vocabulary and teaches things like common readings, etc. I really enjoy using the book, so I'm happy to dedicate time with it.

These both seem like goals that I can tackle with self-study and within 6 months. So taking J-CAT now and after completing them seems like a good thing. I expect to reassess then. I don't think I can plan much past these goals.

But I've also started doing more pleasure reading. Last year I only became able to read NHK Easy News in the 2nd half of the year, and I read it quite a bit. But it was the only thing I read. This year I've also started reading manga like Yotsubato. 

The only thing I really don't practice now is listening. And I'm OK with putting that off for a while. I might just need more vocab and grammar before I find enjoyable things to listen to. I'm also mostly doing this for fun. So if listening just becomes a weakness for them then that just be OK.

Here's a better answer. Even though I had the "minimum pass" on each section, you need an average of 32/60 on each section to pass the test. I'm still not there on even language knowledge. So I'm going to continue focusing on that before focusing on reading or listening.

Whoops - just realized this should go in the 2016 n3 thread

Hello folks. I passed too.
even so I am bit confused on the minium score required; Here it is:
Language knowledge 32/60
Reading 28/60
Listening 42/60
total 102/180.

I thought it was necessary at least 50% on each section and Reading 28 is less than 50%....then I found the link that Ariari posted...Ok...I understood.
I might be here around in a couple of year to tackle the JPN2...
See you then

Congratulations to Poiprotocol 60/60 on the listening section is an achievement!!!
P.s I am currently doing an exercises book on the train for the third time so st least I am not forgetting things...I now consider the grammar my weakest point.