I have been lurking around here for a while now, so - hello all

I am starting studying Japanese at university this fall, because a couple of months ago I thought that this was the only way to properly learn Japanese (obviously, this was before I found this board, but oh well).

Yesterday I learned that everyone was free to go to a placement test, so I figured I should go there. I have nothing to lose except a bit of pride if it turns out that my japanese is indeed only at a basic beginners level, but nonetheless, I am extremely nervous because I don't know what to expect. A written exam? Multiple choice questions? A conversation in japanese?

Anyway - I wondered if you know what they might ask in such a placement test?
I guess those vary wildly from university to university anyway, but well, as I said, I am already extremely nervous even though the test is still 2 weeks away. I guess that I should lay off RevtK until then - I'm at frame 1000, which is probably way more than they expect in the first semesters anyway...

I failed the (old) JLPT 4 last year, so that's why I always thought my japanese sucked - but if I look at the first chapters of みんなの日本語 Vol.1, which is the textbook they use at my university, I'm bored because I already know the basics of basic japanese grammar (usage of basic particles, sentence structure, how to conjugate to -た, -て, -ます forms etc). The professor I talked to told me that they did みんなの日本語 Vol. 1 in the first two (!) semesters. And here I thought that japanese courses in university were brutal...?

At the moment, my japanese studies consist of RevtK+Reviews, listening to japanese podcasts/news/music even though I don't understand much, and smart.fm's Core2000. I have done みんなの日本語 Vol. 1 up to chapter 10 a couple of months ago, but stopped because I got bored. But since this is the textbook they use in the first two semesters, do you think this is what they use for the placement test as well?

If possible, I want to pass the placement test for the first semester language course, because that would give me more time to finish RevtK and do some more self study before heading into a language course

Any words of advice?

I just took a placement test at a Japanese University last week, and I'm guessing other placement tests wouldn't be too different, usually its fill in the blanks type questions.. correct particles, verb forms, a bit of reading comprehension. They won't be expecting anything written apart from filling in blanks i doubt, and I had to do an interview but if its just to get onto the course that might not be necessary. Placement tests obviously scale, so as long as you know your Hiragana / katakana and the basics you should be able to do the first portions of it easy enough before the difficulty ramps up. So you may be placed in a higher class and skip the very basics.

Chances are you will probably still learn something from "mina no nihongo" if you have failed JLPT4. I wouldn't skip the basics unless there was a reason.

At my school, I knew some people who came in and had to take a placement test. They wanted to get into 2nd year, and they were generally OK with the basics, but didn't know some of the grammar points (from Genki 2, for example). They did pretty well on the written examination, but the interview with the professor didn't go so hot. They ended up having to either start in 1st semester, or take a semester off and begin right at 2nd semester.

So, I'm not really sure what to tell you -- you might get placed in a level below what you think you want, simply because "the teacher wants you to."

As for preparing, I'd just say go as you are. You don't want to cram for this placement test, be placed in a level way too high, and just have to shift down anyway. It's an evaluation to put you in a suitable level, not a qualification like the JLPT.

A university placement test will be like the JLPT in that it will test a minimum standard for everything at different intervals: readings, particles, grammar, vocab, etc. So if you're advanced level in vocab but sub-beginner level in grammar the university will, rightly or wrongly, consider you sub-beginner level.

I agree with the sentiment that you shouldn't be trying to prepare for the placement test too much. It's intended to put you at a level that you can handle.

And it's not always the case that a higher level is better. In my last semester of college I took a Spanish placement test and qualified for 4th semester Spanish, but after sitting in on two different 4th semester classes, and one 3rd semester class, I decided to go with the 3rd semester class because the professor was very passionate about his subject, and I'd wager that in the end it was just as challenging as the other two options. So I guess the moral of this story is that skipping to a higher level may make you miss some gem of experience you would've had otherwise.

Mmm, I was initially a bit irritated at the level I got placed at when I started at Yamasa, but in retrospect reviewing and solidifying all that upper-basic level stuff was exactly what I needed.

I think the other point I'd make is that if you do successfully get placed in a 'higher' level this is in some ways a commitment to doing extra study outside class for anything that you have effectively skipped over. How much of a commitment that would be depends on how fast paced the class is...

Thanks.

I should have added that there is no other language course other than the first one available this fall at the university, so if they'd let me skip this one, I'd have the semester free to study as I pleased as far as I know, I wouldn't have to go straight to level two and start there. I'd really like that because it would give me some time to get ahead with self study.

You're right, I want to be placed in a course that matches my abilities, and not one that is too advanced for me. I just fear that I won't be able to show my command of the language if I'm not somewhat prepared to what they are going to ask me. Fear of exams, I guess :o

If you have the book they teach with then you already know what the test will be based on. I'm not familiar with the book, but my first semester course was polite form and its conjugations. (です、ます、でした、ました、じゃありません、etc)
Also watch out for the vocab because there's probably some weird stuff you won't come across self studying. (専攻 was used a lot, but I don't think I've ever seen it outside of class)

Just to finish things - I did the placement test and failed it, oops. It's okay though, since they were testing for the second YEAR, not the second semester, which would have been too hard for me anyway.
The placement test was quite easy IMHO, but you had to write complete sentences most of the time (as opposed to the multiple choice JLPT) and I'm sure that I managed to include stupid mistakes in those sentences.
For now I'm in the beginner's class and am watching while they learn hiragana and katakana... oh well. It's relaxing somehow and some more practice can't hurt.

Thanks for your advice!