Last month I wrote about my experience taking the JLPT for the first time. I took the JLPT N3 and was unsure of how well I did on the test. Earlier today, the results of the JLPT became available online. I passed the JLPT N3! My results were not particularly spectacular, but I did fairly well. My results were about the same for each section, so I think I did a good job last year of working on each of the different components of the test equally for the most part. I did mention in my first post about my JLPT experience that I did not study vocabulary very much and that was the section I had the lowest grade in. I was surprised to see that my highest section was the reading section, even though I did not even finish it!
This year, I would like to take the JLPT again and aim for the JLPT N2. As opposed to the first time I took the test, I have more time to study. I still plan to finish my JLPT N3 books first. N2 is a more difficult level than N3, so I plan to change my studying approach when I start studying for it.
Learning Japanese for Life 
N3 level is intermediate? N2 is advanced? I would suggest to take one level at a time and not overwhelm yourself. But I also think level is arbitrary, you can learn anything you want, and you will have to keep going anyway. So… good luck…
If I stated that N3 is intermediate or N2 is advanced, that isn’t what I think now. I think the JLPT is a good way to make tangible goals towards improving Japanese language skills (except speaking). I may want to work for a Japanese company in the future though, so I will need at least a N2 JLPT certificate. I have higher goals than that for improving my Japanese. Since I passed the JLPT N3, I think studying for the N2 as the next step is a logical decision. Even if I do not pass it on the first try, I think it will be a good learning experience.