how long did each JLPT take you?

I was curious how long it took everyone to reach each level of the JLPT.
For me:
I've been studying Japanese in college for 2 1/2 years and will be taking the JLPT 4 this winter.
Next spring I'm studying Japanese intensively in Japan for a semester. After that, I'm hoping to be at the JLPT 3 level.
After studying, I'm interning for 11 months in Osaka and hoping that would bring me up to the JLPT 2 level (through a combination of osmosis and studying ^^ ).

Bear in mind that from next year there will be 5 levels of JLPT- there was always an enormous jump from 3 to 2 so now 3 will be in between the 2 and the previous 3 will become 4.

If you have been studying for 2.5 years you should be able to pass the present 4 easily.

Hi~!
I am planning to take the "new" JPLT in 2010, so in 2 years.
I don't take a class for Japanese, and learn from books/rosetta stone/sites/etc. and I found a site that is like a big review.
Do you think I'll be able to tackle JPLT 5 by then? Thanks in advance!

It all depends on how much time you spend studying and partly on your aptitude for the language. As I said above though, 2 years should be more than enough to pass the lowest level.

Many people with that much time to study would skip the lowest level and go for the next one. You can try practice tests to find out which one you should go for- either in books or online.

thanks for the response!
i was wondering just for comparison how long it took people to get the upper levels (1 & 2).
I figured 4 should be an easy pass and a good starting point. I forgot that the JLPT will be in 5 parts starting next year.

I'm going to try super hard, and hopefully be able to take it. Right now, I am a middle school student, and so far life seems busy (for me at least). I'm guessing though I wont know the meaning of busy until I stay up until 12-ish finishing a project...

You can skip? That's cool! Maybe I should aim for that then.