How It Works

What does your Current Progress % mean?

It's not your correct answer rate — it's how much JLPT knowledge your brain is actually retaining right now, based on the science of memory.

📊 Memory Retention Rate — not a quiz score

When you answer questions, your brain encodes that knowledge. But without review, you forget — that's the forgetting curve discovered by Hermann Ebbinghaus in 1885. Nihongo Pass tracks your Memory Strength for each piece of N5/N4/N3 knowledge and calculates how much you're retaining today using the formula:

Retention = Memory Strength × e^(−forgetting rate × days since review)

Your Current Progress % is the average retention across all knowledge units in your target level. A score of 60% means you're retaining 60% of the required N5 knowledge right now — not that you answered 60% of questions correctly.

Without review, retention drops like this:

Day 1

100%

Day 2

~58%

Day 7

~23%

Day 30

~5%

⚠️ Teacher's Note: Reviewing on time is more important than answering more questions. One review on the right day strengthens memory more than ten reviews done too early.

🎯 How Pass Probability is Calculated

Pass probability is calculated in 3 steps:

11. Section Score Prediction

Average retention × maximum section score = predicted score.

Vocab: retention × 50 pts | Grammar+Reading: retention × 70 pts | Listening: retention × 60 pts

22. Cutoff Check

JLPT requires you to pass ALL sections — not just the total. If any section fails the minimum, you fail automatically. That's why pass probability shows 0% even with a decent total.

33. Probability Formula

If all cutoffs are met, a sigmoid formula converts your total predicted score (out of 180) into a percentage. 80+ pts → probability begins to appear. 140+ pts → high probability.

Why is my Pass Probability 0%?

Either: (a) you haven't answered enough questions yet (cold start — needs 10+ answers), or (b) one or more sections are below the cutoff. The ⚠️ At Risk warning on the dashboard shows which section needs attention.

See the full cutoff table for N5/N4/N3 →

💡 How to Improve Your Progress %

📅

Study every day — even 5 minutes

SRS is designed around daily intervals. Missing a day lets memory decay further, making future reviews harder.

🔄

Review on schedule, not early

Reviewing before the due date doesn't strengthen memory much. Trust the schedule — review when Nihongo Pass asks you to.

⚠️

Prioritize the At Risk section

The ⚠️ warning marks the section furthest from its cutoff. Focus your limited time there first.

📝

Complete full sessions

Each completed session covers more knowledge units. More units tracked = more accurate progress calculation.

🎯

Take mock exams

Mock exams expose gaps that daily practice misses. Do one every 2–3 weeks to calibrate your real readiness.

❓ FAQ

Why is my Current Progress 0% even though I answered questions?

The system needs at least 10 answered questions before it starts calculating. After that, the % reflects your memory retention — not just today's quiz results. If you answered questions a while ago without reviewing, retention may have decayed.

Why does my Pass Probability show 0%?

Either you haven't reached 10 answered questions (cold start), or one of your section scores is below the JLPT cutoff minimum. Check the ⚠️ At Risk warning on your dashboard to see which section needs work.

How fast will my % go up if I study every day?

With consistent daily study, most learners see their N5 progress reach 40–50% within 2–3 weeks. The first 10% comes quickly; later gains are slower because the SRS spreads reviews over longer intervals.

Does taking a mock exam affect my Current Progress?

No. Mock exam answers are tracked separately and don't update your SRS memory strength. Only regular lesson and review sessions update your progress %.

Track your JLPT progress in real time

Nihongo Pass uses your learning history to predict your pass probability — and shows you exactly what to study next.

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