The main points I can gather from this thread in which numerous people have taken the time to provide some really decent feedback (thank you all), are:
1
I will not introduce Dutch yet. I would be tempted to study it more seriously than my French could afford. And I think I need to stay focused on one language. If I can't get my shit together after 3000 hours of French study/exposure in 4 years, then I need to continue to attempt to address the problems. Pronunciation I believe has cost me a lot of time, and I am happy I took the time with French pronunciation to perfect it as best I could, but as iguanamon has stated with reference to my own words, my methods have been out of balance and that's clearly where most of my time has gone as well as going over similar level courses by different publishers. Still, I had to do what I had to do, since i'm me, but now that i'm here, it's clear changes are needed. Thus, I'm best off addressing these issues before introducing another language in which I could make similar mistakes.
Still, I must say that, I seriously cannot comprehend how people out there can theoretically go from zero to C1 or C2 in the hours specified by FSI, even if those figures were doubled, and one took a more balanced approach. Maybe I will change my tune with a few more languages under my belt. And FSI do use courses as well. I mean, in my defense, it's not like i've been sitting around staring at the cover of course books (although pre 2013 I may have done a lot of that
), I have actually done a lot of work over the last 4 years including more than 1500 hours of course work, 400 hours of televsion and 280 hours of reading and then other activities as well- SRS, podcasts etc. I've been learning the whole time.... But, very little speaking. Still I can't stop now, I've come too far- I'm not investing 3000 hours and throwing it away, I'll just simply have to adapt and accept that my methods are not sufficiently synergistic. I guess I'm like the body builder with a massive chest, smallish arms, a few abs and puny stick-thin legs.
2
It wouldn't hurt to have my level assessed more accurately. Serpent mentioned Dialang and one DFI. Cavesa mentions having an organistion assess it. Smallwhite had previously mentioned sitting the TCF to get a true formal assessment of my level. I'm considering all options. I could very well be below a B2, I don't believe I am, but who knows, I could be well beyond it. Perhaps I ought to consider smallwhite's suggestion indeed, as spending money for a formal assessment is likely to be the most accurate one would assume. And an accurate assessment might indeed assist with some useful feedback and help fathom what is ahead of me.
3
I need to work on my weaknesses as a priority.I believe in order of most deficient to least deficient (or less of a priority)
Speaking.
Listening.
Reading.
Writing
The above need to take priority.
4
Any course I use must be suitably advanced and materials geared towards actually passing the French exams should also be deemed very importantSo now i'm attempting to devise a study plan focusing on my weaknesses in particular. It's a four hour rotation of hour blocks of study.
Hour one 60 minutes of speaking or writing With an aim to consistently speak (ie not to avoid it, but actually commit to a number of sessions a week). When not speaking (tutor, conversational exchange) then I must write (with a real person feeding directly back in real time or with delays correcting down the track).
Hour two15min SRS + 45min listening practise (likely to be a series with transcripts or accurate subs)
Hour three60 min Extensive readingHour four15min SRS + 45min of one of these (each time I do this hour I change activity):
* advanced course study or course for exam prep.
* Intensive reading
* Intensive listening