CASPer Test 101: What It Is, Format, Scoring, and How to Prepare
If you are applying to medical school, nursing, PA programs, or teacher education, there is a good chance you will need to take the CASPer test. Unlike traditional academic exams, CASPer is designed to evaluate the human side of your application — your empathy, judgment, and professionalism under pressure. It cannot be crammed for, but it absolutely can be prepared for. Applicants who understand what CASPer measures and how it works consistently outperform those who walk in cold.
What exactly is the CASPer test? Why do schools require it? And how should you prepare for a test that does not ask for definitions or equations? This guide answers all three questions. You will learn how CASPer is structured, how responses are scored, which programs require it, what question types appear, and what a realistic preparation plan looks like.
Applicants who want structured, scenario based practice alongside this guide can access MYLS Interview CASPer mock sessions, where AI powered feedback identifies your weaknesses before test day.
What Is the CASPer Test?
The CASPer test — short for Computer Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics — is a standardized situational judgment test (SJT) developed by [Acuity Insights](https://acuityinsights.app/casper-25 to 26/) and used by professional programs worldwide to evaluate non academic competencies. It presents applicants with realistic, ethically complex scenarios and measures how they think, communicate, and make decisions under time pressure.
CASPer is not a knowledge test. You cannot study facts for it the way you would study biochemistry or anatomy. Instead, it assesses behavioral tendencies across nine official competencies: collaboration, communication, empathy, fairness, ethics, motivation, problem solving, resilience, and self awareness. These qualities are evaluated within the context of scenarios a working professional might actually encounter and not in clinical settings, but in everyday situations involving real people and real ethical stakes.
According to Acuity Insights, CASPer is currently required by hundreds of programs across Canada, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Programs use it because standardized academic metrics alone do not reliably predict professional performance or patient outcomes. A 2016 study published in Teaching and Learning in Medicine found that situational judgment test scores were significantly more predictive of professionalism ratings during clinical training than GPA or MCAT scores alone. CASPer fills the gap that transcripts cannot.
Results are reported as a quartile ranking rather than a numeric score — how this works is covered in the scoring section below.
Who Needs to Take the CASPer Test?
The CASPer test is required by hundreds of programs across multiple professional disciplines. Knowing whether your target program requires it and which version applies to you. This is the first step before registration.
CASPer is required for applicants to:
- MD and DO programs — including McMaster, University of Toronto, Queen's, McGill, and Dalhousie in Canada, and Tulane, Drexel, Texas A&M, and approximately 50 other programs in the United States
- Nursing and midwifery programs — including undergraduate nursing programs across Ontario and British Columbia, which use a separate CASPer test type specific to Canadian nursing applicants
- Physician assistant programs — across Canada and the United States
- Teacher education programs — at several Canadian universities
- Veterinary and dental schools — at select institutions in Canada, the US, and Australia
- Engineering programs — Western University's engineering faculty has required CASPer for undergraduate applicants since September 2024
Some applicants need to sit more than one version of the CASPer test in a single cycle. US medical school applicants and Canadian nursing applicants take different test types. If you are applying to programs in both categories, confirm which version each program accepts before you register.
Requirements change each admissions cycle. Always verify directly on your target program's admissions page or through the [Acuity Insights program directory](https://acuityinsights.app/casper-25 to 26/).
Why Do Schools Use the CASPer Test?
Academic transcripts only tell part of your story. Schools use the CASPer test because they need to know whether you can do things a GPA cannot measure: respond ethically in tough situations, communicate clearly under pressure, reflect honestly on your own limitations, and handle interpersonal challenges with empathy and maturity.
These are not soft extras. They are the core competencies of effective patient care, classroom teaching, and professional practice in any people facing field. Research consistently demonstrates that non academic assessment scores add meaningful predictive validity for clinical and professional performance above and beyond academic metrics alone.
CASPer evaluates nine official competencies across every scenario:
| Competency | What Raters Look For |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | Working constructively with others, resolving conflict without dominance |
| Communication | Expressing ideas clearly, adapting tone and style to context |
| Empathy | Genuinely recognizing and responding to others' emotional states |
| Fairness | Treating individuals equitably, identifying systemic inequities |
| Ethics | Weighing competing values, making principled decisions |
| Motivation | Demonstrating genuine commitment and persistence |
| Problem Solving | Analyzing situations, identifying root causes, proposing solutions |
| Resilience | Adapting constructively to setbacks and uncertainty |
| Self Awareness | Recognizing the limits of one's own knowledge and biases |
Every CASPer scenario is designed to surface one or more of these competencies. Programs weight them differently depending on their professional context, but all nine are assessed across the full test. For example, clinical programs emphasize empathy and ethics or education programs emphasize communication and fairness.
What Is the Format of the CASPer Test?
The CASPer test is taken online and consists of two sections: a typed response section and a video response section. The full test takes approximately 65 to 85 minutes including an optional break between sections.
Typed Response Section
The typed response section presents seven written scenarios, each followed by two open ended questions. You have a combined 3.5 minutes to type all responses for each scenario. There is no ability to return to a previous scenario or revise a submitted answer. Scenarios are typically text based prompts describing a workplace, classroom, or social situation, not a clinical one.
Video Response Section
The video response section presents four video based scenarios, each followed by two questions requiring a recorded answer. You receive one minute per question to record your response directly to your webcam. Retakes are not permitted. The video section assesses the same nine competencies as the typed section but adds a communication dimension: your tone, pacing, eye contact, and composure under pressure all become part of how raters evaluate your response.
CASPer, Duet, and PREview
Applicants frequently encounter three related assessments in admissions requirements. Understanding the difference prevents confusion during registration.
| Assessment | Format | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| CASPer | Open response, typed and video | Evaluates professional judgment, empathy, and ethical reasoning |
| Duet | Value alignment questionnaire | Matches applicant values with program culture; no right or wrong answers |
| PREview | Multiple choice SJT | AAMC alternative to CASPer, required by approximately 12 US MD programs |
Duet is administered by Acuity Insights alongside CASPer at select programs and requires no separate preparation. PREview is a separate test with a different format and requires its own preparation if your target programs require it.
What Types of Questions Are Asked on the CASPer Test?
The CASPer test uses three distinct question types. Recognizing which type you are facing helps you deploy the right response structure immediately rather than spending precious seconds deciding your approach.
Scenario questions present a specific situation involving real people and ask what you would do. Example: Your colleague at a healthcare facility confides they have been falsifying patient records to meet quotas. What do you do? These questions primarily assess empathy, ethics, fairness, and problem solving. They are the most common type on the test.
Policy questions present a social, institutional, or professional policy and ask you to evaluate it or respond to someone who holds a position on it. Example: A colleague says hospitals should require patients to disclose immigration status before receiving non emergency care. How do you respond? These questions primarily assess ethics, fairness, and communication.
Personal reflection questions ask you to draw on your own experience. Example: Tell us about a time you were asked to do something that conflicted with your values. These questions primarily assess self awareness, resilience, and motivation.
The goal across all three types is not to find the right answer. It is to show maturity, judgment, and emotional awareness and to demonstrate those qualities specifically, not generically.
How Is the CASPer Test Scored?
The CASPer test uses a distributed scoring model: each scenario is evaluated by a different trained rater to minimize individual assessor bias. Raters score responses holistically, evaluating the overall quality of reasoning, empathy, and communication rather than checking boxes.
Results are reported as a quartile ranking rather than a numeric score, how this works is covered in the scoring section below.
Programs vary in how they use quartile rankings. Some set Q3 or Q4 as a minimum threshold for interview consideration. Others incorporate the ranking into a composite admissions score alongside GPA and references. A Q4 score opens doors; a Q1 score closes them, often permanently for that application cycle.
One important update for the 2025 to 2026 cycle: typed responses are now scored individually per question rather than as a combined scenario score. This means every single typed response carries independent weight. There is no averaging across the two questions in a scenario.
CASPer Test Dates, Registration, and Cost
Knowing when and how to register for the CASPer test is as important as knowing how to prepare for it. Missing your program's submission deadline is one of the most avoidable application mistakes.
The recommended registration window for most applicants is March to May. Most Canadian MD programs require CASPer scores by late September or October. Most US MD programs require scores alongside the primary application, which opens in May. Canadian nursing programs have a narrower window, with accepted test dates typically between December and March.
Registration is completed through the Acuity Insights platform. You will need to select the correct test type for your program category, choose a date, complete payment, and designate which programs receive your scores. Popular spring test dates fill several weeks in advance, please register early.
The base registration fee covers score distribution to a set number of programs (typically four). Each additional program beyond that requires an extra score report fee. Fee waivers are available for applicants demonstrating financial need. Complete the required systems check (webcam, microphone, browser compatibility) at least 48 hours before your test date.
How to Prepare for the CASPer Test
CASPer is not a test you study for in the traditional sense, but preparation is essential. The goal is to practice thinking and responding under pressure — clearly, thoughtfully, and quickly. Applicants who prepare consistently outperform those who rely on natural instinct alone.
Here is a realistic four week preparation plan:
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Learn the format, review all nine competencies, read sample scenarios without timing |
| Week 2 | Begin timed typed practice (3.5 minutes strict), start recording video responses |
| Week 3 | Competency audit of your responses, target weakest competencies, refine video delivery |
| Week 4 | Complete one full timed mock test, light review, technical setup check |
Build a Response Framework
Frameworks like SPIES (Stakeholders, Problem, Implications, Ethical principles, Solution) or PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point) help you structure well reasoned answers quickly. Use one consistently across all practice sessions until it becomes automatic, then adapt it rather than follow it mechanically.
Practice Under Real Time Pressure
Set a strict 3.5 minute timer from day one. Never extend it. Incomplete responses under timed practice are more valuable than perfect responses with unlimited time. Applicants who practice with consistent timing develop the response pacing instinct the test demands.
Train the Video Section Separately
Most applicants over prepare the typed section and under prepare video. Record yourself answering practice prompts and watch the playback immediately. Evaluate whether you started speaking within five seconds, whether your tone matched the scenario, and whether you appeared composed. Three to four recorded sessions resolve the most common issues.
Reflect on Personal Experiences
Strong responses often include a brief authentic reference to a real experience — a conflict you navigated, a failure you learned from, or a decision you made under pressure. Build a mental library of five to six personal scenarios before test day so these references are readily accessible under time pressure.
Applicants who want structured, scored practice can access the full MYLS Interview CASPer preparation program, which covers all nine competencies, all three question types, and both typed and video response formats with AI powered feedback on every response.
Key Takeaways
- CASPer is a situational judgment test that evaluates nine non academic competencies — collaboration, communication, empathy, fairness, ethics, motivation, problem solving, resilience, and self awareness.
- Two sections: seven typed scenarios (3.5 minutes each) and four video scenarios (1 minute per question). The full test takes 65 to 85 minutes.
- Scores are quartile rankings (Q1 to Q4). Many programs use CASPer as a pre interview filter — Q3 or Q4 is the target.
- Three question types: scenario, policy, and personal reflection — each requires a different response structure.
- Register March to May for most programs. Canadian nursing applicants register December to March. Dates fill early.
- Preparation works: structured, timed practice with competency auditing consistently raises quartile performance.
How MYLS Interview Supports CASPer Preparation
MYLS Interview is a dedicated admissions preparation platform providing structured, scenario based CASPer practice aligned with all nine official competencies and both test sections.
Full CASPer Scenario Library Typed and video scenarios organized by competency type and question type, so you can target weaknesses rather than practicing randomly.
AI Powered Response Feedback Every response is evaluated across stakeholder acknowledgment, ethical reasoning depth, empathy quality, and solution concreteness with specific competency scores so you know exactly what to improve.
Timed Mock Tests Full length mock CASPer tests replicating the actual experience: eleven scenarios, real time pressure, both typed and video sections in sequence.
Access the MYLS Interview CASPer preparation program and begin scored practice today.
Start Preparing for the CASPer Test Today
The CASPer test is not about being perfect. It is about showing who you are when faced with ethical, emotional, and interpersonal challenges under pressure. Schools want applicants who can think clearly, act fairly, and communicate with empathy and those qualities can be demonstrated more reliably with structured preparation than without it.
Applicants who want realistic practice can start immediately on MYLS Interview platform. MYLS Interview platform covers all nine CASPer competencies, all three question types, and both test sections with scored feedback on every response.
Start Practicing CASPer for FREE to get higher score!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CASPer test?
What is the CASPer test? CASPer is a computer based situational judgment test developed by Acuity Insights that assesses non academic professional competencies including empathy, ethical reasoning, communication, and collaboration. It presents applicants with realistic scenarios and requires open ended typed or video responses under strict time pressure. It is required by hundreds of medical, nursing, education, and health sciences programs worldwide as part of the admissions process.
How is the CASPer test scored?
CASPer uses a distributed scoring model in which each of the eleven scenarios is evaluated by a different trained rater. Scores are reported as quartile rankings (Q1 through Q4), with Q4 representing the top 25% of test takers. Grammar, spelling, and typing speed are not scored. Raters evaluate the quality of reasoning, empathy, ethical awareness, and communication in each response. As of the 2025 to 2026 cycle, typed responses are scored individually per question rather than as a combined scenario score.
How long does it take to prepare for the CASPer test?
Most applicants benefit from three to four weeks of structured preparation to perform consistently in the Q3 or Q4 range. Beginners starting from scratch should allow four to six weeks. The most important variable is not total hours spent but whether practice includes strict timing, deliberate competency auditing, and regular video response recording. Generic ethics reading without timed practice will not raise your quartile.
What are the three CASPer question types?
The three CASPer question types are scenario questions, policy questions, and personal reflection questions. Scenario questions present a specific situation involving real people and ask what you would do. Policy questions present a social or institutional policy to evaluate or respond to. Personal reflection questions ask you to draw on your own experience to demonstrate self awareness, resilience, or motivation. Each type requires a different response structure.
Which medical schools require the CASPer test?
In Canada, most MD programs require CASPer including McMaster, University of Toronto, Queen's, McGill, and Dalhousie. In the United States, approximately 50 MD and DO programs require it including Tulane, Drexel, and Texas A&M. Requirements change each admissions cycle, always confirm directly on each school's admissions page or through the [Acuity Insights program directory](https://acuityinsights.app/casper-25 to 26/).
What is the difference between CASPer and Duet?
CASPer is a situational judgment test that evaluates how applicants reason through ethical and interpersonal challenges under time pressure. Duet is a separate value alignment questionnaire that measures fit between an applicant's values and a specific program's culture. Duet has no right or wrong answers and requires no preparation. Some programs require both; others require CASPer only. Both are administered by Acuity Insights.
Is there a right answer on the CASPer test?
There is no single right answer on the CASPer test. Raters evaluate the quality of reasoning and communication rather than whether the applicant reached a specific conclusion. Responses that ignore stakeholders, propose extreme actions without reflection, or fail to acknowledge ethical complexity consistently score lower than responses that demonstrate nuanced analysis, genuine empathy, and proportionate professional judgment.