What is the Casper exam?
The Casper test is a situational judgment test (SJT) that assesses people skills. This computerized screening tool uses realistic scenarios to gauge a person’s soft skills like communication and professionalism. Schools use the Casper exam to determine if you are suited to a career in the medical field.
Casper stands for Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics. The Casper examination was formerly part of the Altus Suite created by Altus Assessments, which also included Snapshot and Duet. In 2023, Altus Assessments and One45 merged to form Acuity Insights, which continues to offer the Casper exam and Duet. Many medical schools use these test results during the admissions process to screen applicants and determine acceptances.
Do you have to take the Casper test to go to medical school?
Many medical schools require applicants to take the Casper test during the medical school admissions process, but not all of them. We’ve included a current list of these institutes further down on this page.
Medical schools are not alone in using Casper. Many graduate programs, including those in the allied health fields, use Casper, and a few undergraduate programs do too.
What are the benefits of taking the Casper test for medical school? Taking the Casper test is a requirement for several schools. It benefits med school admissions committees by saving them time; they can learn whether you have the soft skills to be a good physician compared with other applicants.
A good Casper score is an authoritative way to tell med schools that you are mentally, ethically, and behaviorally qualified to work with patients in stressful situations. This can help you get into medical school.
How to Sign Up for Casper
You can sign up for the Casper test at Acuity Insights. The test is offered monthly, with additional test dates available during the summer to accommodate the admissions cycle. You’ll choose a program, a school, and a test day.
The requirements to take the Casper test are:
- A quality, stable internet connection
- Computer equipment, including a webcam and microphone
- A government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license
- A valid email address
- Money to pay the test fee
How much does the Casper test cost? The cost varies by academic program, but most American students will pay $40-85 for all of the Acuity Insights Assessments. The latter includes the distribution of your results to 8 programs, and you can pay an additional $12-$15 per distribution to send your results to other schools. A handful of US-based Fee Assistance Programs can provide financial aid for eligible applicants.
What is the Casper exam format?
There is only one Casper exam — the one administered by Acuity Insights — but the test consists of multiple sections. Here’s a summary of the test format.
How long is the Casper test for medical school? Test takers will face 14 sections that consist of randomly ordered word-based scenarios and video-based scenarios. These situational dilemmas require your video responses or typed responses to open-ended questions.
Part 1: The video response section where you are presented with 2 word-based scenarios and 4 video based scenarios. You will have one minute to record your response to each of the two questions asked about the scenario.
Part 2: The typed response section where you are given 3 word-based scenarios and 5 video-based scenarios. Following each scenario, you are given 5 minutes to type responses to 3 questions.
Pro Tip: If you’re worried about your typing speed, use bullet points.
How long does the Casper test take? The entire test takes around 90-110 minutes to complete, according to Acuity Insights. Optional breaks are offered throughout the test.
Acuity Insights provides special accommodations for test takers who need additional time, assistive software, or dedicated personnel. A qualified professional can help you fill out a request form. It takes up to 7 business days for a response, and Acuity Insights will contact you with the outcome. An approved accommodations status is valid for two admission cycles.
How is the Casper test scored?
The Casper exam is not scored like a typical test with individual grades based on correct or incorrect responses. Instead, raters from a wide range of professions compare your answer to other test takers’ responses and rank it as better or worse. No single rater will rate more than one of your responses to eliminate any potential bias. Each of your responses is given a numerical score from 1 (unsatisfactory) to 9 (excellent) based on how well you responded in comparison to your peers.
Final Casper scores are then divided into four equal categories:
1st Quartile: 0-24 percentile
2nd Quartile: 25-49 percentile
3rd Quartile: 50-74 percentile
4th Quartile: 75-100 percentile
What is a good score on the Casper test? A 4th-quartile Casper result is the best score since it shows you were in the top 25% of test takers.
Many medical admissions boards also consider a 3rd-quartile score satisfactory depending on how rigorous their acceptance standards are. 1st-quartile and 2nd-quartile results are the lowest, but they don’t necessarily disqualify your application.
It typically takes a few weeks to get results back from Acuity Insights. In 2-3 weeks, Acuity Insights will automatically send your results to the medical programs on your distribution list. After a month from the test date, you will be able to see your quartile score but will never be able to know your specific response scores.
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What does Casper assess?
Casper scenarios go beyond testing basic problem-solving to assess your non-cognitive skills and medical ethics. Rather than involving objectively correct or incorrect responses, your responses to scenarios will tell if you’re a strong applicant or raise red flags regarding dangerous or unethical viewpoints.
The Casper test assesses the following behavioral characteristics:
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Empathy
- Equity
- Ethics
- Motivation
- Problem-solving
- Professionalism
- Resilience
- Self-awareness
Each Casper section is graded by a different rater from a diverse group of people. The final score thus encompasses multiple people’s impressions of you. This ensures the overall test score is fair and objective, given the subjectivity of the material.
Should you study for Casper?
Unlike traditional academic tests, you do not need to study for the Casper exam per se. That’s because the test is designed to determine your normal response to a given situation. Raters aren’t seeking correct or incorrect facts, so you don’t need to memorize answers. However, there are other ways you should prepare.
How to Prepare for Your Casper Exam
The best method of Casper test prep is to learn more about Casper before taking the exam and practice Casper questions and simulations. Seek out sample questions so you know what you expect. Browse FAQs that Casper is likely to ask, and speak with other applicants who already took the exam.
You can find practice tests online that contain sample Casper questions, including official ones at Acuity Insights. Think about your responses to these practice questions — the same as you would prepare for virtual medical school interviews. Being familiar with the test will help you overcome test-taking anxiety and give more confident, thoughtful responses.
If you’ve never taken it, you may wonder if the Casper test is easy or hard to pass. Most test-takers consider Casper to be simple compared to more rigorous admissions exams like the MCAT. However, don’t underestimate Casper; the scenarios are meant to challenge you.
When should you take Casper in the application process?
Take the Casper exam early in the application cycle. Many med schools want to see your Casper score early on in the vetting process, not considering your application complete without it.
A common mistake when applying to medical school is waiting too long to schedule admissions exams like Casper. Remember that the Casper is offered at limited times each month. And, it takes multiple weeks for schools to receive your results. So, give yourself a sufficient window for completing all steps of the application process before the application deadline.
Your Casper test results are only valid for the current application cycle. Any future reapplications to even the same program will require you to retake CASPer.
Which medical schools require the Casper exam?
Colleges and universities around the world require applicants to take the Casper, including programs based in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The list of current United States, Canada, and MD-granting Caribbean med schools that require Casper includes (as of March 2024):
- American University of The Caribbean School of Medicine
- Baylor College of Medicine
- Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine
- California University of Science and Medicine
- Central Michigan University College of Medicine
- Drexel University College of Medicine
- East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine
- Florida Atlantic University College of Medicine
- Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM)
- Hofstra University School of Medicine
- Indiana University School of Medicine
- Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
- Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Meharry Medical College
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
- Netter School of Medicine Quinnipiac University
- New York Medical College
- Rush University Medical College
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Stony Brook University School of Medicine
- Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
- Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
- Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
- University of Colorado Denver Medical School
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
- University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
- University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine
- University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, McGovern Medical School
- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, Long School of Medicine
- University of Texas Medical Branch, John Sealy School of Medicine
- University of Texas Southwestern
- University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine
- Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
- West Virginia University School of Medicine
- Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Kansas Health Science Center – Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine NY/MT
- Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine- Nevada
- Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest
- William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Visit AcuityInsights.com for a current list of all schools and programs around the world that use the Acuity Insights in their admissions screening process.
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Another Casper preparation method is to get medical school admissions consulting. We provides application and admissions consulting so you can show AdComs that you’re a great candidate.
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