So why do you need to know these Casper test tips? In my opinion, the Casper test is something that could be easily overlooked or forgotten about when thinking about applying to medical school.
Or worse yet, the first time you learn about the Casper test is when you submit your secondary application and your application is still marked “not complete” because you don’t have a Casper score.
The latter scenario is especially unfortunate for two reasons. First, this unexpectedly delays your applications by at least 2 – 3 weeks. Second, it is mentally discouraging to work hard to finish your secondary application, just to learn that it is still not considered complete.
I hope you have found this article early enough to avoid this! Read below to learn:
- What is the Casper test
- Is the Casper test hard?
- What kind of questions can you expect?
- When to take the Casper test, so you can avoid delayed applications?
- Quick facts about your Casper test score
- Where you can find example “expert” answers
- & more!
But First, Is the Casper Test Hard?
The Casper can be bit confusing but it is not considered difficult compared to all the other assessments taken before medical school. Thinking about the grueling MCAT exam, for example. It is important to prepare though, but 1-2 weeks of practicing should be plenty.
If you don’t get a 4th quartile score, don’t worry. This is a very small part of the admission decision, so if everything else is on track, don’t stress.
When to Take the Casper Test
Sooner rather than later! For the schools that I have applied to, they will not consider you for an interview until they receive your Casper score. There may be some exceptions out there, but that is my personal experience.
If you are applying this cycle:
Plan to take it in May! Go to Casper’s website here and create your account. I would suggest taking the next possible date if you can, as you will not get your scores back for 2 – 3 weeks.
If you are applying next cycle/in the future:
Your score is only valid for the current application cycle. So if you are applying next year, you can’t take it now or next month. Tests taken this year are only valid for this cycle. If you have to reapply next year, you will have to take it again.
May is the earliest month it is offered, so plan ahead now! In April, create your account, get it verified, and reserve your test date. Your scores will be back well before you even start receiving secondary applications.
This will keep you on track to having complete applications early in the cycle which = a higher chance of getting an interview!
How to Reschedule Your Casper Test
You can actually reschedule your Casper test at any time! If you reschedule it within 30 days of your scheduled test date, there will be a small rescheduling fee of $20 though. Earlier than that, it’s completely free.
Before you reschedule, make sure to check if there are other available dates in your application cycle, so you can still apply to all the schools on your list as planned.
To reschedule, simply log into your account on Acuity Insights and go to “reschedule” on the reservations page. Here you can select a new date (if available) that better fits your schedule.
Make Sure to Budget For it
It costs $16 per medical school you send your score to. If you have been granted fee assistance from AAMC this fee will be waived though.
Trust me, this easily adds up if you are doing the right thing and cast a wide net by applying to a lot of medical schools.
Curious what that can look like?
I share tons of tips around maximizing your success throughout the application cycle in my Free Premed Workshop.
You will learn how to apply early, build a solid school list (ever heard of residency bias?), how to turn generic essays into stories that truly help you stand out, and much more.
Sign up for the next available workshop date and join us for a jam-packed 60-90 minutes of application strategies, tips and inspiration!
Casper Test Results
Fun fact about Casper test results – you won’t actually receive the test score yourself. BUT you will see your percentage range compared to the other test takers.
- 25% of applicants in the 1st quartile (0-24 percentile)
- 25% of applicants in the 2nd quartile (25-49 percentile)
- 25% of applicants in the 3rd quartile (50-74 percentile)
- 25% of applicants in the 4th quartile (75-100 percentile)
Within one month of taking the exam, you will receive an email saying your percentile score is ready. You can then log in and click on my tests then you will be able to see your score.
You can read all the details on how it is scored on Casper’s website. Here, I just want to highlight the two *major* tips I learned after sifting through a bunch of their blog posts.
1 – Your Casper test score is not affected by minor spelling and grammar mistakes
2 – You can use bullet points in your answer
Keep this in mind when diving into your Casper practice test!
Can You Retake Your Casper Test?
Unlike your MCAT exam, you can’t retake your Casper test in the same application cycle.
Keep in mind though that your Casper test results are only valid for one application cycle after all. So in case you end up applying again in another cycle, you have to retake it.
How Can You Prepare? Casper Test Tips!
Casper’s website actually says this type of test is “immune to test preparation” and they only suggest familiarizing yourself with the test format and tech requirements.
Luckily, they do provide an official Casper practice test (for free), which you can access in your Acuity Insights account online. So definitely take the practice exam to get a feel for the timing, because 5 minutes makes it very crunched for time!
Read their article How to Maximize Your Chances of Success on Casper for additional Casper test tips.
Beyond that is up to your own discretion!
The company has done research that suggests coaching for a more complicated Situation Judgement Test like this does not improve performance. Find the article here.
My personal take:
I think the best,most trustworthy advice comes straight from the horse’s mouth. At the same time, I would have been completely lost on how to answer these types of questions if I didn’t do some prep.
Anything that is free can’t hurt, but I would suggest NOT getting sucked into thinking you need to purchase anything from a test prep company.
Resources I Used for Casper Practice Questions and Answers
Casper Test Prep: 5 Official Casper Sample Questions in 2020
This blog post gives examples of “expert” responses, but they are very long responses which is deceiving in my opinion! I used this to get an idea of how to answer the questions, but just keep in mind you will not have time to actually write that much.
5 Official Casper Questions and Our Expert Response
This is a YouTube video that I also liked watching. Same as above though, great tips but long responses!
3 Key Casper Question Categories You Need to Know
This YouTube video explains 3 most common types of questions. She gives more tips on how to answer each question type.
Extra resource: If you really really wanted a bunch of examples of hypothetical scenarios, BeMo (the same company who made the YouTube videos) has a book on preparing for the Casper. I don’t think it is necessary because people in the reviews state the same thing. Lots of good examples but super long responses.
Bonus Casper Test Tip: Work On Your Typing Speed
I have a decent typing speed, but I couldn’t type all my thoughts fast enough to finish every section. Again, this is my personal opinion to practice your typing. Someone from the company stated in Dr. Gray’s podcast here that “They also have information that the faster you type doesn’t improve your Casper score.”
I am not convinced. If you type really slow I would think this test would be a major struggle! But like I said, they are the experts not me. Do what you think is best!
If I had more time to prepare, I would have used a free typing test online and tried to improve my speed based on that.
Final thoughts on Casper Test Tips
This is far from the MCAT, so no need to get worried about your preparation and performance. But, I personally would have been quite lost if I didn’t take the practice test, follow the Casper test tips and made sure my tech setup was all ready-to-roll. So take some time to prepare and you will rock this!
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