What Is Casper?
Casper is an open-response situational judgment test (SJT) that allows you to demonstrate your social intelligence and professionalism by showing how you think, make decisions, and approach complex situations.
A Closer Look at Casper
Casper is a research-backed test designed to assess your social intelligence and professionalism. As you respond to realistic scenarios, you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate how you think through complex challenges, consider different perspectives, explain your reasoning, and showcase skills that contribute to social intelligence and professionalism, including:
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Empathy
- Ethics
- Fairness
- Motivation
- Problem solving
- Resilience
- Self-awareness
Each scenario includes open-ended questions that ask you to describe how you would respond to the situation and explain your reasoning using typed and video responses.
Scored by human raters, not AI
Casper is scored by certified human raters using a structured process that supports fairness and consistency. Learn more about how Casper is rated.
Scores go directly to programs
Casper scores are automatically made available to the programs you select for distribution. Programs will update your application status within their application portals.
Programs decide how to use Casper
Each individual program determines how and when to use Casper scores as part of their admissions process. The weight and role of your score will vary by program.
2 Sections, 11 Scenarios
Casper takes approximately 65–85 minutes to complete, including two optional breaks*.
Video responses
- 4 scenarios
- 2 open-ended questions per scenario
- 1 minute per response
Typed responses
- 7 scenarios
- 2 open-ended questions per scenario, presented on the same page
- 3.5 minutes total to respond to both questions
*Test format may vary slightly for select programs, including Australian teacher education programs, which use a shorter Casper format with fewer scenarios and a reduced testing time.
What a Casper Scenario Might Look Like
These examples provide a preview of the types of scenarios and response formats you may encounter on Casper. While the content of every Casper test is different, they can help you understand what it feels like to respond to the kinds of situations presented during the assessment.
After you reserve your Casper test, you’ll be able to access an official practice test in your Acuity Insights account. The practice test is representative of the Casper test type you’ve registered for and is the best way to become familiar with the format, timing, and overall testing experience before test day.
Looking for preparation tips? Visit our How to Prepare for Casper page to learn more about the practice test and how to get ready for test day.
Video-based scenario 1
Watch the video in full, then click below to see the sample questions. During the Casper test, you will have 3.5 minutes to answer both questions.
You are the store manager.
- As the store manager, would you give this customer a refund? Why or why not?
- Imagine that you decide to refuse to give a refund. How would you communicate your decision to the customer? Explain your response.
Video-based scenario 2
Watch the video in full, then click below to see the sample questions. During the Casper test, you will have 3.5 minutes to answer both questions.
You are a group member.
- One of your group members, Paul, has stopped contributing to your group assignment due to a medical condition. How should you and your group members handle this situation? Explain your response.
- Imagine that Paul contributed a significant amount to the assignment before he put his courses on hold. How, if at all, would this change your response to the previous question? Explain your reasoning.
Video-based scenario 3
Watch the video in full, then click below to see the sample questions. During the Casper test, you will have 3.5 minutes to answer both questions.
You are a co-worker.
- Mary, the volunteer coordinator, sent thank-you notes to both Chloe and Eric for their volunteering efforts, but only Chloe’s note included money. What, if anything, should Chloe do in this situation? Explain your reasoning.
- Imagine that Eric frequently funds his volunteering efforts with his own money. How, if at all, does this affect your previous response? Explain your reasoning.
Word-based scenario
Think of a time when you had to make a sacrifice in order to accomplish a goal.
Read the sentence to the left then click below to answer the questions. During the Casper test, you will have 3.5 minutes to answer both questions.
- Briefly describe the situation and the sacrifice you made to accomplish the goal.
- Imagine that despite the sacrifice made, you failed to accomplish the goal. How would you have felt in this situation? Explain your reasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions about Casper
There are two ways to find available Casper test dates, fees, and deadlines for the programs you’re applying to:
- The easiest and most personalized option is to create or log in to your Acuity Insights account. Once you’ve selected the programs you’re applying to, you’ll see the specific Casper test type required for those programs, along with available test dates, distribution deadlines, and registration options. This allows you to quickly find and reserve a test date that meets your program requirements.
- You can also visit the Dates & Fees page to browse available test dates, fees, and distribution deadlines by country, program type, admissions cycle, and school before creating an account.
We encourage you to register for and complete Casper early in the admissions cycle. Registering early gives you more flexibility when choosing a test date and helps ensure your scores are available to programs as soon as possible.
An admissions cycle (sometimes called an application cycle) is the period during which programs accept and review applications for an upcoming academic term. When reserving your Casper test, you’ll need to select the correct admissions cycle for the programs you are applying to, as results are only valid for that cycle.
To find the right admissions cycle(s), check the admissions page for each program you are applying to. This information is usually listed alongside application requirements and deadlines. If you’re unsure, we recommend checking directly with the program to confirm you are selecting the correct cycle for your application.
There are different versions of Casper, called “test types.” The test type you need to take depends on your program’s field of study, location, and language requirements.
It is important to check each program’s admissions requirements and register for the matching Casper test type. Casper test types are not interchangeable, and if you’re applying to programs in different countries, languages, or program categories, you may need to complete more than one Casper test.
The easiest way to find your required test type is by creating an Acuity Insights account and selecting your programs, or by using the Dates & Fees page.
Taking the free Casper practice test in your Acuity Insights account is the best way to prepare for test day. The practice test includes both typed and video responses so you can become familiar with the test format and practice responding under time constraints. Casper is designed to assess authentic responses in real-world situations, so there is no need to memorize content or purchase preparation courses. Acuity Insights is not affiliated with any third-party Casper test preparation tools or courses, and we do not endorse using them. Test takers that use third-party preparation materials or don’t prepare at all tend to do worse than those who use the free Casper resources from Acuity. Here’s a quick overview of everything you need to know before, during and after your Casper test.
For Canadian programs, you must take Casper in the language required by the program(s) you are applying to. Some programs accept Casper scores in only one language (English or French), while others are bilingual and will accept a score in either language.
Before reserving your test, review the language requirements for each program you are applying to as well as information about Casper language distributions. If you’re unsure which language to select, consult the program’s admissions website or contact the program directly.
Accommodations are available for applicants with documented disabilities, medical conditions, or other accessibility needs (even if temporary). An Accommodations Request Form must be submitted after you create your Acuity Insights account and at least 4 weeks before your scheduled Casper test date.
Yes, applicants who have been approved for a participating U.S. or UK Fee Assistance Program (e.g., AAMC, AACOMAS, CASPA, ADEA, or UCAS bursary, etc.) may be eligible to have their Casper test fees waived or reduced.
