Snapshot by Altus: The Ultimate Guide

What is Snapshot by Altus?

Snapshot is a virtual interview assessment tool used by many undergraduate and graduate programs to evaluate applicants. Some medical schools in Canada and medical schools in the US use Snapshot as an additional screening tool in their admissions processes. Your Snapshot responses may be used in deciding who to extend interview invitations to or to rank candidates for orders of acceptance. Not unlike the AAMC VITA, the Snapshot by Altus is a short video response tool claimed to be designed to give you an additional opportunity to demonstrate your suitability for the profession. The Snapshot is claimed to help you demonstrate your personal attributes and communication skills but the jury is out for its real effectiveness.

Below is a list of the medical schools which require Snapshot or recommend it for admission to their programs.

• University of Illinois College of Medicine – Snapshot is required
• East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine – Snapshot is required
• American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine -- Snapshot is required
• San Juan Bautista School of Medicine -- Snapshot is required
• University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine -- Snapshot is required
• University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine -- Snapshot is required
• Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University – Snapshot and Duet are optional

Note that not all medical schools list whether Snapshot and the rest of Altus Suite is required or recommended for admission to their programs. Other programs that may use Snapshot include physician assistant programs in the US, nursing schools, vet schools and other professional programs.

Your Snapshot responses will be available to all programs that you add to your CASPer test distribution list. Each program will make its own decision on whether to use it and how to use your recorded interview in its admissions process. The best way to learn whether your chosen programs require Snapshot is to check with them directly or visit the official website of the administrator to learn which schools require Snapshot. We strongly advise you to do this ahead of your application submission whether you are applying in the US or Canada.

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How Do I Complete the Snapshot?

Your Snapshot interview is completed online using your own computer, similar to the CASPer test. Once you sign into your Altus Suite account, you will see a prompt to complete the Snapshot interview. Before you start recording your real answers, you must complete the practice session. The session includes two practice questions that mimic the Snapshot questions. This will help familiarize yourself with the Snapshot format. You can practice as much as you want and playback your responses to ensure that your audio and video are clear before completing the official interview.

You are required to complete the Snapshot interview no later than 14 days after completing the Casper test, if you are required to complete the test.

Although it is not announced how schools use the interview in the admissions process, you must complete the Snapshot if it required by your program of choice. How the program chooses to use it is at their discretion, but if you do not complete the interview, you will fail to complete an important requirement and the schools of your choice may reject your application all together. Remember that it will take 2-3 weeks for your Snapshot responses to be sent to the schools you indicate, and you won’t be able to review your responses once they are submitted.

When choosing a location to record your Snapshot interview responses, choose a location and computer that meets these requirements:

1. A reliable internet connection
2. A working webcam and microphone
3. Good lighting, so your face is visible and centered in the middle of the screen
4. Quiet and distraction-free

Although this is not an in-person interview, you should treat the Snapshot as a professional interview. Make sure you dress professionally, as you would for a face-to-face meeting. Wear neutral colors, minimal make-up, and jewelry, don't fidget or touch your face and hair, and keep your tone professional and welcoming. Schedule to record your responses at a time when you’re rested and focused. As with any professional interview, you want to be able to understand the prompt, compose coherent answers, and present your best self.

The Snapshot Interview Format

The official interview consists of three questions with two minutes allotted to respond to each question. Once you are ready to record your responses, you can begin your Snapshot interview and the first question will appear on the screen. You will have 30 seconds to reflect on the question and brainstorm your answer before the recording begins. Snapshot gives you 30 seconds to reflect on each of the questions without being recorded. The entire interview should not take you more than 10 minutes.

Once you complete recording a question, even if the timer has not run out, hit Submit and move on to the next prompt, which will appear on the screen automatically. Be aware that you cannot re-record your response. Once you complete recording a response for a question, it is automatically saved, and you must move on to the next prompt. You cannot view your recording, as responses are only accessible to programs for review during the admissions process. So, make sure to use the Snapshot practice questions to get comfortable with the format -- take as many practices as necessary.

As I already mentioned, the entire official interview should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. I am not counting your practice runs in this calculation, as you will be the judge of how many times you should run through the two practice questions before you begin. Since the interview is quite short, it is unlikely that you will need a break in-between your answers, but you are allowed to pause between questions for a break if needed. The Altus does not specify how long the break can last, but you should aim to complete the interview in one sitting and avoid stretching the recording over a prolonged period of time. Once you are presented with a question, you will not be able to pause for a break.

The questions you are asked in the official interview will typically look like many common professional program interview questions, such as the "tell me about yourself" nursing school interview question, so it can be helpful to practice with these types of questions as part of your Snapshot prep.

Check out how to answer some of the most common interview questions:

How to Prepare for Your Snapshot Interview

Although the Snapshot may seem like another unnecessary hurdle in your long application journey, try to think of it as an additional opportunity to bolster your application. While test scores, grades, and essays give the admissions committees some glimpse into your life, the recorded responses will allow you to demonstrate your communication and interpersonal skills. Crafting responses for AMCAS Work and Activities or writing your medical school personal statement takes weeks of careful planning, but Snapshot will demonstrate your ability to articulate your thoughts and respond to questions on the spot. In this interview, you can expect questions that you may be asked in any standard admissions interview.

There are three types of questions you can expect to be asked during your Snapshot:

1. Personal
2. Quirky
3. Questions about your reason for pursuing future career goals

Typically, medical school interview questions or any professional interview questions try to reveal your character, values, and dedication to the future profession. For example, you may be asked the following:

• Tell us about someone you admire and why.
• What is your favorite book?
• What is an obstacle you have faced, and how did you get through it?
• What aspect of your future profession are you most excited about?

Snapshot was developed to help medical schools learn more about you, so the questions are designed based on what med programs typically want to know about their applicants. The questions you will face will not be much different than the questions you typically prepare for during your regular interview prep.

Although Snapshot is not an in-person interview, you can still use traditional techniques and practices to get ready. Just like anything else, you have to practice using realistic simulations and expert feedback. Firstly, you will need to know how to prepare for your med school interview. Many students experience anxiety before an interview, especially if it’s a new and unknown format. Not knowing how you come across on a computer screen may also be a concern, since you want to make a great first impression with your recorded interview. Only mock interviews with expert feedback can reduce or eliminate these anxieties. Realistic mock interviews with expert, personalized feedback from a medical school admissions consultant will help you work on how you come across and give you insight into the strength and quality of your responses. This feedback can help identify weaknesses, help you structure your answers, and most importantly, allow you to adopt a strategy to answer any type of question you may encounter.

Remember, it's not about memorizing your answers or trying to guess what questions you will be asked. It's about mastering a technique to identify and answer any type of question that's thrown at you and to do it calmly and confidently. Confidence can't be taught, but it can be developed, and it can grow with medical school interview preparation.

In addition to practicing the most common medical school interview questions, you should also practice with panel interview questions and MMI questions. Remember, the right practice makes perfect. The more questions you run through, the more comfortable you will become with answering questions about your character, hobbies, personal experiences, and activities. Practicing with these interview questions will also allow you to time yourself and work towards composing concise and clear answers. Remember, you will have only two minutes to read, reflect on, and answer the prompt, so timing yourself during practice is key.

Preparing for CASPer too? Here's what you need to know:

Snapshot Sample Questions and Answers

The majority of the Snapshot questions will be divided into three categories: quirky, personal or experience-based, and “why this profession?”. For instance, you can expect to be asked "why do you want to be a nurse?" in a nursing school Snapshot interview. Remember, it is essential to use examples when you answer the prompts. Rather than simply talking about yourself in relation to the prompt, you need to reference solid examples that demonstrate your qualities and experiences and bring your story to life. Let’s go over an example of each question and how you can tackle each question type. Additionally, I will provide you with a sample answer.

How does BeMo help with Altus Suite prep? Here’s what our students have to say:

Final Thoughts

Although new and intimidating at first glance, Snapshot by Altus is not much different from your typical in-person interview formats. To become confident, I strongly advise you to get expert feedback as you practice answering mock Snapshot questions. You will not see much improvement without personalized feedback. Remember, quality always trumps quantity – practicing with many questions will not help if the content of your answers does not improve. A medical school advisor can help you identify your strengths, as well as areas of your interview strategy that need improvement.

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To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

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