If you’re feeling overwhelmed thinking about everything involved in the CASPer test, from how the CASPer test is scored, to what kinds of questions to expect, don’t stress—a CASPer Test Prep Book can help you prepare for, and ace, your CASPer test. A CASPer Test Prep Book is a great way to ensure you approach the unique, situational questions included on the CASPer with confidence, and a well-rounded understanding of what admissions committees are really looking for in your response.
CASPer stands for computer-based assessment for sampling personal characteristics and is claimed to be a trademark of McMaster & Altus. BeMo does not recommend, endorse nor affiliate with CASPer, Altus or McMaster and vice versa. BeMo only provides preparation services and practice tests. To take CASPer, contact Altus directly.
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The CASPer test is a standard assessment tool used by many universities, for graduate and professional programs, and most notably, medicine, to evaluate candidates' non-academic traits, such as interpersonal skills and professional behavior, as they relate to a potential career in medicine and as a medical school student.
CASPer, which stands for ‘the computer-based assessment for sampling personal characteristics’, is an online test that assesses skills that cannot be identified or exhibited through your GPA or MCAT scores. As a part of Acuity Insight's Altus Suite assessment, CASPer is considered the most challenging part of the assessment. All SJT’s are used to assess your ability to make decisions in complex situations. Contrary to what some may have suggested in the past, the CASPer Test and Multiple Mixed Interview (MMI) seem to be highly coachable, so it’s imperative that students prepare for these vital portions of their medical school application as best as they can! Preparation comes in the form of practicing and studying, as well as by reviewing prep books and materials.
Why A CASPer Test Prep Book Is A Good Starting Point
How long does it take to prepare for CASPer? Well…that can vary by applicant, however, it takes 90-110 minutes to complete the actual test, and a significant amount of preparation is recommended. Understanding how to prepare for CASPer test is imperative, otherwise you run the risk of being caught off guard by one—or more—of the questions.
Doing CASPer test prep will help familiarize yourself with the types of questions you'll be asked, which will give you a better idea of how to answer them. There will be two sections during your CASPer test and some questions will be text, others will be presented as video scenarios. Within those sections, there will be three categories of questions, and three possible ‘types’ of questions—situational, policy based, and personal. Not only should you practice how to articulate your responses to each, but you should also review any legal, ethical, boundaries, safety, or other information that should always be kept in mind when responding to questions for the purpose of preparing for any possible future career. It’s important that you adhere to professional expectations and feel comfortable curating answers in a timely fashion, and that’s why a CASPer test prep book can be a good place to start during your preparation stage.
CASPer tests were designed to assess a student’s communication ability, along with their strengths, perspectives and potential weaknesses related to team collaboration, human empathy, equity, ethics, problem-solving abilities, general professionalism, resilience against difficult scenarios and situations, and overall self-awareness. While these aren’t necessarily qualities you can learn by simply studying, you can acquire the ability to think critically—and quickly—to craft responses to ethical dilemmas or other difficult questions in such a way that accurately expresses your genuine perspective, your insight as to how you’d handle the situation if the scenario were real, and why you’d act in such a way. In order to formulate a concrete response that will impact your overall CASPer score favorably, you must learn what to expect, how questions are structured, and how to break them down quickly. Further, you’ll need to understand how to strategically formulate your response and structure it in a concise manner…after all, you’ll have only minutes to respond!
A CASPer test prep book is a fantastic resource for applicants to rely on to give an overview of what the CASPer test is, to supply sample questions and answers (for both sections), and to provide information and insight as to why a response should be delivered in a specific manner. A test prep book written by experts—either authors who have successfully taken CASPer, admissions committee team members, or individuals responsible for scoring—gives students an organized resource filled with valuable information. While some may argue that this information can be found on the internet, having a physical (or digital) copy of a test prep book that was written and organized to guide students through their CASPer preparation provides students with peace of mind, as they’ll have access to all the information they’ll require in one place, and they’ll know the information is accurate. We strongly advise against forums like CASPer Test Reddit, as it includes anecdotal information (much of it misinformation) from the general public, and there is no evidence to back any suggestions, opinions of claims on Reddit.
Not all CASPer information sources are created equal. Check out this infographic to see why:
What Must My CASPer Test Prep Book Include?
A CASPer test book can help familiarize you with the format of the test, as well as help you understand what questions may be asked, and how you should best answer. It’s true that the CASPer questions are entirely subjective, however, the skills necessary to successfully complete the CASPer test are completely coachable, and students who prepare by reading books, practicing responses and even attending mock CASPer simulations should be able to approach their answers on CASPer test day with confidence.
Your chosen CASPer test prep book should, ideally, include the following:
Overall, the most important thing you can do to prepare for the CASPer test is to review a test prep book, make notes, practice, and even consider a CASPer prep course, should you feel you require it. Even if you feel you understand SJT’s and their questions, you should never enter your CASPer test with the intent to ‘wing it’, nor should you feel that by skimming through a prep book, that you’ll be prepared.
Because the structure of the CASPer test is unique, as is the content, multiple preparation steps should be considered, with the first being a test prep book to help promote an understanding of what the test is for, what answers are favorable, and how to construct the best answers in a way that communicates your best abilities and skills in a concise and professional manner.
There are many different CASPer question categories and scenarios that could arise during your test, and these should be elaborated on in your chosen test prep book. Possible types of questions include: ethical dilemmas, questions pertaining to boundaries, and conflict of interest questions.
Along with preparing to be faced with different types of questions, applicants should be prepared to provide different types of answers when they respond. One question, for example, may be able to be responded too differently if the question were asked in a slightly different way, or asked with the intent of receiving a response based on your situational judgement, policy-based knowledge, and personal logic and experience.
- For questions that prompt a situational perspective and respond, you’ll need to first assess the scenario, figure out who/what is directly impacted, understand the unknown ‘if’s’ that exist between the lines of the question, and craft your answer based on what you do—and don’t—know about the situation in order to act in the best interest of all parties involved.
- For a policy-based response to a question, you’ll need to understand how to identify the legal aspects of a scenario, and give evidence as to why you feel you would act/respond to a certain situation in such a way based on policy.
- And, for personal questions, you may be asked to share an anecdote about a time when you had a specific experience, and detail how you responded, and why.
Reviewing a CASPer test prep book means that you should be able to understand how to structure your responses for each CASPer question, and why your responses will be different depending on the category of question, and the style/type of response that has been asked of you.
Looking for more CASPer tips? Check out this video:
Which CASPer Test Prep Book Do We Recommend?
If you're looking for a book that will help you ace the CASPer test, we highly recommend checking out the top-rated BeMo's Ultimate Guide to CASPer Test Prep: How to Increase Your CASPer SIM Score by 23% Using the Proven Strategies They May Not Want You to Know, which is available on Amazon.
Of all the CASPer test prep books available, this one has been well-reviewed and received by many hopeful applicants, who moved onto being successful ones! This book is designed specifically to prepare students for their CASPer test and help them achieve the highest score possible. The BeMo Ultimate Guide is considered to be the most comprehensive resource for CASPer preparation, meaning you’ll have all of the information you’ll need to prepare in one book. Written by former CASPer test raters, admissions committee members and award-winning scientists, this book truly is a guide and can benefit any graduate or professionals school applicants who are required to take the CASPer. The guide includes proven strategies and BeMo’s own proven formula for acing the CASPer test, sample questions and answers, two full length practice tests. It also includes pro-tips about how CASPer is scored, 21 possible types of questions and details on how to best answer each, difficult sample scenarios with a detailed analysis of potential answers, a total of 108 sample questions and free access to BeMo's private online CASPer prep MasterMind group and additional resources, such as access to an online sample/practice test. BeMo’s guide not only shares important tips and information, but serves as a resource through all steps of an applicant’s preparation! Upon completing the guide, and utilizing its practice questions, applicants should be able to confidently respond to a wide array of CASPer questions and understand what types of answers are expected of them, and why.
FAQs
1. What is the purpose of SJT’s, like CASPer?
Graduate and professional programs want to get to know students’ qualities, beyond what they see reflected in their GPA’s, and, they want to assess how students respond to timed questions CASPer tests were designed to assess a student’s communication ability, along with their strengths, perspectives and potential weaknesses related to team collaboration, human empathy, equity, ethics, problem-solving abilities, general professionalism, resilience against difficult scenarios and situations, and overall self-awareness.
2. Can I study for CASPer?
Yes! While some may contradict this, it is entirely possible to study, practice and prepare for situational judgment tests, like CASPer. Some people feel that they will be able to curate adequate responses to CASPer questions based on their own knowledge, however, we strongly recommend reviewing what the purpose is behind questions, what admissions committees are truly looking for in your response, and how you can best structure your answer. We also recommend practicing potential answers, and ensuring that you’re able to speak clearly and confidently—and deliver your response—in 1-2 minutes.
3. Why is a test prep book a good a worthy investment and recommended first-step?
A CASPer test prep book is a worthy investment (and ours only costs 0.99 cents!) and a great first-step that can serve as a resource while you prepare to ace your CASPer! A test prep book should/may outline the structure and format of questions, and give you examples and analyses of potential responses. It also provides you with useful tips and information in one organized source, and most books are written by professionals—thus, saving you hours of internet scouring—and saving you from reading potentially incorrect and misleading information.
4. What should I look for in a CASPer test prep book?
- Your CASPer test prep book should, ideally, be authored by credible individuals, such as test raters, admissions committee members (current or former), scientists, academic consultants, and/or anyone else with direct affiliation to the CASPer test.
- Include proven strategies, statements and advice given mustn’t be taken unless it is backed by proof/evidence that it works!
- Include sample questions and answers—the more detail, the better!
- A formula or set instructions for crafting your response. It’s crucial to look for a test prep book that not only encourages students to practice their response to sample questions, but tells them how they should consider responding, and why.
- A practice test, or tips for practicing, are always useful!
- Alternate answers for each sample question—there are many possible questions that will be asked during a CASPer test, however, sharing a formula also means sharing more than one way of responding, because each student taking the test may interpret questions differently, and that isn’t a bad thing.
- Analyses of at least a few questions and answers so students understand what they should and should not say.
- Any additional bonus content is always great…you can never be over-prepared for an important test like CASPer.
5. How long does the CASPer test take the complete?
Your CASPer test can take 90-110 minutes. Some questions/scenarios will be presented in video format, and others will be written. Your responses will need to be short, since you are given 1 minute for your video-recorded responses to 2 questions in the first section and 5 minutes to type answers to 3 questions in the written response section.
6. How long will my CASPer preparation take?
This depends on YOU! Some students may find that after reviewing a test prep book and practicing a few sample answers over a few hours that they are confident, whereas others will practice for a few hours each week, or for several months leading up to their CASPer date!
7. What test prep book do you recommend?
We highly recommend our own comprehensive resource, the top-rated BeMo's Ultimate Guide to CASPer Test Prep: How to Increase Your CASPer SIM Score by 23% Using the Proven Strategies They May Not Want You to Know, which is available on Amazon.
This book is written by experts and was designed specifically to prepare students for their CASPer test and help them achieve the highest score possible.
8. I require additional support preparing for CASPer, where can I start?
BeMo Academic Consulting is here to help! BeMo offers 1-on-1 preparatory services for students at the undergraduate, graduate, and medical school level. Helping students get into their chosen school is what we do best, and we can help you prepare for your CASPer test, MMI, or any other component(s) of your admissions process.
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