What is CASPer?
The CASPer test is a situational judgment exam. The CASPer website states that it is “a type of psychological test which presents the test-taker with realistic, hypothetical scenarios and may ask the individual what they would do in the dilemma and why they would do it. Situational judgment tests tend to determine behavioral tendencies, assessing how an individual will behave in a certain situation, and knowledge instruction, which evaluates the effectiveness of possible responses.” This exam is taken online. A handful of PA programs are beginning to require this exam as part of your overall application. Aside from PA programs, CASPer is often required by other healthcare programs as well, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, dentistry, graduate nursing, and medical schools. CASPer claims to test the following skills: collaboration, communication, empathy, equity, ethics, motivation, problem solving, professionalism, resilience, and self-awareness.
Fast Facts About CASPer
As of right now, only 28 PA programs require this exam to be taken. It costs $10 to take the exam and $10 to distribute your scores to each school you are sending them to. The scores will be distributed approximately 3 weeks after you take the exam. To sign up for an exam, visit the TakeCASPer.com website and browse test dates. The program is offered up to 6 times per month, with the most available dates seeming to be in July of the application cycle. CASPer offers time slots for the exam starting usually at 2 pm, 5 pm, and 8 pm, with an occasional time slot available at 1 pm. The exam takes 60 to 90 minutes to complete. Just to be safe, I recommend reserving about 2 hours of your time to log in, get ready, then fully complete this exam. It’s important to note, your scores will only be valid for a single admissions cycle, so if you are a re-applicant, you must re-take the CASPer exam.
What is the Format of CASPer?
The format of the exam is fairly simple. CASPer is made up of 12 sections. 8 sections present you with a video that plays on your screen, and 4 sections are word-based scenarios. The video or word prompt will present you with a situation that requires you to make some sort of judgement. This can include an interaction between coworkers, classmates, members of a team, an admissions committee, etc. Once the video is complete or the word prompt read, you will be given three open-ended questions to answer. You only have 5 minutes to respond to these questions, so gather your thoughts quickly, express your stance, and get right to the point without rambling on. The exam does not test your spelling and grammar, so don’t worry if a word is spelled wrong. I suggest setting yourself up in a quiet place with no distractions. Given only 5 minutes to respond to three questions, it’s easy to feel pretty rushed during most prompts. I recommend researching typical scenarios you may come across on the CASPer exam and reading through the practice exam available online. This will familiarize you with the quick process and response time required under pressure.
How Will CASPer Affect My PA School Application?
I believe this exam was valuable to my application because I was able to show PA programs another side of myself. Although my situational judgement skills may be slightly expressed in my personal statement, this opportunity spoke even more about my character. My GPA may not be perfect, but I do know that my people skills are excellent. CASPer’s website states that “many programs have begun incorporating new and innovation tools, like the multiple-mini interview (MMI) and CASPer, to make sure that students are not only academically capable but also possess the suitable characteristics of someone who will likely succeed on the job.” Two of the programs I applied to require the CASPer exam, and I was confused at first about what it even was. Overall, I had a positive experience with the CASPer exam. You don’t receive a “score,” so I don’t really even know how I “did.” Because of the ability for this exam to provide a more holistic approach for admissions committees to judge applicants, I predict that many more programs will require this exam in the upcoming years.
CASPer Scenario
Here is an example of a CASPer scenario and follow up questions from TakeCASPer.com:
Scenario (summary in my own words)
You are at work with your coworkers. Your male coworker has a tough decision coming up. His wife is pregnant and would like him to take paternity leave when she delivers the baby. The male coworker wants to take paternity leave, but he is working on a new project that he believes has the potential to earn him a promotion in the company. Your other coworker states, “so it seems like you need to decide what you want to prioritize, family or career.” The male coworker states that if he gets a promotion it will ultimately benefit his family, but the industry does not support paternity leave. He uses an anecdote about a friend who took paternity leave and ended up in the same position for years, receiving no promotion. They ask, “What do you think he should do?”
Follow up questions
Would you recommend he take paternity leave? Why or why not?
What strategies could you offer to help him make a decision that he feels comfortable with?
Maintaining work life balance can be challenging. Why do you think people struggle to find balance?
For more examples and additional information, visit the CASPer exam website at TakeCASPer.com.
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