Casper and Duet FAQ (2024)

Casper & Duet are assessments that give applicants the opportunity for programs to get to know them better, earlier on in the admissions process to stand out from the crowd, by demonstrating their unique competencies and attributes that showcase who they are, beyond their grades:

• Casper – an open-response, situational judgment test that evaluates aspects of applicants’ social intelligence and professionalism such as ethics, empathy, problem-solving and collaboration.
• Duet – a value-alignment assessment for select programs only that compares what applicants value most in a program to what the programs have to offer.

Together, these standardized selection tools paint a more complete picture of who you are so that programs consider more than just your grades.

Each Acuity Insights assessment focuses on specific personal and professional attributes to paint a more complete picture of who you are. Together, they give applicants multiple opportunities to showcase their people skills. Programs benefit from using this information at multiple points throughout their processes to make informed decisions.

For applicants of 2023-2024 admissions cycle:
It depends on the type of program(s) you’re applying to. While Casper is required by all programs, some programs need applicants to take Duet too. To learn more about the specifics of your assessment requirements, please check your individual program website(s) for information on whether Duet is an admissions requirement or not. If one or more of the programs on your distribution list require the Duet assessment then it will be listed as a component to complete in your Acuity Insights account.

Applicable to applicants of 2022-23 admissions cycle:
It depends on the type of program(s) you’re applying to. While Casper is required by all programs, some programs need applicants to take Snapshot and/or Duet too.To learn more about the specifics of your assessment requirements, please check your individual program website(s) for information on whether Snapshot and/or Duet is an admissions requirement or not. If one or more of the programs on your distribution list have opted into Snapshot and/or Duet then these assessments will be listed as a component to complete in your Acuity Insights account. Please view the FAQ for 2022/2023 test takers for more details.

No. While you have to take the Casper test at a specific time, Duet can be completed anytime after booking your Casper test and before your program’ distribution deadline.

Note that Duet is only applicable to specific programs. Check your program website(s) for information on whether Duet is an admissions requirement or not.

You must take the Casper test on one of the dates indicated for the program(s) you wish to apply to, as shown on the Dates and fees page. All test dates and distribution deadlines are pre-arranged with academic programs and tests are processed as a group to ensure timely delivery of scores. Be sure to reserve your Casper test at least 3 days in advance of your desired test date to allow for identity verification and payment processing timelines. Last-minute bookings are not recommended. If you require testing accommodations, you must submit all necessary forms and supporting documentation 3 weeks prior to the time of your scheduled test.

If you are applying to a program that requires Duet, we recommend that you complete those tests within 14 days after taking Casper. This will ensure that all of your assessments are available together to be considered by your program(s). Please check the Dates and fees page and your program website(s) for information on whether Duet are an admissions requirement or not. Should individual program requirements change, you will still be able to complete Duet at any time before your earliest program distribution deadline, as shown on the Dates and fees page.

If you choose not to, or are unable to complete Duet, your Casper score will still be sent to the program(s) on your distribution list, though your Duet scores will be empty. Keep in mind that Casper scores are distributed approximately 2-3 weeks after the test date.

Important: Check the time zone carefully to ensure you have the correct date and time for your test. Test times are in the North American Eastern time zone EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) or EST (Eastern Savings Time), unless indicated otherwise. To avoid time zone scheduling issues, check the countdown timer on your test page in your Acuity Insights account.

It depends on the program(s) you’re applying to, but it can take anywhere between 90-140 minutes. Casper takes about 90-110 minutes to complete, while Duet takes about 10-15 minutes.

Each assessment is evaluated differently, but together they aim to highlight different aspects of your personal and professional qualities.

• Casper is scored by a diverse group of human raters. Each section of a test is scored by a different rater. The group of raters reflects the diversity of the population. All raters are extensively trained, vetted and invested in the future of the profession. The Acuity Insights team has numerous quality assurance measures in place to ensure the integrity of scores assigned by our raters.
• Duet results are automatically generated based on the alignment between your rankings and those of the programs to which you’re applying (programs complete the Duet assessment first).

After completing the registration process for your Acuity Insights account, you will be able to reserve your Casper test and pay for your assessments.

All payments must be made with a valid credit card. We accept major credit cards, including, but not limited to, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Debit cards are not accepted.

Please ensure to provide the exact email address, telephone number, and the billing address your credit card bank has on file for you.

Since we are a Canadian company, some banks in other countries may block your payment in order to prevent fraud. If you reside outside of Canada, please contact your bank to ensure that your payment is authorized.

Please Note:

• The charge on your credit card will be displayed as Acuity Insights Inc.
• Incorrect program selection or change of mind is not grounds for a refund.
• All payments are valid for the current admissions cycle.
• All fees are non-refundable.

Program Fee Waivers or coupons are used by a small subset of programs that have requested to absorb the assessment fee for their applicants. Programs providing Program Fee Waivers will communicate this directly to their applicants via email.

Acuity Insights does not provide Program Fee Waiver codes to applicants.

Program Fee Waiver codes will only cover the base fee + distribution fee to that particular program. For US UME programs, that will be the base fee which includes 8 distributions. Codes are associated with applicant email addresses and can only be used one time. All other distribution fees are the responsibility of the applicant.

The US-based Fee Assistance Program assists US applicants who, without financial assistance, would be unable to take certain tests such as Casper and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and apply to programs that use the AACOMAS, and more. Applicants with FAP-approved status from the below-noted Fee Assistance Programs will receive access to Casper at $0, which includes all program distributions. Applicants who have demonstrated their eligibility from the below-noted Fee Assistance Programs should please contact us with proof of your Fee Assistance Program status via support@acuityinsights.app or through the bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of your account.

Note that if proof of your FAP approval is not provided prior to your test, Acuity Insights may issue an invoice for the outstanding balance on your account

The US-based Fee Assistance Programs that are currently honoured for Acuity Insights are:

• AAMC
• AACOMAS
• CASPA (only for US Physician Assistant programs)
• NursingCAS (only for Hofstra University – Northwell School of Graduate Nursing)
• Texas JAMP
• Texas Early Assurance

Please visit the websites of each of these fee assistance programs to view the eligibility criteria.

If you have been approved for a US-based Fee Assistance Program that is honored by Acuity Insights, please select the checkbox indicating your FAP-approved status when you reserve your test.

This checkbox will appear at Step 6 on the Reservation Summary, after you have selected the programs you want to distribute your Acuity Insights Assessments results to and before you proceed to the payment section.

Please note that you will be required to upload evidence in the form of a PDF, JPG, or PNG of FAP approval at the time of reserving your test.

Please ensure that your proof of FAP status clearly displays the following:

• Personal identifying information such as your name, email, or ID number (AAMC ID, AACOMAS ID, etc.)
• The date range the FAP covers

All fees are non-refundable and only valid for the then-current admissions cycle.

You can find information regarding this policy in our terms of use (Section 6: Fees and Payments) and on the Dates and Fees page.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to reserve a test only once they are certain that they need to take it. Selecting an incorrect program, test language, or admissions cycle as well as having a change of mind, or no longer needing a test is not grounds for a refund.

No. Acuity Insights Inc., the company behind Acuity Insights Assessments, is in no way affiliated with test preparation companies offering Casper preparation or coaching services. Any claims of a quantitative improvement in scores from these third-party companies are not valid. We do not offer any paid test prep or coaching services outside the practice sessions and scenarios available on your official Acuity Insights user account or on the acuityinsights.app website.

We strongly encourage all students and their parents (or guardians) to proceed with caution when reviewing the services offered by such third parties, as none of them have been verified nor are they supported by Acuity Insights. We have seen advice given by these companies that can be detrimental to an applicant’s score, so we advise you to be careful. We recommend you use the resources we have provided on the acuityinsights.app website to prepare for the assessments.

Acuity Insights Assessments does not offer phone support.

We offer online support via our messaging system. To access this, click on the chat bubble located on the bottom right of your screen when on the website or in your Acuity Insights account.

You can also email support@acuityinsights.app with your questions. Our support team typically replies within one business day during non-testing hours.

For all Casper tests, our support team is available for live chat via our online messaging system one hour before the start times and for the duration of the tests. During testing hours, our response time is much quicker, so you will be connected to a knowledgeable support person and have your questions answered within a couple of minutes!

Note: We do not call applicants. If you receive a phone call from anyone claiming to be an Acuity Insights, Casper, One45, or Altus Assessments (our previous company name) representative, please hang up and contact us immediately.

Applicants are not permitted to send both their French and English Casper scores to the same program. Programs only receive one Casper score per applicant per admissions cycle.

When you reserve your first Canadian Casper test in an admissions cycle, you will be asked to indicate your Bilingual Program Distribution Language. Once selected, all bilingual programs may only receive a score from an appropriate Casper test taken in the selected language.

To determine which programs will accept either an English or French Casper score, please visit our Dates and Fees page.

Casper is used by academic programs to obtain a more reliable and meaningful assessment of applicants’ personal competencies. It is meant to be a way for programs to get a better sense of their applicant pool.

For programs, this means not only selecting applicants with the highest potential for success but also ensuring that they are selecting a diverse group of students to reflect the increasing diversity of the patient population.

Please contact your academic program(s) for the most up-to-date information regarding the admission process, requirements, and deadlines.

We continuously research and investigate to improve our assessments and make admissions more fair and equitable. During the 2022-2023 cycle we ran experiments and analyses to investigate the impact of the video response section on demographic differences and reliability. Throughout the year, we collected data across all countries, programs, and languages the Casper test was conducted. Results from our experiments demonstrate that adding a video response section further reduced demographic differences.This, along with positive findings in applicant interviews and post-test surveys, has shaped our decision that Casper will include a video response section for all applicants.

This video response section makes the test more equitable and also gives applicants an additional mode of communication and authentic expression of thought.

Webcams and microphones are a strict requirement for your Casper test as part of our identity assertion, proctoring methods and for answering the first section of your Casper test where you would be required to record video responses. Your webcam must be turned on, uncovered, and facing towards you throughout the duration of your test.

While your microphone should be close to your mouth, the device volume should be adjusted and you should speak as clearly as possible for the video response section of your Casper test.

During your Casper test, the Acuity Insights team may, at any time and from time to time, remotely monitor your access to the service to ensure compliance with the terms of use.

Please ensure you have access to a working computer with a webcam, microphone and a reliable, high-speed internet connection with a bandwidth speed of at least 2 megabytes per second (MB/s) to use for your account registration and test.

After you have completed the registration for your Acuity Insights account, you’ll be able to reserve a test.

1. Click ‘+ Reserve Casper Test’ on the Acuity Insights Assessments homepage.
2. Select the country which the program(s) you are applying to reside in.
3. Select the language you would like to use when taking the Casper test, if applicable.
4. Select the admission cycle for your program(s).
5. Select the program type(s) you are applying to.
6. Select the school(s) you are applying to (more can be added later).
7. If prompted, type the application/student ID number(s) into the text field(s).
8. Select your desired test date.
9. Review your test reservation details.
10. Input your payment information.
11. Confirm and submit your test reservation payment.

If you don’t know which test to select, please browse the programs on the Dates and Fees page.

Note that all fees are non-refundable.

You can reschedule a test at any point prior to the viewing of actual test content so long as test times and dates are available for the same admissions cycle. You are also able to reschedule a test if you missed your scheduled test time, again, as long as you have not seen any Casper test content.

Please note: You can change your test date for free if rescheduled 31+ days before your confirmed test date and time. There is a fee if you reschedule your test within 30 days or anytime after your confirmed test date and time. Visit our Rescheduling article for more information.

Exceptions may be provided for those with verified technical or medical issues and those approved for a fee assistance program honored by Acuity Insights.

To reschedule your test:

1. Log in to your Acuity Insights account
2. Click Reschedule under the Test Date on the Test Reservations page. [If you cannot see this option please zoom out on your screen by selecting the command/ctrl button and the – (minus) button]
3. Under Available test date(s), select your preferred month, date and time
4. Press Reschedule

​If there are no other test dates available for this admissions cycle it means that the final testing opportunity has passed for one or more of the programs on your distribution list.

These programs will have to be removed by a support person in order for you to reschedule your test. You can contact our support team using the chat bubble located on your Acuity Insights account or acuityinsights.app.

You can browse the final test dates for individual programs on the Dates and fees page.

The Casper test takes approximately 90-110 minutes, which includes the mandatory system requirements check, introduction, about 80 minutes of questions and answers, along with an optional 10-minute break right before you begin the typed response section and another optional 5-minute break after the first four scenarios in the typed response section.

Please aim to log in to your Acuity Insights account approximately 30 minutes before your scheduled test time and ensure your computer, webcam, microphone, and internet connection are in working order for your test. We recommend you to perform a ‘System Requirements Check’, found on the Reservations and Casper homepage in your Acuity Insights account.

Acuity Insights does not use testing centers to administer the Casper test.

You can take the online Casper test on a computer at a location of your choice. Since the test requires your full concentration, we strongly recommend that you take the test in a space that is free from distractions and noise. You may use headphones to help you concentrate and/or eliminate background noise.

For your test, you will need access to a computer, webcam, microphone, and reliable, high-speed internet connection with a bandwidth speed of at least 2 megabytes per second that passes the ‘System Requirements Check’ found on the Reservations and Casper homepage in your Acuity Insights account.

For your test, you will need access to a computer, webcam, and reliable internet connection that passes the ‘Casper System Requirements Check’ found on the Reservations page.

For tips on how to prepare for the Casper test, visit our Test prep page.

Please remember that you must take your test alone.

We are unable to accommodate individual schedules. All test dates and distribution deadlines are pre-arranged with academic programs and tests are processed as a group to ensure timely delivery of scores. Each test instance uses unique content and a team is on hand to support test takers.

When traveling, please arrange to have access to a computer, webcam, microphone, and reliable internet connection with a bandwidth speed of at least 2 megabytes per second (MB/s) that passes the ‘System Requirements Check’, found on the Reservations and Casper homepage in your Acuity Insights account.

If you are unable to take the test due to school/work, please speak with your supervisor/professor explaining the high-stakes nature of the Casper test so that you can be available.

You can browse program test dates on the Dates and Fees page.

Casper raters are trained to disregard minor spelling mistakes when evaluating responses.

We strongly encourage you to focus on the content of your responses and to use all of the time provided to complete the questions in each answer section.

Keep in mind that raters will accept any typed answer, whether it be in point form/bullet points or complete sentences.

Each section of the test is scored by a unique rater, making the Casper score a robust measure made up of many independent impressions of you.

Raters are assigned to a particular scenario from a Casper test and provided with relevant instructions and background knowledge about the topic at hand. Once prepared, raters are served responses from one scenario and multiple different applicants to rate. It’s important to note that no rater will ever score an applicant more than once.

As such, an applicant’s final score is always comprised of multiple unique rater impressions. This allows us to dilute any bias that one rater’s subjectivity may bring to the table. A rater does not know how well you’ve done on any other scenario of the test.

While raters are trained to disregard spelling mistakes, accents or grammar when evaluating responses, we suggest that you try to avoid using any slangs or phrases that may not be widely understood to ensure that you stand the best chance at representing your ideas to the raters.

Each rater completes a training session and accreditation before they are permitted to score Casper responses. The Acuity Insights team has numerous quality assurance measures in place to ensure that raters are carefully and fairly evaluating your responses.

Note that Programs do not see responses from applicants.

Each rater completes training and accreditation before they are permitted to score Casper responses. The Acuity Insights team has numerous quality assurance measures in place to ensure that raters are carefully and fairly evaluating your responses.

Please refer to the FAQ How is the test evaluated? to learn more about the rating process.

It is up to the individual programs to determine how they will incorporate the Casper score into their application decisions, meaning every school may use the scores differently.

That means that the same Casper score may be competitive for one program but less competitive for another. The influence of the score also depends on the competitiveness of the applicant pool for each individual program.

Further information on the program-specific use of Casper scores may be available on the individual program websites.

Additionally, depersonalized (anonymized) data may be used for research purposes about a program(s)’ applicants, while strictly adhering to legal and ethical research standards.

You should prepare for the Casper test by familiarizing yourself with the test format and technical requirements. The general literature suggests that situational judgment tests (SJTs), like the Casper test, are relatively immune to coaching.

A note on test preparation tools: There are many third-party test preparation tools available for Casper, however, we do not support or encourage the use of these when preparing for your Casper test. Our research shows that using third-party Casper test prep does not increase an applicant’s score, and can even hinder it.

For more information on how you can prepare, visit the Test Prep page. To view our blog post about how to maximize your chances of success when taking Casper, click here.

Note that any example questions or tests that may exist outside of the acuityinsights.app site are in no way associated with the official Casper test and are not recommended resources.

A practice Casper test is available. To access this practice test, please log-in to your Acuity Insights account, go to Casper, and complete the System requirements check before proceeding to practice Casper to avoid any technical difficulties during the practice test.

Please visit the Test prep page to familiarize yourself with the standard Casper test format in order to reduce test-day anxiety and to ensure no technical issues prevent you from having a smooth test.

Note that any example questions or tests that may exist outside of the acuityinsights.app site are in no way associated with the official Casper test and are not recommended resources.

The test is divided into 2 response sections.

The first is the video response section. In the video response section, you will be presented with two word-based scenarios and four video-based scenarios which will appear in randomized order. When each scenario finishes, you’ll have 30 seconds of reflection time, 10 seconds to read the question and you will be given one minute to record your responses to each of the two open-ended questions. Your recording will be uploaded once you submit your response or automatically, once the one minute timer runs out.

At the end of the video response section, there will be an optional 10 minute break. You can use this time to prepare for the second section of the test which is the typed response section.

In this section, you will be presented with three word-based scenarios and five video-based scenarios which will appear in randomized order. When each scenario finishes, you’ll have 30 seconds of reflection time and you will be given five minutes to type your responses to three open-ended questions. Once the five minutes are up, you’ll be automatically advanced to the next scenario.

After the first four scenarios in the typed response section, there will be another optional five minute break.

Note that your responses are automatically saved even if you don’t press the “Submit” button when the timer runs out and you’ll be moved to the next page automatically.

Please complete the system requirements check found on your Casper page to ensure that everything is working properly. It is important to complete this check in the same environment, using the same computer, webcam, microphone and internet connection that you intend to use on test day.

Important: Check the time zone carefully to ensure you have the correct date and time for your test. Unless otherwise indicated, all test times are listed in EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) or EST (Eastern Standard Time). For further clarification regarding time zones, please refer to our timezones article.

To avoid time zone scheduling issues, check the countdown timer on your test page in your Acuity Insights account.

It is mandatory to perform the system requirements check within six hours prior to starting your test to resolve any issues ahead of time. This can be found on the Reservations and Casper homepage in your Acuity Insights account in the same environment and with the same set-up that you plan to take the test in.

This is to ensure that your webcam, microphone, browser, and internet connection are adequate and working properly.

• Download an updated version of both Chrome and Firefox here. Please note that only these two web browsers are supported for your test.
• Restart your computer
• Close all other applications (e.g., Skype)
• Use incognito/Private browser
• Disable any Firewall or pop-up blocker
• Disable all plug-ins and extensions (e.g., Grammarly)
• Deactivate your Virtual Private Network (VPN) for Chrome or Firefox
• Log-in to your Acuity Insights account approximately thirty minutes before your scheduled test time.

Note that webcams and microphones are a strict requirement for your Casper test as part of our identity verification and proctoring. You will also need the webcam for answering the first section of your test where you would be required to record video responses. Your webcam must be active, uncovered, and facing toward you throughout the duration of your test.

Please log-in to your Acuity Insights account approximately 30 minutes before your scheduled test time.

Then, go to the testing page and wait for the countdown timer to expire. Once expired, click the ‘Start’ button that will appear. This will enable you to start your test.

Note that you will only have 15 minutes after your test start time to click the ‘Start’ button, after which you will have to reschedule to a future test date (if available).

You are entitled to two optional breaks. The first is for 10 minutes and it is given after the video response section and just before you begin the typed response section. The second break lasts for 5 minutes and is given after the first four scenarios of the typed response section.

During your breaks, you can take this time to stretch, relax and prepare for the next portion of the test. Please ensure your internet, microphone and webcam are still working and reliable, and ensure you are in a room with no distractions.

After the break, your Casper test will automatically resume, so please ensure that you have returned to your computer before your break time has expired. If you would like to proceed directly to the remainder of your test before the break has passed, you can click the ‘Next’ button at any point.

Please familiarize yourself with the standard Casper test format in order to reduce test-day anxiety and to ensure no technical issues prevent you from having a smooth test. A Casper practice test is available. To access this practice test, please log-in to your Acuity Insights account, go to Casper, and complete the system requirements check before proceeding to the Practice Casper page to avoid any technical difficulties during the practice test.

If you experience technical issues during the typed section of the test, simply refresh the browser page by clicking the refresh icon. If refreshing your browser does not resolve the issue, we recommend switching to your back-up browser (Chrome or Firefox). Download the latest version of either browser. Contact applicant support and follow any instructions on the page if you experience technical issues during the video response section of the test.

Please note that all other browsers (e.g., Safari, Explorer, Edge, etc.), as well as Smartphones and Tablets, do not support the Casper test.

If the issue persists please reach out to the Acuity Insights Support Team via the live chat (the button at the bottom right of your test screen). We suggest reaching out to the support team during a video/word-based scenario of your test, rather than during an answer section.

Avoid refreshing the page during an answer section to avoid disconnection. Do not refresh the page for the video response section (first section of the test) while recording or uploading the video responses, unless indicated by our applicant support team. Typed responses are automatically saved every second as long as your internet connection is stable.

While we aim to maximize your chance of finishing your test when scheduled, some things are outside of our control. Computer malfunctions, slow/intermittent internet connections, and undetected viruses/malware on your computer/browser may affect your test experience. In all cases, our applicant support team will do their best to help you.

If you experience any technical issues during your test, please contact us via the chat function found on the bottom right of your test screen and we will help you as best as possible.

If you are unable to contact us during the time of your test, please make sure to reach out to support@acuityinsights.app within 24 hours of your scheduled test date (we do not have a phone number where you can reach us).

Visit the general tech tips for more information on the basic requirements that can help you have a smooth testing experience on your test date.

Please note that you can access more troubleshooting tips related to the technical issues you may face during the test in your Acuity Insights account. You can access this by clicking on the Technical Troubleshooting tips link in the Knowledge Base section of your Acuity Insights account’s homepage.

All typed Casper test scores are processed and distributed to academic programs as a group. Your Casper score will be made available to the programs on your distribution list approximately 2-3 weeks after taking your test.

You will not receive an email stating that your score has been delivered. However, in the Reservations section of your Acuity Insights account, you will see “Completed – Results delivered” to indicate that the score has been delivered. If you see “Completed – Results pending,” your Casper score has not yet been distributed.

It may take some extra time for individual programs to update the status of your Casper score in their system. Please allow programs ample time to update their system.

You can add programs to your distribution list even after taking your test, as long as they are still accepting scores.

• On the Reservations page of your Acuity Insights account, under Test Information, click on View/Add beside Distribution(s)
• Add a New Distribution [If you cannot see this option please zoom out on your screen by selecting the command/ctrl button and the – (minus) button]
• Select the program(s) and school(s) that will receive your score
• Provide additional ID requirements, if applicable
• Review and submit your payment

If you are not able to select Add a New Distribution, the distribution deadline for one or more of the programs selected may have passed. You can browse all of the program distribution deadlines on the Dates and fees page.

Casper scores are only valid for a single admissions cycle and for the test type (e.g., American Professional Health Sciences, etc.) for which you have taken the test.

You will need to take a separate Casper test for future admissions cycles or different test categories, including for programs offered in different countries or in different languages.

One reason why scores are valid for only one admissions cycle is because the tests evolve each year and answers must be assessed against the new pool of candidates. A Casper score for one type of program or admissions cycle cannot be used for other types of programs or future admissions cycles.

While you won’t receive your Casper test score, you will receive a quartile, indicating how you performed relative to your peers.

You can expect to receive your quartile approximately one month (4 to 5 weeks) after the completion of your test.

Quartiles are values that divide a set of scores into four equal parts, meaning that a quarter of scores are placed in each quartile. Specifically:

• 25% of applicants score in the first quartile (0-24 percentile)
• 25% of applicants score in the second quartile (25-49 percentile)
• 25% of applicants score in the third quartile (50-74 percentile)
• 25% of applicants score in the fourth quartile (75-100 percentile)

Quartiles tell you how you scored relative to your peers. For example, applicants who scored in the fourth quartile scored higher than applicants in the first, second and third quartiles, meaning they scored higher than at least 75% of all applicants. Applicants who scored in the second quartile scored higher than applicants in the first quartile, but lower than applicants in the third and fourth quartile. Specifically, this means that they scored higher than at least 25% of all applicants, but lower than at least 50% of all applicants.

Remember that quartiles represent what percentage of other applicants you scored higher than, not what percentage of questions you got right or wrong – as there are no right or wrong answers on Casper.

We do not share Casper scores directly with applicants for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to:

• Ensuring a level playing field for all applicants
• Maintaining test integrity in order to get a genuine assessment of all applicants by minimizing chances of “faking good”
• Respecting all our partner programs’ unique admissions process strategies

Acuity Insights shares quartiles as a way of balancing the needs of the applicants with the needs of the program. This will help applicants understand where they place in terms of their performance on Casper, relative to other applicants. Regardless of what quartile an applicant’s Casper score places in, it should not dissuade them from applying to a program. Many programs consider all quartiles and use Casper as an additional piece of information among many metrics to make admissions decisions.

Quartile scores will be sent to applicants who complete Casper for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle and later. Applicants will not be able to receive their Casper quartile score for tests completed in previous admissions cycles.

A Casper response is scored relative to other responses to the same scenario, meaning your score is the strength of your response relative to other responses to the same scenario. Placing in the first quartile means that other applicants had a stronger performance. It does not mean you failed, it just means that compared to other applicants, your responses were not as strong. The Casper test pool is full of high-caliber applicants.

Applicants who placed in higher quartiles may have done so for a number of reasons, based on the competencies Casper is designed to measure. These might include:

• Effort: they may have tried harder to respond to questions (for instance, they may have explained their position fully, or used the full amount of time before moving on to the next question, compared to applicants who place in the first quartile)
• Empathy: they considered all perspectives in a meaningful way
• Equity: they show the same high degree of respect for the experiences and needs of others
• Communication: they demonstrated above-average ability to effectively articulate their ideas
• Familiarity with the medium: they familiarized themselves with the format of the test (video, typed response, etc.) and were able to successfully navigate these aspects of the test.

Whichever quartile your Casper score is placed, it should not dissuade you from applying to any program. Many programs consider all quartiles and use Casper as an additional piece of information among many metrics to make admissions decisions.

Applicants are not permitted to take a Casper test for the same test type (e.g., Canadian Professional Health Sciences, US Medicine, Australian Postgraduate Education, etc.) more than once per admissions cycle.

Some programs use the same Casper test score multiple times throughout a single admissions cycle. For example, if an applicant took the Canadian Post Graduate Medical Education test for the CaRMS Round 1 match, the same Casper score will be considered for the Round Two match. This also applies to programs using Casper for their initial application decisions as well as / instead of a Multi Mini Interview (MMI) or in-person interview. In these cases, applicants do not need to take two Casper tests for the same test type; the results from their initial Casper test will be applicable for all admissions considerations for the duration of that admissions cycle, so long as the programs are added to their score distribution list.

Casper results are only valid for a single admissions cycle, and only for the test type and test language for which you have taken the test. You will need to take a separate Casper test for future admissions cycles or programs requiring different test types, including for programs offered in different countries or languages.

Note that requests to retake Casper will be considered only in the event of a severe technical issue, at the discretion of Acuity Insights. In the event of a severe disruption to your test, you must report it to Acuity Insights within seven days of your Casper test date via the chat bubble at bottom right or support@acuityinsights.app.

There are ways that you can help yourself be better prepared for the test, or to truly develop the skills Casper assesses for, which may help you improve for the next application cycle on the test and in many aspects of your professional career and life.

Tips:

• Familiarity with test format: Research has shown that applicants who review the applicant resources on the acuityinsights.com website, go through the system requirements check, and take the exact test format sample test in their Acuity Insights account, score slightly higher on average than applicants who do not. This is because these applicants are familiar with the test platform and know what to expect on test day, so they’re prepared to perform to the best of their ability. While Casper isn’t a speed test, being confident that you can get your ideas across within the time limit may help reduce test anxiety – so we encourage you to take the sample test as many times as you need to feel comfortable. You can also apply for accommodations if required.
• Skill development:While Casper scores tend to be fairly stable over time, this doesn’t mean that people can’t change. What it does mean is that surface-level coaching strategies (i.e., learning how to game the test, be “test-wise” or “fake good”) will not improve your Casper score. The 5-minute time limit for responses to a scenario was partly designed to elicit authentic responses, so in order to truly improve, you will need to be dedicated to doing the personal work involved so that responding with empathy and self-awareness becomes natural. We encourage you to focus on self-reflection and skill development, not on test-taking tricks and strategies.

No, applicants who have completed Casper in admissions cycles prior to 2021-2022 will not receive their quartile score.

Starting in the 2021-2022 admissions cycle, applicants who have completed their Casper test will receive their Casper quartile score approximately 1 month following their test date.

Because Casper has relatively high test-retest reliability, applicants can expect to score similarly if they are required to take more than one Casper test (e.g., to apply to programs requiring different test types, or to apply to programs in subsequent years). However, in some cases applicants will score in a different quartile from one test to the next. Here are a few possible reasons why this might happen:

• Your scores on the two tests were close to the edge of a quartile range (e.g., 74th and 76th percentiles) meaning a small change in score led to being placed in an entirely different quartile.
• The caliber of the applicants in the two tests was different, and since Casper is rated and z-scored relative to the strength of your peers’ responses, your demonstrated abilities were more competitive in one test as compared to the other.
• You were able to improve your skills between the first and second test, or better demonstrate your skills by being more familiar with the Casper test format (e.g., by taking the practice test in your Acuity Insights account or having been exposed to a real Casper test once before), leading to an improvement in test performance.

Your Casper test is evaluated by our team of Casper raters, who are a group of independent contractors employed by Acuity Insights. The rater pool is designed to be representative of the population of the country where your program resides – this includes individuals from a wide range of professions, including but not limited to the profession to which you’re applying (e.g., healthcare, business education, teacher education).

Each of the 14 scenarios of your test is rated by a different rater, so no rater will see more than one set of your responses. This is to help ensure that each applicant’s test is evaluated using a balance of different perspectives, to ensure that each scenario is considered equally when determining your overall score (as opposed to any one rater’s first impression influencing your score on the other 13 scenarios), and to eliminate the effects of bias. Each rater only sees your typed and video responses to the Casper test – any other information (such as your name, your survey responses, or the programs you’re applying to) have been removed – meaning that they cannot consider any of this information when assigning a score.

Casper has shown strong inter-rater reliability, with intraclass correlations ranging from 0.84-0.94 across 55,988 applicants.

Casper was initially developed by Dr. Kelly Dore and Dr. Harold Reiter at McMaster University to provide academic programs with a reliable and valid (see Kane, 2013 for a validity framework) measure of social intelligence and professionalism. Casper complements the technical skills that are typically assessed during the application process (i.e., GPA and MCAT) and serves to provide programs with a better, holistic, understanding of each applicant from the start.

We recently made available our technical manual, which provides the definition of social intelligence and professionalism, and is a great resource on the format, development, and rating of Casper. The manual also goes over the strong evidence for Casper’s reliability as a measure of social intelligence and professionalism, and the research we and others have conducted assessing Casper’s predictive validity and relationship with admissions and in-program performance.

Much of the peer-reviewed evidence can also be found on our publications page. Our Research Team is regularly updating this page with publications, presentations and evidence related to Casper reliability and validity.

It depends on the type of program(s) you’re applying to and cycle. No programs will require Snapshot for the 2023/2024 cycle.

Paramedics, applicants to programs in the UK, and applicants to Canadian post-graduate medical programs are only taking Casper at this time. Acuity Insights Assessments (Casper, Snapshot, and Duet), is only applicable to US undergraduate and graduate medical programs, while Casper and Snapshot may be applicable to all other programs.

To know the specifics about your Acuity Insights Assessments requirements, please check your individual program website(s) for information on whether Snapshot is an admissions requirement or not. If one or more of the programs on your distribution list have opted into Snapshot then it will be listed as a component to complete in your Acuity Insights account.

With Snapshot, we hope to help each applicant demonstrate their communication skills and motivation to programs. You can expect questions that you may be asked in any standard admissions interview. These would be questions around the topic of your character and future profession.

Sample questions:

• 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?

No. Once you complete the Snapshot response recording for a question, it is saved automatically and you are moved on to the next question. You will not be able to view any of your video-recorded responses. This is a one-shot opportunity, like in a real interview setting. Ensure you use the practice questions to prepare yourself and get comfortable with the format before starting.

Snapshot responses will only be accessible by programs for review during the admission process.

Our Acuity Insights support team will be available to help you through the process of completing Snapshot should you experience any technical issues. If for some reason your responses were corrupted, after our team has reviewed your video responses, we will happily reset your Snapshot so you can try again once any issues have been solved.

Our team is here to help you! If you reach out to them with a technical issue or concern with Snapshot, they will reply back to you as soon as possible, normally within 24 hours.

Here are some quick troubleshooting tips for if you run into any technical troubles during Snapshot:

• Restart your computer
• Ensure you are taking Snapshot with a strong internet connection
• Ensure you are taking Snapshot on an updated version of Chrome or Firefox
• Switch from Chrome to Firefox (or vice versa)
• Double check your browser permissions to ensure you have allowed access to your microphone and webcam

If applying for accommodations for the first time, applicants are required to complete and submit an Accommodations Request Form, both Parts 1 and 2, as well as any supporting documents as soon as reasonably practicable (at least four (4) weeks prior to the time of an applicant’s scheduled or intended Casper test).

We ask that applicants send all documentation via email to support@acuityinsights.app. Alternatively, they can contact us to request a link where they can upload their documents to a secure encrypted folder. After submitting their accommodations request, the Acuity Insights Team will message the applicant to confirm receipt of their request within one (1) business day.

Please refer to this document for a detailed outline of the Acuity Insights accommodation policy.

Applicants are required to provide Part 2 of the Accommodations Request Form, as it gives an opportunity for a qualified professional to provide their recommendations for accommodation measures that are specific to the Casper test.

For the purposes of Part 2, the qualified professional must be licensed in the area of disability or impairment for which an applicant is seeking accommodations. The professional should have comprehensive training (e.g., holds a medical or another relevant professional degree) and experience in the assessment and diagnosis of the disability or impairment in question in order to be able to provide insight as to what the appropriate and necessary testing accommodations are for the components of Acuity Insights Assessments. The professional cannot be a relative, employer, or friend of the applicant, even if otherwise qualified.

The most common accommodations that may be approved for use on Acuity Insights Assessments are:

• Additional time
• Assistive software:
  • Speech-to-Text (dictation) software
  • Text-to-Speech (reader) software
• Assistive personnel:
  • Scribe
  • Reader

Acuity Insights recognizes that applicants may require accommodations that fall outside of the above-mentioned measures. We will work with applicants to provide the most appropriate measures within the technical limitations of Acuity Insights Assessments.

Please note that requests for certain measures are not necessary or permitted. Please refer to this document for a detailed outline of the Acuity Insights Accommodations Policy.

Applicants are required to first create their Acuity Insights account and reserve their Casper test prior to submitting their request for accommodations. If for any reason they are unable to reserve their Casper test, applicants are asked to inform the Acuity Insights Team of their intended Casper test date when submitting all required documentation.

The Accommodations Request Form, both Parts 1 and 2, as well as any supporting documents as soon as reasonably practicable (at least four (4) weeks prior to the time of an applicant’s scheduled or intended Casper test).

Please note that exceptions to the 4-week submission timeline and document requirements may be made in extreme circ*mstances (e.g., the second iteration of the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) Casper test or medical emergencies). Applicants should contact the Acuity Insights Team with their completed Accommodations Request Form as soon as possible to inquire if an exception can be made.

Once submitted, a member of the Acuity Insights Team will acknowledge receipt of the request within one (1) business day. If necessary, during review an applicant may be asked to provide additional documentation. If they do not receive a message within five (5) business days of submitting their request, applicants are asked to contact the Acuity Insights Team via support@acuityinsights.app.

Accommodation requests may take up to 4 weeks to process, but we will review your request and notify you of the outcome as soon as possible. You will be contacted by support@acuityinsights.app via the email address associated with your Acuity Insights account.

Approved testing accommodations are applied by the Acuity Insights Team to each individual Acuity Insights Assessments reservation. At the time of approval, the team will apply approved additional time accommodations to any current Acuity Insights Assessments reservations that fall within the validity period.

If an applicant makes any additional reservations during their validity period, the applicant must contact the Acuity Insights Team via support@acuityinsights.app to inform them of a new reservation at least one (1) week prior to the applicant’s additional Casper test date and time.

Applicants can confirm their accommodations have been applied by referring to the Casper preparation checklist available in the Casper section of your Acuity Insights account.

Additionally, during the intro sections of your assessments, there may be references to the standard time allotment, but the relevant sections of Casper will correctly reflect their approved additional time (if applicable).

If an applicant is unsatisfied with the outcome of their request for accommodations, they may request a review of the decision within seven (7) business days of receipt of the decision by emailing the Acuity Insights Team via support@acuityinsights.app

If an applicant is unsatisfied with the outcome of the review, they may request an appeal within ten (10) business days of receipt of the decision of the review.

Please refer to this document for a detailed outline of the Acuity Insights accommodation policy.

Unless otherwise specified, approved accommodation requests are valid from the date of approval listed in an applicant’s accommodation approval letter until July 31st two calendar years from the year of approval.

For example, if an applicant requests accommodations on their Casper test taken at any point during 2023 and their request is approved, their accommodations will be valid for any additional Casper tests taken between their date of approval and July 31st, 2025.

Applicants may extend their accommodations validity period by submitting an Extension Request Form. Please refer to this document for a detailed outline of the Acuity Insights accommodation policy.

All accommodation requests are confidential and the status of such a request is not shared with academic programs.

Please note that we do not explicitly share the status of an accommodation request with Casper Raters. However, they are informed during ongoing training that some applicants may have accommodations and may be permitted to take the Casper test with slightly different formats (e.g., extended time). If they encounter this, they have been instructed to rate the applicant’s response as normal and to focus on the content of the answer.

Rescheduling an accommodated Casper test must be completed by a member of the Acuity Insights Team. If an applicant needs to reschedule an accommodated Casper test, they must notify the Acuity Insights Team via support@acuityinsights.app as soon as reasonably practicable (at least one (1) week prior to the time of an applicant’s scheduled Casper test).

Please note that all applicants (with accommodations or not) are subject to a rescheduling fee should they choose to reschedule within 30 days of a scheduled Casper test. Exceptions may be provided for those with verified technical or medical issues and those approved for a fee assistance program honored by Acuity Insights.

If approved for additional time, applicants will be provided with a link within their accommodations approval letter to a Casper Practice Test with their specific additional time or the closest appropriate time.

All applicants will also have access to a Casper Practice Test within their Acuity Insights account. This test will have the same visual format as the actual Casper test, but will only have the standard time allotment.