Casper Test (Canadian University Admissions) Mock Test

Overview of the Casper Test in Canada

The Casper test (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) is an open-response, situational judgment test (SJT) developed originally at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and administered globally by Acuity Insights. It is designed to evaluate prospective students on critical personal and professional competencies that traditional standardized academic exams and grade transcripts cannot measure. In Canada, Casper is a mandatory admissions component for numerous undergraduate and professional degree programs, including Medicine (MD), Nursing (BScN), Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, and specific competitive Health Sciences faculties across institutions like McMaster, McGill, University of Alberta, University of Ottawa, Dalhousie, and Queen's University.

Unlike knowledge-based exams that assess biological sciences or calculus, Casper gauges your behavioural tendencies, interpersonal skills, moral compass, and problem-solving reasoning when confronted with complex, nuanced, real-world ethical dilemmas.

Casper Exam Structure and Format

The Casper exam is an online, proctored computer-delivered assessment lasting approximately 90 to 105 minutes. The test comprises 14 discrete scenarios that reflect realistic workplace, academic, or social challenges:

• Video-Response Section (6 Scenarios): Applicants are presented with either brief 1-minute video sketches or short text prompts. After the scenario concludes, candidates answer two open-ended questions verbally using their webcam, with 1 minute allocated per video answer.
• Typed-Response Section (8 Scenarios): Candidates review either a video scenario or a text-based prompt, followed by three open-ended questions. Applicants are allocated exactly 5 minutes total to type their responses to all three questions within that scenario.
• Optional Breaks: Candidates are offered two optional breaks during the assessment: a 10-minute break after the video-response section and a 5-minute break midway through the typed-response section.

Because Casper assesses cognitive disposition rather than typing speed or cinematic delivery, raters focus on the quality of your justification and reasoning rather than grammatical perfection or verbal polish.

Syllabus and Core Competencies

Casper does not test clinical healthcare knowledge, legal statutes, or factual coursework. Instead, every scenario maps directly onto one or more of ten foundational non-academic core competencies:

1. Collaboration & Teamwork: Willingness to work cooperatively, share responsibility, resolve group deadlocks, and elevate group output.
2. Communication: Expressing perspective clearly, using active listening techniques, gathering missing context, and demonstrating tact.
3. Empathy & Compassion: Recognizing diverse feelings, validating lived experiences, and showing genuine concern for all affected parties.
4. Equity & Inclusion: Understanding systemic disadvantages, mitigating unconscious bias, and advocating for fairness.
5. Ethics & Moral Reasoning: Navigating competing duties, identifying the root ethical dilemma, maintaining honesty, and upholding professional codes.
6. Motivation & Drive: Articulating deep purpose, perseverance, and dedication toward academic and career vocations.
7. Problem Solving: Gathering comprehensive information prior to taking action, generating multifaceted options, and considering secondary consequences.
8. Professionalism: Taking personal responsibility for missteps, respecting workplace policies, and avoiding conflicts of interest.
9. Self-Awareness: Acknowledging personal limitations, managing emotional reactions under pressure, and practicing reflective growth.
10. Resilience: Responding constructively to adversity, stress, negative feedback, and unexpected logistical disruptions.

Scoring and Quartiles Explained

Casper is scored by a diverse pool of human raters who undergo rigorous anti-bias training. Each scenario is graded by a distinct, independent evaluator; no single rater marks your entire exam. Raters evaluate responses relative to other test-takers in your distribution pool using numerical benchmark rubrics.

Applicants do not receive an absolute numerical score. Instead, approximately four weeks post-exam, test-takers receive a quartile ranking comparing their performance against peer applicants writing the same test type:

• 1st Quartile (0–24%): Lowest relative performance bracket.
• 2nd Quartile (25–49%): Below-average to median relative score.
• 3rd Quartile (50–74%): Above-average relative performance.
• 4th Quartile (75–100%): Top-tier relative performance.

While universities receive your numerical z-scores directly from Acuity Insights, Canadian admissions committees typically view 3rd and 4th quartile scores as strongly competitive markers for interview selection.

Essential Test Rules

• Proctoring and Identity Verification: You must present a valid government-issued photo ID prior to launch and maintain an active webcam, microphone, and reliable internet connection throughout.
• Environment Constraints: You must complete the test in a private, quiet, well-lit room without other individuals present.
• No External Assistance: Using unauthorized hardware, dual monitors, mobile phones, AI software, or speaking with anyone during testing constitutes immediate disqualification.
• Single Attempt Per Cycle: Applicants may take the Casper assessment only once per program type per academic admission cycle.
• Strict Timers: Scenarios auto-advance when time expires. Unfinished typed responses or truncated video answers are submitted automatically.

Preparation Tips for High Performance

1. Adopt a Structured Framework: When addressing prompts, identify the primary conflict, acknowledge every stakeholder's perspective without judgment, gather missing details, explore 'if-then' conditional solutions, and finalize a compassionate, ethical conclusion.
2. Avoid Assumptions: Never jump to punitive or unilateral conclusions. Reserve judgment and demonstrate curiosity by speaking to individuals privately.
3. Practice Timed Responses: Enhance your typing speed (targeting at least 50–60 WPM) so your keyboard speed does not bottleneck your cognitive depth.
4. Run System Diagnostics: Complete the official Acuity Insights practice test on the actual testing platform to calibrate your audio, webcam, and lighting well in advance.