At Blueprint we talk a lot (and I mean a lot) about the MCAT. And with good reason! Every medical school you apply to will be looking at your score. But there are more tests that some schools are beginning to require when you apply to their programs—the Casper exam and AAMC PREview.
However, these aren’t tests that you can study for the same way that you can for the MCAT. That’s because where the MCAT tests your reasoning skills and understanding of math and science concepts, the Casper exam and AAMC PREview are focused on your emotional preparedness for medical school.
In this article, we’ll dive into an overview of each exam and help you decide which exam you should take.
Table of Contents
- What Is the Casper Exam?
- What Is the AAMC PREview Exam?
- Should I Take the Casper Exam or AAMC PREview?
What Is the Casper Exam?
The Casper (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) is a situational judgment test (SJT) designed to test both how you would respond to a difficult situation and why you would respond that way. In simpler words, it’s a personality test that medical schools can use to understand the way you make decisions.
The Casper is used to give admissions committees an idea of your empathy, professionalism, and communication. It’s not required for every medical school. Check with your school to see if you need to take it.
How Much Does the Casper Cost?
The Casper costs $85, which includes the distribution of your score to 7 medical schools. There is an extra $18 fee for each additional program you wish to send your results to.
How Long is the Casper?
The test takes 90-110 minutes to complete and is made up of various scenarios. You’ll receive an optional 10-minute break after the video response section and another 5-minute break halfway through the typed response section.
Structure
The Casper has two main sections—video responses and typed responses—with 14 different scenarios.
Casper Video Responses Sections
You will read two word-based scenarios and watch four video-based scenarios. For each scenario, you will record videos to answer two open-ended questions. You have one minute for each response.
Casper Typed Responses Sections
You will read three word-based scenarios and watch five video-based scenarios. For each scenario, you will type answers to three open-ended questions. You have five minutes total to respond to all three questions.
If it all seems a little overwhelming, don’t worry. The entire point of this test is to find out how you respond as a human being. The reviewers are looking for your honest reaction. So, don’t spend too much time agonizing over your responses. Just be yourself!
Casper Exam Scoring
Each section of the Casper is scored by a unique rater. This means that every applicant is assessed by 14 different humans from a variety of backgrounds and demographics. This is intended to represent the diversity of the general population and reduce biases.
The resulting Casper score is made up of 14 unique rater impressions. The 14 ratings are averaged and scores are then standardized to represent the rankings of each applicant compared to the applicant pool.
Your medical schools will receive a single combined Casper score for your typed and video responses. You must complete all sections to produce a valid Casper score.
Preparation
Casper evaluates responses concerning the following 10 categories:
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Empathy
- Equity
- Ethics
- Motivation
- Problem-solving
- Professionalism
- Resilience
- Self-awareness
While you may not be able to prepare for the content of the exam, you can make sure that you’re as comfortable as possible with the structure and timing of the test itself. You can take a practice test inside your Acuity Insights account.
Tips for the Casper Exam
- Understand all questions thoroughly and take a few seconds to plan your responses.
- Use the total time allotted when responding to each question.
- Respond to every question with as much detail as possible, especially about your motivations.
- Explain why you would do something and not just what you would do.
- Feel free to use bullets when writing typed responses. Don’t worry about writing paragraphs.
When Should I Take the Casper Exam?
The test is offered remotely at least once a month. Each medical school has its own Casper exam deadline, but don’t wait too long. It takes two to three weeks for schools to receive your scores. Unfortunately, you do not get to see your Casper score; it goes straight to your programs.
And remember, Casper scores are only valid for a single admissions cycle. If you’re reapplying, you’ll need to retake the Casper.
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What Is the AAMC PREview Exam?
The AAMC PREview exam is the other pre-professionalism exam you might have to take when applying to medical school. It’s designed to test things a bit differently than the Casper exam. Where the Casper test attempts to rate how and why you respond to certain situations, the PREview exam is intended to measure your level of professionalism.
Additionally, like the Casper, not all medical schools require it. However, many do recommend it as part of your application.
AAMC PREview is used by admissions committees to understand the level of professionalism that you will bring to their programs. Its goal is to estimate how prepared you are for the types of issues you’ll face in medical school, residency, and beyond—especially your aptitude for making decisions under pressure.
How Much Does AAMC PREview Cost?
On the surface, the PREview test looks a little more costly than Casper, with a $100 registration fee attached. However, the flat fee for the PREview exam allows unlimited distribution of your results. If you are approved for AAMC Fee Assistance Program, registration is free for your first exam, and you will receive a 50% discount on subsequent exams.
How Long is the AAMC PREview?
You will have a total of 75 minutes to answer 186 questions. From check-in to check-out, your test day will last approximately 95-110 minutes.
Structure
You will be presented with written hypothetical scenarios linked to the nine core premed competencies. Following each scenario are multiple statements that describe actions you could take in response. You will be asked to rate the effectiveness of each action on a scale of one to four.
The test is online and can be taken at home, so you don’t have to worry about arriving at any testing sites or going through security like you do with the MCAT. Make sure that you give yourself the time to check your connection and make sure that your environment is calm and quiet for your test.
AAMC PREview Scoring
You will receive a single, total score for the AAMC PREview ranging from 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest).
During scoring key development, professionals at accredited U.S. MD-granting medical schools reviewed scenarios and rated responses in the same way that you will. Their consensus ratings established the scoring key that your exam will be scored against.
Your score is based on how much your ratings of each action align with medical educators’ consensus ratings. The higher your scores, the more your ratings align with the consensus ratings. Full credit is awarded if your response matches the consensus response. Partial credit is awarded if your response is close to it.
The conversion of raw scores to scaled scores compensates for small variations in difficulty between items. A confidence band will be reported along with each total score. Confidence bands show the accuracy of your total score.
A percentile rank will also be included. Percentile ranks are the percentages of test-takers who received the same or lower scores than you did.
Preparation
The AAMC PREview exam tests you on nine core pre-professional areas that premeds need as they enter medical school. These areas are:
- Cultural awareness
- Cultural humility
- Empathy and compassion
- Ethical responsibility to self and others
- Interpersonal skills
- Reliability and dependability
- Resilience and adaptability
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Commitment to learning and growth
Just like the Casper, this isn’t a test where you can prepare yourself for the material. These SJTs are not designed to test knowledge or critical thinking like the MCAT.
Simply ensure you are comfortable with the test format and are ready to respond in a composed and rational manner.
When Should I Take the AAMC PREview?
In 2024, the AAMC PREview will be offered from March through September. You’ll want to take the AAMC PREview well before your schools’ application deadlines, ideally before you even submit your secondaries so there are no delays in your application.
You can retake the AAMC PREview, but you’re limited to twice in one testing year and four times in a lifetime.
Should I Take the Casper Exam or AAMC PREview?
Not sure which test you should take? The answer depends on the medical schools you are applying to. Some programs find these tests to be a useful insight into your reactions to relevant situations, as well as what level of professionalism you’ll be bringing into their program. Others actually require scores from one of these tests when applying.
Ultimately, you may not have to take either of these tests or you may need to take both of them. Either way, don’t stress. You can’t really “study” for these tests. Rather than stressing about what you’re going to be asked, spend your time looking over the format and taking practice tests.
At the end of the day, these tests are just a way for admissions committees to understand who you are a little bit better. Good luck!
While you may not be able to prep for the Casper exam or AAMC PREview, you can absolutely prep for another medical school exam—the MCAT! Whether you need the flexibility of a Self-Paced Course, the instruction of a Live Course, or the 1:1 attention of a private MCAT tutor, Blueprint MCAT has the MCAT prep option that works for your learning style!
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