Understanding how CASPer is graded is crucial for effective preparation and managing your expectations. Unlike traditional exams with clear right or wrong answers, CASPer uses a sophisticated scoring system that evaluates your responses based on multiple criteria and compares you to your peers.
This guide breaks down the complete CASPer grading process, from how individual responses are scored to how your final quartile result is calculated. We'll explain what assessors look for, the scoring criteria they use, and how you can optimize your responses to achieve the best possible score.
Whether you're preparing for your first CASPer test or looking to improve your score, understanding the grading system will help you focus your preparation efforts and approach the test with confidence.
The CASPer grading process is designed to be fair, objective, and comprehensive. Unlike traditional exams that can be graded by computers, CASPer requires human judgment to evaluate the nuanced nature of your responses. Here's how the process works from start to finish.
Each of your 22 responses (11 questions × 2 prompts each) is evaluated independently by trained assessors. This means that every single answer you provide has the potential to impact your overall score, making consistency across all responses crucial.
The evaluation process is designed to minimize bias and ensure reliability. Each response is reviewed by a different assessor, and all scores are aggregated to create a final score for the test.
Your CASPer test consists of 11 questions, each with 2 prompts. This means you provide 22 total responses that are individually evaluated and scored.
CASPer assessors are carefully selected and trained professionals who understand the competencies being evaluated. They come from various backgrounds, including healthcare, education, and human resources, ensuring diverse perspectives in the evaluation process. Multiple assessors review each response to ensure consistency, and assessors are blinded to your identity and other responses. Regular calibration sessions ensure scoring consistency, and assessors are trained to recognize and evaluate the 10 CASPer competencies. Quality control measures prevent bias and ensure fair evaluation throughout the process.
Each response is scored on a 1-9 Likert scale, where 1 represents the lowest level of competency demonstration and 9 represents the highest. This scale allows for nuanced evaluation of your responses.
| Score | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 7-9 | Excellent | Demonstrates exceptional competency with sophisticated analysis and practical solutions |
| 5-6 | Good | Shows solid competency with adequate analysis and reasonable solutions |
| 3-4 | Fair | Demonstrates basic competency with limited analysis and simple solutions |
| 1-2 | Poor | Shows minimal competency with inadequate analysis and impractical solutions |
The 1-9 scale provides enough granularity to distinguish between different levels of performance while maintaining reliability across assessors. Most responses fall in the 4-7 range, with scores of 8-9 being relatively rare and scores of 1-3 indicating significant concerns.
Assessors evaluate your responses based on multiple criteria that reflect the competencies CASPer is designed to measure. Understanding these criteria can help you structure your responses more effectively.
The primary focus of CASPer evaluation is how well you demonstrate the 10 core competencies: Collaboration, Communication, Empathy, Equity, Ethics, Motivation, Problem Solving, Professionalism, Resilience, and Self-Awareness. Assessors look for clear identification of the relevant competencies in the scenario, demonstration of these competencies through your proposed actions, consistency in showing these qualities throughout your response, and appropriate balance of multiple competencies when relevant.
CASPer assessors evaluate how thoroughly you analyze the situation presented to you. This includes your ability to identify key issues, consider multiple perspectives, and understand the complexity of the scenario. Strong analysis demonstrates recognition of underlying issues beyond the surface problem, consideration of multiple stakeholders and their perspectives, understanding of potential consequences and ripple effects, identification of missing information that would be needed, and recognition of ethical implications and conflicts.
Your proposed solutions must be realistic, actionable, and appropriate for the situation. Assessors evaluate whether your responses demonstrate practical problem-solving skills rather than idealistic but unworkable approaches. Effective solutions are specific and detailed rather than vague or general, realistic given the constraints of the situation, ethical and professional in nature, focused on addressing the root cause of the problem, and considerate of the impact on all stakeholders.
How well you express your thoughts is also evaluated, as communication is one of the core competencies. This includes clarity, organization, and appropriateness of your communication style. Strong communication shows clear and logical organization of ideas, appropriate tone and language for the context, conciseness without sacrificing important details, professional and respectful language, and effective use of examples and explanations.
Remember that all these criteria are evaluated holistically. A response doesn't need to be perfect in every area to receive a high score, but it should demonstrate strength across multiple criteria.
After all your responses are individually scored, your results are compiled and converted into a percentile ranking. However, you as the test-taker will only see your quartile result, not your exact percentile score.
Your individual response scores are aggregated to create an overall score, which is then compared to the scores of other test-takers who took the same version of the test around the same time. This comparison determines your percentile ranking.
| Quartile | Percentile Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 4th Quartile | 75-100th percentile | Top 25% of test-takers; excellent performance |
| 3rd Quartile | 50-74th percentile | Above average performance; solid competency demonstration |
| 2nd Quartile | 25-49th percentile | Below average performance; room for improvement |
| 1st Quartile | 0-24th percentile | Bottom 25% of test-takers; significant concerns |
Example quartile score. Source: My Official Guide to Scoring 4th Quartile on CASPer, r/premed, Reddit
While you only see your quartile result, the institutions you're applying to receive your exact percentile score. This means they have more detailed information about your performance than you do.
In addition to scoring your responses, assessors have the ability to flag responses that raise serious concerns. These flags can be passed along to the institutions you're applying to and may significantly impact your application.
Assessors may flag responses that demonstrate:
Red flags can have serious consequences for your application, potentially outweighing even excellent scores in other areas. It's crucial to err on the side of caution and avoid any responses that could be interpreted as concerning.
To minimize the risk of red flags, always prioritize safety and ethical considerations, use professional and respectful language, consider the impact of your proposed actions on all stakeholders, avoid extreme or controversial positions, and when in doubt, choose the more conservative, professional approach.
Now that you understand how CASPer is graded, here are specific strategies you can use to improve your performance and achieve a higher score.
Use clear frameworks to organize your thoughts. For situational questions, use the CARE framework: Clarify the core problem, Ask for missing context, Recognize all perspectives, Explore ethical solutions. For personal questions, use the ARC framework: Anecdote - Tell your story, Reflection - What you learned, Connection - Link to profession.
While each question may focus on specific competencies, try to demonstrate related competencies as well. For example, when addressing an ethical dilemma, also show empathy, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Avoid vague responses like "I would gather more information." Instead, be specific: "I would schedule a private meeting with the employee to understand their specific childcare challenges and explore our company's flexible work policies."
Don't just identify the obvious problem. Consider underlying issues, multiple stakeholders, potential consequences, and systemic factors that might be contributing to the situation.
The best way to improve your CASPer score is through targeted practice with realistic scenarios that mirror the actual test format.
Understanding how CASPer is graded gives you a significant advantage in your preparation. By focusing on the specific criteria assessors use and avoiding common pitfalls, you can develop responses that demonstrate genuine competency and achieve your best possible score.
