Before diving in, it's important to note that there is no such thing as a perfect answer to a CASPer question. Given the short time limit, it is entirely possible for two completely different answers to address the same question in completely different ways and receive a top score. This is part of what makes the CASPer so tricky, and is also why there is so much conflicting advice about how to answer CASPer questions online.
Frameworks like the ones shown below are like training wheels: they are systematic, repeatable ways of demonstrating basic ethical reasoning and the qualities that CASPer tests for. However, as you answer more and more practice questions, you will naturally expand your CASPer toolkit, and you should eventually feel free to add to or modify the frameworks wherever you see fit to adapt to the specific question you're answering.
This comprehensive guide will teach you proven strategies for answering both situational and personal CASPer questions effectively using the CARE and ARC frameworks.
CASPer test questions primarily focus on one of two types of scenarios: situational or personal. Situational questions present specific real-life situations and ask how you would respond, while personal questions explore your experiences and values. Although you may occasionally encounter other question types like policy or philosophical questions, these are relatively uncommon in comparison.
Since CASPer is designed to assess professional judgment and interpersonal skills, situational and personal questions make up the vast majority of the test, with situational being most frequent. To maximize your preparation, we recommend focusing your practice primarily on these two core question types.
| Situational Questions | Personal Questions | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Presents a specific scenario and asks how you would handle it | Asks about your experiences, beliefs, and reflections |
| Focus | Ethical reasoning, problem solving, and professionalism | Self-awareness, personal growth, and values |
| Common Scenarios | Social group, workplace, school, community | Past experiences, quotes |
| Framework | CARE (Clarify, Ask, Recognize, Explore) | ARC (Anecdote, Reflection, Connection) |
It is possible to have "mixed" questions, where a situational scenario is paired with a situational and a personal prompt, for example. In this case, you should answer each prompt using the appropriate framework. For simplicity, this guide focuses on cases where both prompts align with the scenario.
When answering situational questions on the CASPer test, it's not enough to react to the scenario at face value. CASPer situations are often intentionally vague, one-sided and missing information. You need to demonstrate proactive ethical reasoning that goes beyond the facts introduced in the scenario. The CARE framework (Clarify, Ask, Recognize, Explore) helps you do exactly that.
Let's break down each step of the CARE framework in detail:
Start by explicitly summarizing the most important issue in the scenario. Often, the scenario will present multiple issues and you will have to prioritize them. Doing this signals to the grader that you understand the task at hand and sets the tone for the rest of the response.
Generally, you can identify the core problem by asking the question "what will happen if I do nothing?" Whatever negative outcome will occur if left unchecked is the most pressing issue. Often there are multiple competing issues at hand and your job will be to frame this tension.
This opening statement is reinforced by explicitly identifying who seems to be the most vulnerable person(s) in the scenario - physically, emotionally, socially, or professionally. By anchoring your response to this person's wellbeing, you start off your response with sound ethical reasoning and a clear focus.
In this scenario, the core issue is balancing team productivity with supporting an employee facing childcare challenges. The most vulnerable person is the single parent employee, who is struggling to manage work responsibilities while caring for their child. This situation also impacts the broader team whose workflow and morale are being affected by the frequent early departures.
Before jumping to conclusions, gather every critical fact you don't yet know about the situation and describe precisely how you would obtain that information. Make sure to seek out any unexpected factors that could alter your understanding of the situation.
When feasible, conduct these inquiries privately to respect confidentiality and avoid unnecessary embarrassment. In your response, go beyond a generic request for more information by outlining the specific points and channels you would use—for example, meeting one-on-one with an individual, consulting internal records, or reviewing relevant policies—so that your plan for uncovering missing context is clear and actionable.
Before making any decisions, I would need to understand several key aspects of this situation. First, I would schedule a private one-on-one meeting with the employee to learn more about their specific childcare challenges - is this a temporary situation or ongoing? What support systems do they currently have in place? I would also consult HR to understand our company's policies regarding flexible work arrangements and family leave. Additionally, I would review team workflow documentation to identify which projects and deadlines are most impacted by the early departures. This information would help determine what accommodations might be feasible while maintaining team productivity.
The biggest mistake students make when answering situational questions is making assumptions based on the information provided in the scenario. CASPer situational questions are intentionally vague, one sided, or incomplete. You will need to ask for additional context to fully understand the situation.
A strong response demonstrates empathy by first identifying everyone directly involved and then considering those indirectly affected by your decision. Describe how each stakeholder experiences the core issue and what they stand to gain or lose. Highlight the needs of the most vulnerable parties while also acknowledging the responsibilities of those in positions of authority. This balanced perspective shows you understand the full human impact of the scenario and can weigh competing interests thoughtfully.
Looking at this situation from multiple angles, I need to consider several perspectives. The single parent employee is struggling to balance their professional responsibilities with being the sole caregiver for their child - this likely creates significant stress and financial pressure. Their team members may feel frustrated about having to take on extra work or adjust deadlines, which could impact morale and their own work-life balance. As a manager, I have responsibilities to both support my employee's wellbeing and ensure the team can meet its objectives. The broader organization also has interests in maintaining productivity while fostering an inclusive workplace that supports working parents. Most importantly, the wellbeing of the employee's child needs to be considered, as they require adequate care and supervision.
Once you have the necessary context, map out conditional pathways using clear If/Then logic, specifying how each piece of information will guide your next steps. For every outcome of your inquiries, compare the best- and worst-case scenarios to understand their ripple effects on those most at risk and the wider environment.
Ground your proposed actions in moral, legal, scientific, and policy considerations to ensure they are defensible and effective. Then present a categorical solution coupled with concrete tactics—such as revising processes, instituting checks, or offering targeted support—to address the core problem. Finally, when appropriate, embed measures for future prevention by recommending training, policy updates, or system redesigns that will stop similar issues from arising again.
Based on the information gathered, I would develop a tailored solution. If the childcare challenges are temporary, I would work with HR to explore short-term accommodations like flexible hours or remote work days. If it's an ongoing situation, I would consider more permanent solutions like adjusting their work schedule or implementing a hybrid arrangement. To maintain team productivity, I would reorganize project workflows - for instance, scheduling key meetings and collaborative work during the employee's core hours, and shifting independent tasks to times when they need to be with their child. I would also establish clear communication protocols so the team knows when and how to reach them during modified hours. To prevent similar challenges in the future, I would recommend reviewing our workplace policies around family support and flexible arrangements, potentially advocating for expanded childcare benefits or establishing formal flexible work guidelines. Throughout implementation, I would regularly check in with both the employee and team to ensure the solution is working effectively and make adjustments as needed.
If those example answers look unrealistically long, that's because they are! The purpose of this example is to demonstrate what a thorough answer looks like. Even if you won't have time to write a comprehensive answer like this, you should strive to have the same structure and considerations.
Personal CASPer test questions invite you to reveal who you are, not just what you'd do. They assess your self‑awareness and alignment with professional values. The ARC framework (Anecdote, Reflection, Connection) helps you tell a concise, compelling story that showcases your growth and suitability for your chosen field.
For personal questions, structure your response using this approach:
Let's break down each step of the ARC framework in detail:
Begin by briefly describing a real, personal situation that highlights the challenge or goal you faced. Keep the background concise—focus on the details that matter (who, what, when, where) so the reader immediately understands the context. If an obstacle or setback was involved, explain it clearly and show you took ownership of the situation.
After failing my organic chemistry midterm in my second year despite extensive studying, I knew I needed to change my approach. I had been relying on memorization rather than understanding core concepts. I met with my professor who helped identify gaps in my knowledge and suggested focusing on reaction patterns. I also joined a study group and attended weekly tutorials for additional practice. Through these changes in my study methods, I earned an A on the final exam and finished with a B+. This experience showed me that setbacks can drive positive change if we're willing to critically evaluate and adapt our approach.
This is the heart of your response. Discuss the concrete lessons you extracted and the competencies you demonstrated—leadership, adaptability, empathy, problem‑solving, or communication. If you're highlighting a personal mistake or weakness, show how you overcame it and what you did differently as a result. Use active language ("I learned," "I applied," "I improved") to demonstrate growth.
This experience taught me several important lessons about resilience and adaptability. First, I learned that initial failure doesn't define us - it's our response that matters. The process of analyzing my study methods showed me the importance of metacognition and being willing to critically examine our approaches when they're not working. Most importantly, I discovered that seeking help and being open to feedback, while sometimes uncomfortable, is essential for growth. This mindset shift from seeing failure as devastating to viewing it as feedback has stayed with me and helped me approach other challenges with greater emotional maturity and strategic thinking.
Close the loop by explaining how your experience and its lessons prepare you for a career in your chosen field. Tie specific skills you gained to professional competencies—whether that's teamwork in healthcare, analytical rigor in business, or creativity in education. This step shows that you're not just introspective, but also forward‑thinking and ready to contribute.
As a future physician, resilience will be crucial when facing challenging cases and complications. My experience learning to adapt my study approach and seek help demonstrates the growth mindset needed in medicine. The emotional maturity I gained - processing disappointment productively - will help me maintain composure under pressure. This reinforced that being a great doctor requires both knowledge and the humility to learn continuously from challenges.
CASPer includes both video and typed responses. While the content of your answer should be similar regardless of format, each medium has unique considerations for effective delivery.
Video responses are recorded using your computer's webcam and are typically 1-2 minutes long. Communication is one of the competencies assessed, so your verbal and non-verbal communication matters.
Tips for video responses:
To avoid unexpected issues with video answers on test day, it's important to take the system requirements check on the Acuity website in the 6 hour window before your CASPer test.
Written communication is also an important aspect of communication, and you should be able to convey your thoughts clearly and concisely. You typically have 3-5 minutes to type your response.
Tips for typed responses:
The worst prep habit students tend to have is not practicing with a timer - this can lead you to freeze up and panic on test day and ultimately derail your performance. Always practice with a timer!
In both cases, it's important to simulate the real test environment as much as possible in your prep so that you're familiar with the format and time limits on test day.
Effective CASPer preparation requires targeted practice with realistic scenarios. Here are strategies to help you develop your skills and build confidence.
Begin by practicing the frameworks (CARE for situational, ARC for personal) with simple scenarios. Focus on getting comfortable with the structure before tackling complex situations.
Train yourself to quickly identify which competencies are being tested in each scenario. This will help you focus your responses on demonstrating the right qualities.
Develop a collection of specific examples, experiences, and approaches that you can adapt to different scenarios. This will help you respond more quickly and effectively.
If possible, practice both video and typed responses to become comfortable with both formats. This will help you adapt quickly regardless of which format you encounter.
Put these frameworks to the test with our comprehensive collection of realistic CASPer practice questions.
After each practice session, evaluate your performance:
Remember that CASPer is designed to evaluate genuine competencies rather than memorized responses. Focus on developing authentic skills and understanding rather than trying to game the system. With consistent practice and the right approach, you can demonstrate your best qualities and achieve a strong score.
