How to prepare for Casper

There is nothing to memorize for Casper, but you can practice the timers, answering on camera, and building a fair answer quickly. Here is a plan for the one to three weeks before your test.

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Know the format first

Casper has a video section, then a typed section. Knowing the timers before you start removes most of the surprise.

Scenarios
11 in total: 4 video-response scenarios first, then 7 typed-response.
Questions
2 for each scenario.
Video answers
A 10-second countdown, then 1 minute recorded for each answer.
Typed answers
3.5 minutes to type both answers for a scenario.
Breaks
Optional breaks during the test.
Scoring
Raters score each response on a 1–9 scale. You only receive a quartile.

A 1–3 week timeline

One to three weeks is enough for most people. With one week, do each step once. With three, repeat the middle step and add a second full test.

  1. 1

    Start with a full timed test

    Take all 11 scenarios in order on the real timers. It shows you which section and which aspects need the most work.

  2. 2

    Drill your weak spots

    Practice short sets most days, aiming at the section and aspects that felt hardest. Practice both on camera and typing.

  3. 3

    Take another full test

    Do one a few days before your date to check your pacing and stamina across all 11 scenarios.

  4. 4

    Check your setup

    Test your camera, microphone and internet well before test day, then rest the night before.

Timing the video section

Each video-response question gives you a 10-second countdown, then 1 minute of recording.

The countdown
Use the 10 seconds to pick your first step, not to script the whole answer.
The first 20 seconds
Acknowledge who is affected and what you would want to find out.
The rest
Say what you would do and why, then finish your sentence before the timer ends.
If you blank
Name the people in the scene and how each might feel. It gives you a way back in.

Timing the typed section

Each typed-response scenario gives you 3.5 minutes to type both answers, so the clock is shared between the two questions.

Split the time
Aim for about 1 minute 45 seconds per answer, and move on to the second question even if the first feels unfinished.
Lead with the point
Open with what you would do, then give your reasons. Short, plain sentences are faster to write.
Don't polish
Rewording costs time. Two complete answers are better than one perfect one.

How to structure an answer

Most scenarios ask what you would do. A simple four-step structure keeps your answer fair and complete, even under time pressure.

  1. 1

    Acknowledge everyone affected

    Name each person in the scene, including people who are mentioned but not present, and how the situation affects them.

  2. 2

    Gather the facts

    Say what you don't know yet and how you would find out, before deciding who is right.

  3. 3

    Lay out the options

    Give two or three realistic options and what each would mean for the people involved.

  4. 4

    Choose and justify

    Pick one, explain why it is the fairest, and say what you would do if the facts turned out differently.

For questions about your own experience, describe the situation briefly, then spend most of your time on what you did and what you learned. You can try this structure on our Casper sample questions.

Common mistakes

Jumping to a verdict
Deciding who is wrong before finding out what happened.
Leaving someone out
Focusing on one person and forgetting others in the scene.
Escalating first
Going straight to a manager or professor without first talking to the person involved, unless someone's safety is at risk.
Staying vague
Saying you would "communicate" or "be empathetic" without saying what you would actually say or do.
Running out of time
Spending the whole clock on the first question and leaving the second one short or blank.
Generic examples
Personal answers without a specific situation, or without what you did and learned.

How quartiles work

Raters score each of your responses on a 1–9 scale. You won't see those scores. Applicants only receive a quartile.

That means you get no feedback on individual answers, so practice is where you learn what to change. Confetto scores each practice answer 1–9 and turns your session into an estimated quartile. It is a practice signal, not a prediction of your result.

Practice with real timers and feedback

Confetto's Casper practice at app.confetto.ai runs full timed tests in the current format, with video scenes written by Confetto.
  • Full timed tests with video scenes and typed scenarios
  • Every answer scored 1–9, with tips
  • An estimated quartile for each session
  • Free trial: 3 scenarios with full feedback

Full prep is the Casper Prep Pass: $99/month, cancel anytime.

How to answer each kind of Casper question

More on Casper

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about preparing for Casper.

One to three weeks is enough for most people. Take a full timed test early, drill your weak spots with shorter sets, then take another full test a few days before your date.
There's nothing to memorize, but practice helps with the timers, answering on camera, and structuring a fair answer quickly.
Ten aspects: collaboration, communication, empathy, equity, ethics, motivation, problem solving, professionalism, resilience and self-awareness.
Only a quartile. Raters score each response on a 1–9 scale, but you don't see those scores.
Acuity doesn't publish a minimum typing speed. You have 3.5 minutes for both questions in a typed scenario, which at 40 words per minute is roughly 110 words after reading time, by our estimate. That is enough for a clear answer.
Early enough for your earliest school's deadline. Acuity says results reach programs about 2 to 3 weeks after your test, and you can take each test type only once per admissions cycle, so schedule it when you are ready.
Running out of time before the second question. Split your time so both answers are complete, even if each one is shorter.

Casper is a registered mark of Acuity Insights. Confetto is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Acuity Insights or Casper. Practice scenarios are original and written by Confetto.