What Casper and Snapshot Actually Test and How to Prepare for Both
By Muntasir • Published Nov 23, 2024 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Fields of Study, Canadian Universities & Colleges
CASPer is a timed, computer based situational judgment test that McMaster and most other Canadian medical programs require, mixing typed responses and video responses about ethics, empathy and problem solving. Snapshot is a separate video response tool from the same test maker that probes motivation and communication, but it is not one of McMaster's required components, so check your specific target school before you prepare for it.
⏱️ CASPer runs about 90 to 110 minutes across 14 scenarios
Format: 6 video response scenarios first, then 8 typed response scenarios
It scores judgment and communication, not academic knowledge
Snapshot is a separate one way video tool, not part of McMaster's required components
Practice with realistic timed scenarios, not by memorizing "correct" answers
What CASPer actually tests
CASPer is an online situational judgment test built by Acuity Insights and required by McMaster and most other Canadian medical, dental and health profession programs as part of the application. It presents short scenarios, then asks you to respond to questions about how you would think through the situation.
The test does not check your science knowledge or your GPA. It scores traits like ethics, empathy, communication, problem solving, self awareness and collaboration through your open ended responses.
The CASPer format
Under the format Acuity Insights introduced for the 2023-24 cycle , a CASPer sitting runs about 90 to 110 minutes across 14 total scenarios. The video response section comes first: 6 scenarios, each with 2 questions, where you watch a short setup then record your answers. The typed response section follows: 8 scenarios, each with 3 questions, where you type your answers in a set time window.
Multiple independent raters score each response, and your combined score across both sections gets sent to every school you selected. Confirm the exact scenario count and timing through your own Acuity Insights test registration, since the format can be adjusted between cycles.
How to prepare for CASPer
Take an official practice test from Acuity Insights so the interface, timing and question style feel familiar before test day.
Practice writing and speaking under a strict clock. Most CASPer mistakes come from running out of time partway through an answer, not from an unpopular opinion.
Structure each answer around what you would do next and who you would involve, rather than a general statement of values.
Test your webcam, microphone, browser and internet connection the day before, since technical problems eat into your response time on test day.
What Snapshot actually is
Snapshot is a separate, asynchronous video response tool from Acuity Insights. You record short video answers to a small set of questions about your motivation and communication style, with no live interviewer on the other end.
Snapshot is not one of McMaster's required application components , which list CASPer, the Autobiographical Sketch and three confidential assessment forms. Whether any specific program on your list requires Snapshot changes by school and by cycle, so confirm the current component list on your target school's own admissions page rather than assuming it applies everywhere CASPer does.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not treat CASPer like a personality test with one right answer. Raters look for how you reason through a situation, not for a specific conclusion. Do not skip the official practice test, since walking in unfamiliar with the interface costs you time you need for actual answers. Do not assume every school on your list wants the same additional components. Build your component checklist school by school.
If you need testing accommodations for a documented disability, apply through Acuity Insights well before your test window opens, since accommodation requests take time to process.