Thoughts About Casper?

[oneschoolonedream]

remember to keep it general and maintain confidentiality agreement 

[HappyAndHopeful]

I wrote a couple weeks ago, but overall I think it was what I expected.  I didn't run out of time for any questions (although I was literally typing to the last second, haha), and felt good for the video scenario questions.  I thought a couple text-based questions were very specific and not what I expected, and I had a hard time thinking of appropriate answers for them.  I'm really not sure how I did!  Hoping for the best.

 

It's exciting that we're all done CASPer, and things are now out of our hands!  Hopefully the wait goes by quickly for us.

[RicardoKaká]

Yesterday's CASPer seemed too staightforward. I don't really understand how they can use it to screen applicants when a lot of those scenarios had pretty clear answers. I feel like the majority would have said the same thing in their responses

[oneschoolonedream]

MDHopefulyMe I actually feel the same way 

[Ozymandias]

They may be using it as a checkpoint as in they might have a certain 'score' they expect from this test, and whoever is at or above this score will have their file reviewed (assuming they meet the GPA requirement). Just speculating of course

[SunAndMoon]

Yesterday's CASPer seemed too staightforward. I don't really understand how they can use it to screen applicants when a lot of those scenarios had pretty clear answers. I feel like the majority would have said the same thing in their responses

 

I actually said the same in the comments section. There were several stations with clear-cut answers. I doubt a significant number of medical school applicants failed at addressing them appropriately. 

[Ab Ahmad]

I have a quick question for you guys. Does all Casper session have the same videos, scenarios and questions?

Are the 16th october and 27th october sessions the same?

[oneschoolonedream]

no just the 27th sessions 

[HappyAndHopeful]

I wrote on the 16th, and I didn't really find that a lot of the scenarios had straightforward answers. The text-based ones especially!

[.....]

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[1994]

I wrote on the 16th, and I didn't really find that a lot of the scenarios had straightforward answers. The text-based ones especially!

I would pay to read peoples' answers to that one personal question in particular (you know the one).

[HappyAndHopeful]

I would pay to read peoples' answers to that one personal question in particular (you know the one).

Haha yes, I know which one you're talking about! I just stared at the screen praying for something good to come to mind, but ended up with a really weak answer. I'm curious to know what other people wrote, as well.

[ThatMedGyal]

Haha yes, I know which one you're talking about! I just stared at the screen praying for something good to come to mind, but ended up with a really weak answer. I'm curious to know what other people wrote, as well.

 

The one that you had to think of something that would be bad enough to answer the question but not bad enough to disqualify you? it was horrendous hahah (hope I didn't break confidentiality lol)

[IMislove]

The one that you had to think of something that would be bad enough to answer the question but not bad enough to disqualify you? it was horrendous hahah (hope I didn't break confidentiality lol)

You know, I was super lucky I started volunteering with a new organization this summer, because if I didn't I would not have had a great answer for that question I think. Remember, pre-meds are so critical of themselves, what you might think is weak might actually look good to a reviewer, especially if articulated well. Can only wait and see come Jan .

[MedHopeful93]

I think the thing about "clear cut questions" is if you answered them in a clear-cut way, you are not showing originality.  You should show critical thinking and flexibility by addressing the main issues (of course) and providing creative and insightful answers 

[RicardoKaká]

I think the thing about "clear cut questions" is if you answered them in a clear-cut way, you are not showing originality.  You should show critical thinking and flexibility by addressing the main issues (of course) and providing creative and insightful answers 

 

My argument here is that the questions asked on the 27th didn't really allow one to do this. Sure I tried to answer them in an original and creative way. But for those questions there was only so much you could say that might SLIGHTLY differ from someone else who wrote the test. Without breaking confidentiality, the questions asked were pretty straight forward IMO. The scenarios are things that any rational thinking person could answer because they were pretty straight forward. One question in particular *cough baked goods* was absurd, like really, how could people be creative and "original" there.

 

Just MO, but honestly that was not my first time doing CASPer and that test just seemed so different in terms of the styles of the questions (especially the scenario based ones).

[MedHopeful93]

My argument here is that the questions asked on the 27th didn't really allow one to do this. Sure I tried to answer them in an original and creative way. But for those questions there was only so much you could say that might SLIGHTLY differ from someone else who wrote the test. Without breaking confidentiality, the questions asked were pretty straight forward IMO. The scenarios are things that any rational thinking person could answer because they were pretty straight forward. One question in particular *cough baked goods* was absurd, like really, how could people be creative and "original" there.

 

Just MO, but honestly that was not my first time doing CASPer and that test just seemed so different in terms of the styles of the questions (especially the scenario based ones).

 

True enough.  I agree that they were pretty straight forward but I (like you) tried to make it as original as possible while offering my own compromises and not just selecting the most obvious route as I'm sure it is very easy and comfortable to do so.  It was also my first CASPer so I have nothing to compare it to 

[1994]

My argument here is that the questions asked on the 27th didn't really allow one to do this. Sure I tried to answer them in an original and creative way. But for those questions there was only so much you could say that might SLIGHTLY differ from someone else who wrote the test. Without breaking confidentiality, the questions asked were pretty straight forward IMO. The scenarios are things that any rational thinking person could answer because they were pretty straight forward. One question in particular *cough baked goods* was absurd, like really, how could people be creative and "original" there.

 

Just MO, but honestly that was not my first time doing CASPer and that test just seemed so different in terms of the styles of the questions (especially the scenario based ones).

I believe the majority of CASPer questions are quite straightforward with an obvious "correct" answer but I believe the differences between answers are not only with respect to the creativity of the answer (though some clearly don't allow for creativity) but how comprehensive they are. Speak with a friend who answered the same questions, even the straightforward ones, and you will probably find a difference in the depth of your answers.

 

example from the official public practice test: customer wants to return an item without their receipt

bad answer > don't return the item because it's against store policy

better answer > speak to the customer about the policy with the manager/other employee as a mediator, provide store credit as an alternative, propose a way to prevent this from occurring in the future, etc. (list goes on)

 

Even for easy questions you can clearly see differences between a good/bad answer, and how coherently they are phrased probably makes a difference as well. With thousands of people writing CASPer you are probably underestimating the amount of people who simply give bad answers to a lot of the questions.

[RicardoKaká]

Is anyone really going to write the example of the "bad answer" you proposed.

 

I agree with you, you can go into varying depths in your answer but I am saying that I believe the majority are going to put the "better answer" anyways, as long as you are a rational person who can type well

[struggling2getin]

I believe the majority of CASPer questions are quite straightforward with an obvious "correct" answer but I believe the differences between answers are not only with respect to the creativity of the answer (though some clearly don't allow for creativity) but how comprehensive they are. Speak with a friend who answered the same questions, even the straightforward ones, and you will probably find a difference in the depth of your answers.

 

example from the official public practice test: customer wants to return an item without their receipt

bad answer > don't return the item because it's against store policy

better answer > speak to the customer about the policy with the manager/other employee as a mediator, provide store credit as an alternative, propose a way to prevent this from occurring in the future, etc. (list goes on)

 

Even for easy questions you can clearly see differences between a good/bad answer, and how coherently they are phrased probably makes a difference as well. With thousands of people writing CASPer you are probably underestimating the amount of people who simply give bad answers to a lot of the questions.

I agree and I think that some questions are meant to draw out creativity (whether they do a good job is debatable) such as those which ask about another possible remedy to future similar situations (Practice Vid Scenario 1Q3). I would divide your bad answers further into "ones which violate the ethical protocol in question" ie in your same example, return the item without receipt (which I think is wrong for that it includes a violation of professional integrity, the decision is not yours to make and you are using the store owner's capital without their authorisation), and "30 - 50 percentile" ones as you mentioned. I wanted to ask, given what you considered a bad answer, if you think the classic "show both two sides of the scenario and pick/justify" approach is not as strong as your "better answer"? Personally, I was told to follow the format of what you said; give insight, address the ambiguities of the question, propose ways to change/improve, without necessarily pointing out the merits/views of either side. In hindsight, this might not have been so smart. Its hard to imagine a CASPer god who is able to dish out off of this at once, within 5 minutes without a 120 wpm typing speed.