Does Casper Count: A Loosely Qualitative Analysis

[RichardDegrasseSagan 389]

Okay, I was getting pretty antsy. So I went through the UofO invites thread and cross-referenced poster statistics with their Mac invite statistics and got a bunch of data to see if CASPer had any qualitative correlation to UofO invites. Here's the data along with my annotations. It looks like CASPer isn't necessarily super correlated to Ottawa, but may play a slight role. Obviously the caveat to this is that I didn't account for ECs or year of application (i.e., third/fourth/fifth/mature). I also did not include French-stream applicants (sorry guys, I am not familiar with your admission statistics). 
 

Ø  Applicant #1

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.95

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.91

o   VR/CARS: 10

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #2

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.95

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.50

o   VR/CARS: 127

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: No

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #3

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.98

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.97

o   VR/CARS: 128

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: No

This applicant “should’ve” received an interview at Mac with a relatively average CASPer score given their high GPA/CARS. Can infer that CASPer may not have been strong. So CASPer doesn’t seem to be make-or-break?

 

 

Ø  Applicant #4

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.96

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.90

o   VR/CARS: 9

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #5

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.91

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.91

o   VR/CARS: 129

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

 

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #6

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.92

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.93

o   VR/CARS: 10

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: No

Less than average CASPer according to lack of Mac invite, yet an invite with a “lower” 3.92 wGPA for UofO. So again, it seems that CASPer isn’t necessarily make-or-break.

 

 

Ø  Applicant #7

o   Ottawa wGPA: 4

o   McMaster cGPA: 4

o   VR/CARS: 129

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #8

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.99

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.99

o   VR/CARS: 13

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #9

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.94

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.94

o   VR/CARS: 11

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: No

Weaker CASPer due to lack of Mac invite. Possibly prevented UofO invite?

 

 

Ø  Applicant #10

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.91

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.9

o   VR/CARS: 126

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: No

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #11

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.89

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.92

o   VR/CARS: 11

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #12

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.89

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.72

o   VR/CARS: 10

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: No

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #14

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.94

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.91

o   VR/CARS: 10

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: No (waitlisted for interview)

Weaker CASPer but also an Ottawa invite with slightly “low” wGPA

 

 

Ø  Applicant #15

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.96

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.93

o   VR/CARS: 129

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: No

Weaker CASPer – no invites for either despite high UofO GPA

 

 

Ø  Applicant #16

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.96

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.97

o   VR/CARS: 11

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #17

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.98

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.98

o   VR/CARS: 128

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #18

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.93

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.93

o   VR/CARS: 130

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #19

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.92

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.92

o   VR/CARS: 10

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: No

Weaker CASPer and no UofO invite, but “lower” wGPA

 

 

Ø  Applicant #20

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.95

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.94

o   VR/CARS: 131

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #21

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.95

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.95

o   VR/CARS: 10

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #22

o   Ottawa wGPA: 4

o   McMaster cGPA: 4

o   VR/CARS: 10

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #23

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.86

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.85

o   VR/CARS: 11

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

 

 

Ø  Applicant #24

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.94

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.85

o   VR/CARS: 11

o   Ottawa invite: Yes

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Decent CASPer to compensate for slightly “low” cGPA. Able to get invite to UofO with slightly “lower” wGPA with this CASPer score.

 

 

Ø  Applicant #25

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.92

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.62

o   VR/CARS: 125

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: No

Me last year xD; bumped up CARS to 129 and got a Mac invite this year!! WOO!

 

 

Ø  Applicant #26

o   Ottawa wGPA: 3.94

o   McMaster cGPA: 3.94

o   VR/CARS: 128

o   Ottawa invite: No

o   McMaster Invite: Yes

Not particularly informative

[m_jacob_45 188]

I'll add myself for more info:

Ottawa wGPA: 3.91

Mac wGPA: 3.73

VR/CARS: 129

Ottawa invite: yes

Mac invite: yes

Not sure how informative this is...

[ThatMedGyal 41]

Just letting you know though, that last year was the first year that CASPer was implemented in Ottawa.

I asked a very credible source within the uOttawa med admissions about this and they told me that since it was the first year, the CASPer did not count towards the application but was a test to see if its score may play a predictive role for successful candidates and to thereby assign a weight for future applications.

 

This is why you are not seeing a trend, I suggest you do this analysis again next year.

[1994 32]

Just letting you know though, that last year was the first year that CASPer was implemented in Ottawa.

I asked a very credible source within the uOttawa med admissions about this and they told me that since it was the first year, the CASPer did not count towards the application but was a test to see if its score may play a predictive role for successful candidates and to thereby assign a weight for future applications.

 

This is why you are not seeing a trend, I suggest you do this analysis again next year.

Then wouldn't it also not be significant this year? What reasonable conclusions can they make using the CASPer data of one cohort over the span of half a year?

[EthicsForBreakfast 88]

I'll add myself in because I feel like I can spice things up a bit:

 

Ottawa OMSAS GPA: 3.94. I don't really know how the weighted turned out? My school has a 4.5 system which complicates things slightly. But my 2nd year was slightly better than my 1st year and I'm only in my 3rd year currently therefore it was only those two that counted.

 

Ottawa invite: Yes. 

 

I felt super good about the CASPer but (as you can tell by my username) I have a huge passion for ethics and have taken philosophy courses and worked with health ethicists simply because I enjoy it. I genuinely had a good time writing CASPer.

 

I have not written the MCAT nor have I applied to any school other than Ottawa. I'm pretty confident my CASPer score carried me through.

[RichardDegrasseSagan 389]

This year seems to be different. They definitely used CASPer this year.

[Pippa756 25]

On 1/24/2017 at 7:15 AM, Naturefeelzz said:

Just letting you know though, that last year was the first year that CASPer was implemented in Ottawa.

I asked a very credible source within the uOttawa med admissions about this and they told me that since it was the first year, the CASPer did not count towards the application but was a test to see if its score may play a predictive role for successful candidates and to thereby assign a weight for future applications.

 

This is why you are not seeing a trend, I suggest you do this analysis again next year.

I heard the same thing. I also heard that this was the case for a lot of programs who adopt CASPer in the first year i.e. they like to see how it corresponds to their original set of admissions criteria and run the data from CASPer before they start to really implement it in their admissions processes.

[Donald_Duck 186]

Latest info is that it does squat in terms of quality of applicants.

Mr Duck

[mew 43]

15 minutes ago, Donald_Duck said:

Latest info is that it does squat in terms of quality of applicants.

Mr Duck

Does that mean they are unlikely to continue to use it in future cycles?

[Donald_Duck 186]

No they will still use it  

Mr Duck

[a7x 42]

1 hour ago, Donald_Duck said:

Latest info is that it does squat in terms of quality of applicants.

Mr Duck

Was it any worse than the ABS though? 

[Crispy_Dorito 11]

They clearly relied on it this year with some the GPAs that did/didn't get interviews.

[Donald_Duck 186]

ABS was definitely used, but nobody knows where in the process...

Mr Duck

[vikym 5]

I was at a meeting and it was mentioned that Ottawa is considering weighing CASPer 30% this year of the pre-interview decision.   I guess we will find out soon enough. 

I love hearing that people should just write CASPer without any advance practice as that gives those of us that have been practicing a better chance.

[Donald_Duck 186]

I agree to a certain extent, some people may be fine with no practice (and may be better off to not have certain ways to answer questions implanted in tehir head), on the other hand some applicants may require a lot of practice in order to be fine answering questions, so no matter what advice you receive, you always have to be critical and see what you should use and what is best not to use.

I remember the night before my uOttawa interview a friend called me and told me to use something for an answer. Guess what, I did, but it came out not genuine, I did not explain it properly, and it started me off on the wrong footing for my interview. Always be critical.

Mr Duck

[SoraAde 85]

18 hours ago, vikym said:

I was at a meeting and it was mentioned that Ottawa is considering weighing CASPer 30% this year of the pre-interview decision.   I guess we will find out soon enough. 

I love hearing that people should just write CASPer without any advance practice as that gives those of us that have been practicing a better chance.

What would be the other 20%? ABS? Then 50% GPA?

[Donald_Duck 186]

In the past they did 1/3 Casper,1/3 GPA and 1/3 sketch. I wouldn't be surprised if they went back to a formula like that. They may have realized that not taking the sketch pre-interview had an impact on the type of candidates they were receiving.

Mr Duck

[Jess85 18]

Had no idea CASPer was worth SO MUCH at Ottawa!

[vikym 5]

On ‎6‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 11:39 AM, Donald_Duck said:

In the past they did 1/3 Casper,1/3 GPA and 1/3 sketch. I wouldn't be surprised if they went back to a formula like that. They may have realized that not taking the sketch pre-interview had an impact on the type of candidates they were receiving.

Mr Duck

I like that Ottawa is giving CASPer so much weight, as much as an applicant's GPA! 

[mollypercocet 12]

On 6/26/2017 at 0:39 PM, Donald_Duck said:

In the past they did 1/3 Casper,1/3 GPA and 1/3 sketch. I wouldn't be surprised if they went back to a formula like that. They may have realized that not taking the sketch pre-interview had an impact on the type of candidates they were receiving.

Mr Duck

If they go back to this scheme would they still remove applicants based on a GPA cutoff and then look at ABS and Casper or add up points from all three categories and those with the highest scores get an interview

[SoraAde 85]

1 hour ago, mollypercocet said:

If they go back to this scheme would they still remove applicants based on a GPA cutoff and then look at ABS and Casper or add up points from all three categories and those with the highest scores get an interview

In the past, they've added up the scores from the categories that are looked at, and the applicants with highest scores are invited to interview

[Donald_Duck 186]

There is actually a cutoff for GPA and Casper that I know of. The casper cutoff is not known by a lot of people, you have to score at least "70%" in order to be considered. I interpret that as top 30th percentile, but given that I am too familiar with the exact scoring system of the casper, this may mean that you need to hit a score of at least 70%...

Mr Duck

[IMislove 562]

6 hours ago, Donald_Duck said:

There is actually a cutoff for GPA and Casper that I know of. The casper cutoff is not known by a lot of people, you have to score at least "70%" in order to be considered. I interpret that as top 30th percentile, but given that I am too familiar with the exact scoring system of the casper, this may mean that you need to hit a score of at least 70%...

Mr Duck

 

top 30th percentile of CASPer?? Jees, that's a high order I think. 

[Donald_Duck 186]

Perhaps not if you consider that over 4000 are taking the test.

Mr Duck