After surviving the MCAT, writing dozens of secondaries, and anxiously hitting “submit,” you might think your med school application is complete. Nope.
Enter: the Casper and Preview, two vexing situational judgment tests (SJTs).
Here’s what you need to know about timeline and strategy:
In recent years, SJTs have been offered earlier in the cycle—giving schools the option to use them as pre-interview filters. If you wait too long, you could be missing out.
Some schools require SJTs, others just “recommend” them. Here’s the truth: If it’s optional, it likely doesn’t impact your chances, so don’t stress about taking it unless you have time.
Casper scores aren’t shared automatically with all schools, while Preview is linked to your AMCAS. Understanding these differences helps you decide when (or if) to take them.
If a required SJT is part of your application, schedule it early to avoid delays, making sure it’s complete no later than July 1st.
If it’s not recommended? Consider skipping it and spending that time on stronger secondaries.
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