From 2028 entry, Casper is half of the University of Auckland's MBChB ranking, with the MMI as the other half. Applications in 2027 are the first under these rules, so if you're starting at Auckland next year, you'll sit Casper in the same year.
The typed section is where most people feel the clock. In Acuity Insights' standard format, you answer seven typed scenarios, each with two questions shown together, and you get three and a half minutes to answer both. That's about 1 minute 45 seconds per question, including thinking and typing. Here's a structure that fits in that time, with a worked example.
What you're up against
The published standard format has 11 scenarios in two sections: 4 answered on video (two questions each, a minute per response) and 7 answered by typing. Acuity says the format can vary by programme, and Auckland hasn't published exactly which version it will use or when it will be sat, so check our Casper guide for the latest on that.
Each question is scored separately, by a different rater for each scenario. Your score is set against everyone who sat the same test, so there's no pass mark, only where you land in the group.
The scenarios are mostly everyday situations, not medical ones. There's no content to revise. What's being judged is how you think about people and problems, which is why Casper and the MMI measure different things even though they look similar.
A structure for 1 minute 45 seconds
You don't have time for an essay, and you don't need one. Three moves are enough for most questions.
- Say what you would do, first. One sentence. Raters read a lot of answers, and the ones that make their point straight away are easier to follow.
- Say why. Give your reasoning, including the values behind it (fairness, honesty, safety, respect), and show that you've thought about the other people involved and how they might see it.
- Add a condition. What would you want to find out, or what would you do if the first step didn't work? This shows you're not working from a script.
Before typing, spend about 15 to 20 seconds reading both questions and deciding your answer to each. Then type the first, type the second, and use any leftover seconds to fix anything that reads badly.
A worked example
Here's a scenario we've written for practice.
You work weekend shifts at a café. A co-worker you get on well with mentions that she's been taking leftover food home at closing without asking the manager.
Question 1: What would you do, and why?
Question 2: A week later, the manager asks you whether you know why stock numbers have been off. How would you respond?
Here's one way to answer, at a length you could type in the time.
1. I'd talk to her privately first, at a time when she isn't busy. I'd want to understand the situation, because the food might be going in the bin anyway, or she might be struggling financially. I'd explain that even if it seems harmless, taking it without permission could get her into serious trouble, and suggest she ask the manager whether staff can take leftovers. That way she can fix it herself and keep the manager's trust. If she kept doing it after that, I'd tell her that I wasn't comfortable keeping it quiet.
2. I'd be honest with the manager, because covering for her would be dishonest and could cast suspicion on other staff. I'd say what I know without exaggerating, and mention that I'd already spoken to her and suggested she ask about leftovers. I'd also say I thought she didn't realise how serious it was, so the manager has the full picture and can deal with it fairly.
The first answer is about 90 words and the second about 65. Both start with an action, explain the reasoning, think about the co-worker's side, and say what happens next.
Common mistakes
- Jumping to the most dramatic option. Reporting someone straight away, or doing nothing at all, usually misses the middle steps that most people would take first.
- Assuming facts. If the scenario doesn't say why someone acted, don't decide for them. Say what you'd want to find out.
- Only answering one question well. Both questions are scored. If you've spent two and a half minutes on the first, write a shorter second answer rather than leaving it thin or blank.
- Writing what you think they want to hear. Generic lines about "communication" and "teamwork" without a concrete action don't show much. Say the specific thing you would do.
How to practise
- Build typing speed. If you type slowly, a few minutes a day of typing practice helps more than you'd expect. In a timed typed answer, slow typing often costs more than slow thinking.
- Write your own scenarios. Everyday situations with a conflict between people work well: group projects, part-time jobs, sport, friends. Answer each pair against a three and a half minute timer.
- Use Acuity's free practice. Acuity offers a free practice test once you have an account, and it's the closest thing to the real format.
- Get someone to read your answers. Ask them whether they could tell what you'd do in the first sentence, and whether your reasons made sense.
FAQ
How long should a Casper typed answer be?
Long enough to say what you'd do, why, and what happens next. For most people that's somewhere around 70 to 120 words per question, depending on typing speed.
Is there a right answer in Casper?
Usually not a single one. Raters are looking at how you reason and whether you consider the people involved, not whether you picked a specific option.
When do I sit Casper for Auckland?
Auckland says applicants for 2028 entry sit it in the year they apply, which is 2027. It hadn't published dates when we last checked, so keep an eye on the University's MBChB page.
If you're preparing for Auckland's Casper, see how Cutline Casper practice works.
Cutline is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Acuity Insights or the University of Auckland. Casper is used here only to describe the test. The scenario above was written by Cutline and is not a real Casper scenario. Format details are from Acuity Insights and the University of Auckland, checked October 2026.
