Understanding the overall CASPer test structure is one thing. Understanding what you are actually looking at when a scenario appears on screen is another. The format of each individual scenario has specific features that affect how you read it, what the questions are asking, and how you should split your response time. Here is what to expect.
The scenario prompt
Every CASPer scenario begins with a prompt, either a short video clip or a written paragraph. The prompt describes a situation involving two or more people, where there is some kind of tension, dilemma, or decision to be made.
How long you get to take in the prompt depends on the format. For a video prompt, you get 30 seconds to reflect on what you have just watched. For a text-based prompt, you get 30 seconds to read it, followed by a further 30 seconds to reflect before responding. Use that time. It is when you should be identifying the key people, the tension, and what each question is asking.
Prompts are designed to be realistic and relatable. They cover a wide range of settings, including workplaces, healthcare environments, universities, friendships, and community situations. You are not expected to have professional expertise in any of them. What matters is how you reason through the human dynamics in the situation, not whether you have subject-matter knowledge.
The two questions
For typed scenarios, both questions appear on screen at the same time. You respond to both within the same 3 minute 30 second window and can see Q2 before you begin writing Q1, which is worth doing. Q2 sometimes introduces a new angle on the scenario that is useful to know before you commit to your Q1 response.
For video scenarios, questions appear one at a time. You see Q1, record your response, then see Q2 and record separately. You get 10 seconds to prepare before each recording window opens.
In both formats, the two questions in a scenario are almost always different types. One might ask what you would do, while the other asks you to reason through a position or reflect on a personal experience. Recognizing the type before you respond tells you what kind of answer is expected.
The three question types and how to spot them
Situational
"What would you do...?" / "How would you respond...?" / "What steps would you take...?" / "How would you handle / manage...?"
These ask for action and reasoning. They test judgment and decision-making in the moment. Your response should explain what you would do, in what order, and why that approach is fair to everyone involved.
Judgment
"Do you think it would be appropriate / acceptable...? Why or why not?" / "In your opinion..." / "Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?"
These ask you to weigh perspectives and reason through a position. Acknowledge the complexity, then explain your thinking clearly.
Reflective
"Briefly describe a time when..." / "Think about a time when..." / "Based on your personality, how do you think you would feel...?"
These ask about your personal experience, feelings, or growth. They test self-awareness and genuine insight. Write honestly about what actually happened and what it taught you, not what the ideal response would have been.
From an evaluator's perspective: The biggest mistake students make is treating both questions in a scenario identically. If Q1 is situational and Q2 is reflective, your response needs to shift between them. A student who answers a reflective question as if it were situational, describing what they would do instead of what they felt and learned, loses marks on that question regardless of how well-written the response is.
How to split your time between two typed questions
For typed scenarios, you have 3 minutes 30 seconds to answer both questions. A useful rule of thumb is to move to Q2 at around the 1 minute 45 second mark, regardless of whether you feel finished with Q1. Each question is scored individually, so an incomplete Q2 costs you just as much as a weak Q1. If you have time left after completing Q2, you can return to Q1 and add to it.
What evaluators see
Evaluators receive your full typed response for a scenario as a single block of text. They also receive guidelines specific to that scenario that tell them what a strong response covers. They are reading for how well you understood the situation, how thoughtfully you considered the people involved, and how well your response addresses the core elements the scenario was designed to test.
They are not counting words, checking grammar, or looking for a particular conclusion. They are reading for how you think.
Practice reading and responding to real scenarios
Typed and video scenarios with evaluator-style feedback. Free to start.
Start free CASPer practice →If you want to see all three question types in practice, free CASPer practice on Response Method covers situational, judgment, and reflective questions across a range of scenario topics, with feedback on each response.