Major International Meta-Analysis Confirms Acuity Insights’ Casper Predicts Future Performance

Largest-ever meta-analysis of open-response SJT validity evidence, published in Medical Education journal, confirms Casper scores predict applicants’ future interpersonal and professional performance in health professions training

TORONTO, June 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acuity Insights, the leading provider of admissions assessment, program management, and analytics solutions for higher education, announced today that a comprehensive meta-analysis validating its admissions assessment, Casper, has been published in Medical Education, one of the world’s leading peer-reviewed journals in health professions education. The analysis arrives as admissions leaders face mounting pressure to identify applicants who will succeed not only in academia but also professionally, and to demonstrate that their selection processes are up to the challenge.

Casper is an open-response situational judgment test that evaluates applicants’ personal and professional skills, complementing GPA by assessing attributes that help predict future success. Casper assesses non-technical skills (such as communication, ethics, resilience, and problem-solving, etc.) that academic metrics can't. Casper is used by health professions programs across North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. The assessment has been taken by more than one million applicants and is supported by nearly 20 years of research, demonstrating its scientific rigor and effectiveness.

“For years, health professions education has faced a persistent challenge on how to reliably evaluate the personal and professional skills that predict long-term success,” said Dr. Alexander MacIntosh, PhD, Senior Research Manager at Acuity Insights. “The research published in Medical Education provides the most compelling answer to date on how open-response SJT scores relate to future performance. When programs thoughtfully evaluate skills like communication, professionalism, and teamwork the predictive signal nearly doubles.”

The newly published meta-analysis is the largest synthesis of validity evidence for constructed-response situational judgement tests ever published. Spanning 27 studies and 100 effect sizes, it was led by scholars from five universities across three countries, including Imperial College London. Applicants who score higher on Casper, an open-response SJT, consistently demonstrate stronger professional and interpersonal performance during training. These outcomes speak directly to the retention, professionalism, and workforce readiness that institutions are increasingly being held accountable for.

“Our meta-analysis provides strong evidence that constructed-response situational judgment tests can meaningfully assess competencies linked to future personal, interpersonal, and professional performance, including qualities that are not fully captured by traditional academic measures. These findings support a more holistic approach to selection and development, recognizing that academic achievement is only one part of the broader set of capabilities needed to succeed in education, the workplace, and society,” said Professor Amir H. Sam, Head of Imperial College School of Medicine.

What the Research Found

• Casper predicts in-program performance
  • Applicants who scored higher on the Casper test consistently went on to perform better professionally during training.
• When admissions and training align, prediction gets stronger
  • Casper does what it is designed to do. When programs measure the overlapping interpersonal and professional skills at admissions and in training, the ability to predict student success nearly doubles. This matters because many traditional evaluations measure academic performance but not the interpersonal and professional competencies that determine how students actually perform in clinical and workplace settings.
• Smarter admissions decisions mean stronger student cohorts.
  • Using SJTs in admissions helps identify candidates who are more likely to succeed professionally before they enter a program. This, in turn, can reduce remediation burden, improve student outcomes and build stronger cohorts overall.

While this research involves secondary analysis of published data, the inclusion of three admissions professionals shifted the focus from purely statistical effect sizes toward operational validity. This practitioner lens ensured results were interpreted through the practicalities of admissions workflows and the systemic impact of policy changes.

As institutions face growing pressure to prepare competent graduates, reduce remediation, and build strong admissions processes, the findings make clear that technical excellence alone is not enough. Acuity Insights remains committed to supporting institutions in building evidence-based tools and practices they need so that the right students succeed in their education and into the workforce.

Read the full meta-analysis on Medical Education.

To learn more about Casper by Acuity Insights, please visit our website or request a demo.

About Acuity Insights

Acuity Insights is the leading provider of admissions assessment, program management, and analytics solutions for higher education. The company’s solutions help higher education institutions deliver on their mission while considering the whole student, widening pathways into higher education, and ensuring both student and program success. Acuity Insights is recognized as one of Canada’s Top Growing Companies by the Globe & Mail for the past six consecutive years. Its Casper situational judgment test (SJT), taken by more than 1 million since its inception, is the most widely used open-response SJT in higher education and is backed by almost 20 years of efficacy research. For more information, visit acuityinsights.com.

About Casper

Casper is an open-response situational judgment test (SJT) that measures social intelligence and professionalism and is backed by 20 years of data. Research consistently shows that demonstrating effective interpersonal skills contributes significantly to success during academic programs and in future careers. Casper presents applicants with scenarios and questions that allow them to demonstrate these skills and the extent to which they can respond to challenging scenarios in a professional and socially intelligent manner. Its open-response format, with both video and text, is resistant to gaming by humans or AI, unlike most other SJTs, which use a multiple-choice format.

Media Contact

Brianna Bell
bbell@acuityinsights.com

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