CASPer quartiles are the applicant-facing version of CASPer results. They give you a broad sense of how your performance compared with other test takers in the same test type and cohort, but they do not show your exact score, a scenario-by-scenario breakdown, or a school-specific admissions decision.
For applicants who want structured support alongside this article, structured CASPer practice connects ethical reasoning, timed practice, and AI feedback in one CASPer prep routine.
If you are still building your overall test plan, start with the Ultimate Guide to CASPer. This page focuses only on quartiles: what they mean, when you get them, and how to use them without inventing false precision.
Quick Answer
A CASPer quartile places your applicant-facing result into one of four broad bands. A 4th quartile result is the highest band, while a 1st quartile result means other applicants in the relevant comparison group generally had stronger responses.
Programs receive CASPer results directly from Acuity Insights, usually about 2-3 weeks after your test. Applicants usually receive their quartile score later, about 4-5 weeks after the test. The quartile is useful context, but it is not the same thing as a detailed numerical score report.
For a broader discussion of competitiveness, read What Is a Good CASPer Score? after this article.
CASPer Quartiles in Plain English
Quartiles divide applicant-facing results into four relative bands. The key word is relative: your quartile compares you with other test takers in the same test type and cohort, not with every applicant in every country, program, or admissions cycle.
| Applicant quartile | Plain-English meaning | Practical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 1st quartile | Lower relative band | Other applicants generally showed stronger CASPer responses; it is not a failure label |
| 2nd quartile | Lower-middle relative band | Below the top half of the comparison group, but still only one piece of the file |
| 3rd quartile | Upper-middle relative band | A reasonably positive signal, not a guarantee of any admissions outcome |
| 4th quartile | Highest relative band | Strong applicant-facing result, still interpreted alongside the rest of the application |
The quartile system is easier to understand than a hidden numerical scale, but it is also less precise. You should not treat a quartile as a percentile, cutoff, or ranking within a school’s applicant pool.
When CASPer Quartiles Come Out
CASPer timing has two separate pieces: program distribution and applicant quartile release. These are easy to confuse because programs generally receive results before applicants see their quartile.
| CASPer result step | Typical timing | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|
| Results distributed to programs | About 2-3 weeks after the test | Programs on your distribution list |
| Applicant quartile released | About 4-5 weeks after the test | Applicant |
| Additional program added after processing | Usually within 1 business day if eligible | Newly added program |
This means you may not have your quartile yet even though your result has already been sent to programs. CASPer results are sent directly by Acuity Insights to the programs you selected. They do not pass through AMCAS, CASPA, TMDSAS, OUAC, or another application portal.
If you add a program after taking CASPer, the program must still be accepting scores and must require the same CASPer test type. If the original processing window has already passed, the result is usually sent to the newly added program within 1 business day.
Why Quartiles Are Broad Bands
CASPer is designed around open-response scenarios, not multiple-choice scoring. Each scenario is evaluated by a different trained human rater, and responses are anonymized before evaluation. Typed and video responses are combined into one overall program-facing result.
Because applicants receive only a quartile, the report intentionally avoids over-specific claims. It does not tell you that you were just below the next quartile. It does not identify your strongest or weakest scenario. It does not tell you how a specific school weighted CASPer against grades, essays, interviews, experience, or references.
That limitation is frustrating, but it also protects you from overreading noise. A quartile can tell you whether your performance landed in a broad relative band. It cannot tell you exactly why an admissions committee made a decision.
How to Interpret Your Quartile
The best way to use a CASPer quartile is to ask what action it reasonably supports.
| Result pattern | Reasonable response | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| 1st quartile | Reflect on response structure, professionalism evidence, and future preparation | Assuming you failed CASPer or should abandon every program |
| 2nd quartile | Treat it as a weaker-to-mixed signal and keep strengthening the rest of the file | Turning it into a made-up admissions cutoff |
| 3rd quartile | Consider it a positive context point | Assuming it outweighs weak application areas |
| 4th quartile | Recognize it as a strong CASPer performance | Treating it as an admissions guarantee |
A lower quartile may reflect incomplete explanations, weak prioritization, limited perspective-taking, rushed answers, unfamiliarity with the format, or simply a stronger comparison group. A higher quartile may reflect clearer reasoning, stronger communication, fuller explanation, and better demonstration of competencies such as empathy, fairness, collaboration, ethics, resilience, and self-awareness.
What Quartiles Do Not Tell You
CASPer quartiles do not show your exact numerical score. They also do not show how each program will use CASPer, whether a school has an internal threshold, or how your result compares with applicants to one specific program.
That matters because applicants often try to reverse-engineer too much from one band. A 4th quartile result is encouraging, but it does not repair every weakness elsewhere. A 1st quartile result is disappointing, but it does not automatically define your full candidacy.
Use the quartile as one admissions signal. Then keep your attention on the parts you can still control: submitting complete materials, meeting distribution deadlines, preparing for interviews, and showing professionalism consistently across your application.
Common Mistakes
Do not describe CASPer quartiles as exact percentiles. A quartile is a broad band, not a precise rank.
Do not assume applicants and programs see the same report. Applicants receive a quartile. Programs receive the program-facing CASPer result directly from Acuity Insights.
Do not plan around unofficial school-specific cutoffs unless the program itself publishes clear guidance. Most applicants are better served by verifying current requirements through Acuity Dates and Fees, the program page, and the school admissions page.
Do not expect a retake because you dislike your quartile. Applicants can take the same CASPer test type only once per admissions cycle. Retakes are considered only for verified technical issues reported to Acuity Support within one week of the assessment date.
Related CASPer Resources
- PrepTrack CASPer prep
- CASPer practice test
- Ultimate Guide to CASPer
- What Is a Good CASPer Score?
- How Medical Schools Interpret CASPer Scores
- What Does 4th Quartile Mean?
Final Takeaway
CASPer quartiles are useful because they translate an applicant-facing result into a simple relative band. They are limited because they do not reveal exact scores, school-specific thresholds, scenario performance, or admissions outcomes. Read your quartile as context, not as a verdict.