AAMC PREview vs CASPer

AAMC PREview vs CASPer is a common comparison because both tests appear in admissions conversations as situational judgment assessments, but they are not interchangeable. PREview is the AAMC professional readiness exam. CASPer is provided by Acuity Insights and is described by Acuity as an open-response situational judgment test.

If your school list could involve either test, compare PrepTrack's CASPer prep platform with PrepTrack's AAMC PREview prep platform early so your practice matches the exam format.

The main difference is what you do on test day. AAMC PREview asks you to rate the effectiveness of possible responses to scenario sets. CASPer asks applicants to answer in their own words through typed and video responses. That difference affects how you prepare, how the exams are scored, and how you should verify requirements for each school on your list.

For the broader PREview planning system, start with Ultimate Guide to the AAMC PREview Exam. This article focuses on the comparison: format, scoring, preparation, and school-list logistics.

Quick Comparison

Feature	AAMC PREview	CASPer
Provider	AAMC	Acuity Insights
Main task	Rate listed responses for effectiveness	Produce typed and video responses in your own words
Format emphasis	Calibration against four effectiveness ratings	Clear communication under open-response timing
PREview scoring/reporting	1-9 score with confidence band and percentile rank	Check official Acuity and program guidance for applicant score reporting
Best prep focus	Rating calibration and scenario review	Response structure, timing, and delivery

AAMC PREview is a rating-based exam. You read scenario sets and evaluate possible responses using four ratings: Very Ineffective, Ineffective, Effective, and Very Effective. The AAMC describes PREview as measuring relational skills and personal accountability, including communication, collaboration, empathy, ethical responsibility, reliability, resilience, adaptability, reflection, and continuous improvement.

CASPer is different. Official Acuity Insights sources describe CASPer as an open-response test with typed-response and video-response sections. Instead of choosing or rating listed responses, you explain your thinking in your own words.

That means PREview preparation is mostly about calibration. You need to learn how the exam distinguishes between ineffective, effective, and very effective behavior. CASPer preparation is more about expression: organizing a response, communicating judgment clearly, and becoming comfortable with typed and video formats.

Neither exam replaces the MCAT, GPA, clinical experience, service, letters, or the rest of the application. They give schools another data point about professional judgment and interpersonal reasoning.

Format Differences

PREview is built around scenario sets and response ratings. The AAMC admissions-officer overview states that the exam includes 186 total items. For each item, the task is not to write what you personally would do. The task is to judge how effective a listed response would be in that situation.

That creates a specific kind of challenge. Two responses may both sound positive, but one may be more complete, more ethical, more accountable, or more directly responsive to the problem. Likewise, a response may be well-intended but still ineffective if it avoids the core issue, ignores a stakeholder, or fails to follow through.

CASPer has a different test-day feel. Because CASPer includes typed and video-response sections, applicants must produce responses rather than rate provided ones. The test is still situational and judgment-focused, but the output is open-response. You are not trying to match a four-point rating scale; you are trying to communicate your reasoning clearly under time pressure.

This is why a PrepTrack PREview study plan should not be copied directly onto CASPer. Some professionalism principles overlap, but the mechanics are different enough that practice should match the exam you are taking.

Scoring Differences

PREview has a defined score scale. The total score is reported from 1 to 9. The score is based on how closely your ratings align with a consensus key developed with medical education subject matter experts.

Full credit is awarded when your rating matches the consensus rating. Half credit is awarded when your rating is one step away but stays on the same side of the scale, such as Effective instead of Very Effective. No credit is awarded when your rating crosses the effective/ineffective boundary.

PREview score reports include the exam date, total score, a confidence band of plus or minus 1 point, and percentile rank. AAMC says percentile ranks are updated and publicly posted each May. At the June 2026 source refresh, the latest AAMC percentile summary available still showed the table labeled May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026, so applicants should check AAMC directly for the newest posted table before interpreting a current score.

For a deeper PREview score explanation, use How PREview Scoring Works.

This article does not try to summarize CASPer scoring in detail because applicant-facing score reporting should be checked through official Acuity Insights resources and the schools requesting CASPer.

Preparation Differences

For PREview, the best preparation is structured rating practice. You should learn to ask: Is this response accountable? Does it address the actual problem? Does it respect the people involved? Does it communicate appropriately? Does it create follow-through?

A useful PREview habit is to explain the rating before checking an answer explanation. For example, if you choose Effective instead of Very Effective, write one sentence explaining what keeps the response from being the strongest option. That kind of calibration is more valuable than memorizing slogans.

For CASPer, preparation should include practice expressing judgment in typed and video formats. Since CASPer is open-response, applicants need to practice organizing ideas quickly and communicating in their own words. That is a different skill from selecting a PREview rating.

If you are taking both exams, do not assume one practice set fully covers the other. Build separate practice blocks: PREview rating calibration on one side, CASPer response delivery on the other.

For PREview-specific practice, use How to Study for PREview and PREview Sample Questions.

School Requirements

The safest rule is to verify requirements school by school. Use the AAMC participating-school page, MSAR, each school’s admissions page, and the official testing providers. Do not rely on an old spreadsheet, a forum post, or a general claim that a school “uses” a test.

AAMC participation categories matter. Some schools require PREview and may not consider an application complete until a PREview score has been received. Some recommend PREview, meaning applicants may submit with or without a score. Some require a situational judgment test, where a PREview score will satisfy the SJT requirement. Some are exploring PREview for future use and may view scores for research or evaluation without using them for the current admissions year.

Those categories are not the same, and they can change. A school that recommends PREview creates a different planning problem than a school that requires it before file completion. Confirm school-list details directly with official sources.

The same caution applies to CASPer. Do not assume a PREview requirement means CASPer is also required, and do not assume a CASPer requirement means PREview will satisfy it unless the school or official requirement language says so.

Timing and Retake Planning

PREview is offered in fixed testing windows. For the 2026 testing year, windows run from April through October, and scores are released approximately 30 days after each testing window. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, appointments are limited, and dates are subject to change.

That timing matters most for schools that require PREview before considering an application complete. If a score arrives after a school’s preferred review window, the issue is not just when you tested. It is when the score becomes available to the admissions process.

AAMC states that examinees may take PREview no more than twice in the same testing year and no more than four times total in their lifetime, counting from the 2024 testing year. The choice to retake is up to the examinee, but individual schools may have their own policies for which scores or dates they consider.

For PREview timing, use PREview Registration Deadlines Explained. For retake and score-validity questions, verify the AAMC limits and school-specific policies before assuming a second score will help.

When Applicants Confuse the Two

The most common mistake is treating PREview and CASPer as the same test because both involve judgment in professional situations. They overlap in theme, but not in task.

On PREview, you are not rewarded for writing a thoughtful paragraph. You are rewarded for choosing ratings that align with the consensus key. On CASPer, you are not choosing from the AAMC’s four effectiveness ratings. You are producing your own response through typed and video answers.

Another mistake is planning around the test name instead of the school list. Your application strategy should start with actual school requirements. If your list includes a PREview-requiring school, you need a PREview date and score-release plan. If your list includes a CASPer-requiring school, you need to verify CASPer timing and requirements through Acuity Insights and that school.

AAMC PREview vs CASPer: Which Test Are You Preparing For?

The practical answer is usually determined by your school list, not personal preference. PREview and CASPer both involve professional judgment, but PREview asks you to rate listed responses while CASPer asks you to produce your own typed and video responses. That difference changes how you practice.

FAQ: AAMC PREview vs CASPer

Can applicants choose AAMC PREview vs CASPer?

Usually no. Applicants should follow each program's official testing requirements and verify those requirements through AAMC, Acuity, MSAR, and the school admissions page.

Does practice for one test help with the other?

Some ethical-reasoning habits transfer, such as avoiding assumptions and considering stakeholders. The response task does not fully transfer, so applicants should practice the format their schools require.

Related CASPer and AAMC PREview Resources

Final Takeaway

PREview vs CASPer comes down to task design. PREview asks you to rate listed responses against a calibrated effectiveness scale. CASPer asks you to answer open-response prompts in typed and video formats. Prepare for the exam you actually need, verify requirements with official sources and each school, and build your timeline around score release rather than test day alone.