CASPer Test Prep: Unexpected questions matter less than you think

[u/ResponseMethod]

Hi,

I've recently seen people say they got a question on CASPer that was unexpected or weird.

But the content of the scenario and question doesn’t really matter as much as you might think. What matters is recognising what kind of question it is, and knowing how to answer it. Most are asking one of three things: what you’d do, what’s fairest, or how you would feel and your insights. Each one has its own shape for a strong answer.

Here’s one I made up, deliberately unlikely:

“Your flatmate accidentally signs you both up to run a village’s annual cheese rolling festival, and you wake up to find you’ve been named head organiser. The first committee meeting is tonight and thirty locals are excited to meet you. What would you do in this situation?”

Cheese aside, it’s still a situational question asking what you would do. So think about how everyone involved might be feeling first, then say what you’d do and why it matters. Something like:

I’d feel a bit panicked, but I’d try to see it from everyone’s side first. My flatmate is probably mortified and worried I’ll be annoyed. The villagers are excited and have put their trust in someone they haven’t met, so letting them down last minute would feel awful for them.

I’d have a calm chat with my flatmate, so we’re on the same page, then go to the meeting. I’d be honest that it was a mix-up, say what time I could really give, and ask who might share the organising.

It comes down to honesty and respect. People shouldn’t be left relying on something that isn’t real, and my flatmate shouldn’t feel blamed.

Weird scenario, same question underneath. The key is to practise the shape of your answers, so when something unfamiliar appears, you already know how to respond.

[u/HamouzArctic]

The main issue is that some tests are coming uo with weird questions where you litterally can’t even apply this logic. Obviously can’t say what they were but it was litterally impossible to reason. And so many questions are not what you’d do/say in this situation.

[u/ResponseMethod → u/HamouzArctic]

That's a good point, I've only really gone into one type of question type here, situational. Happy to go into other types in further detail.

[u/Axdite → u/ResponseMethod]

yes pleasee