Acuity Insights Report Highlights The Critical Role Of Situational Judgment Tests In Higher Education Admissions And Learner Development

Acuity’s latest report demonstrates the value of evaluating and developing the professional skills that learners need to succeed

TORONTO, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acuity Insights, the leading provider of admissions assessment, program management, and analytics solutions for higher education, announces the release of its latest report, Beyond Grades: The Evidence for Situational Judgment Tests in Higher Education.

Informed by research and sector insights, the report examines how institutions can more effectively assess and develop the professional competencies required for success in modern higher education.

Professional education is at a tipping point. Application volumes are shifting, AI-assisted writing is reshaping applicant submissions, and employers increasingly expect that graduates can think critically, collaborate effectively, and perform under pressure.

Evidence suggests that traditional metrics such as GPA and academic test scores provide only a partial view of student readiness. Many essential non-technical competencies required for professional success—such as ethical judgment, professionalism, resilience, and teamwork—are difficult to measure through academic performance alone.

A study published in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education found that incorporating Casper into the residency admissions process led to a 35% reduction in documented professionalism concerns and a 96% reduction in associated time and cost burdens, highlighting operational efficiencies alongside improved outcomes. The findings demonstrate how situational judgment tests can strengthen both admissions decisions and downstream learner outcomes.

Key Insights from the Report:

• Institutions face persistent challenges in assessing professional skills in-program due to limited faculty capacity, resource constraints, and a lack of consensus on measurement approaches.
• Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) assess how individuals respond to real-world scenarios involving ambiguity, interpersonal dynamics, and competing priorities.
• Summative SJTs, such as Casper, provide structured, standardized insights into applicants’ readiness for the interpersonal and ethical demands of professional programs.
• Formative SJTs, such as Professional Skills Development (PSD), support ongoing learner growth through personalized feedback and targeted development resources.

“Higher education can no longer rely on grades alone to understand learner potential or predict performance,” says Matt Holland, CEO at Acuity Insights. “As the demands of professional education evolve, institutions need solutions that provide deeper, more meaningful insight into how learners think, behave, and grow. Situational judgment tests offer a powerful, research-backed way to bridge that gap—helping programs assess both what learners are capable of and how they actually perform in real-world scenarios.”

The report explores how SJTs uniquely capture applied judgment by presenting learners with realistic scenarios that require thoughtful decision-making. It also distinguishes between summative and formative applications of SJTs—highlighting how tools like Casper support admissions decisions, while solutions like Professional Skills Development (PSD) enable continuous skill development throughout a learner’s journey.

Importantly, the report addresses a persistent gap within higher education: while institutions recognize the importance of professional skills, many struggle to assess and develop them consistently at scale. Faculty workloads, limited resources, and unclear frameworks for competency evaluation often create barriers to implementation.

Situational judgment tests help address these challenges. Together, tools such as Casper and PSD form a connected assessment ecosystem—supporting both the selection of applicants and the ongoing development of learners, while enabling programs to evaluate and strengthen competency development over time.

Download the Report: Beyond Grades: The Evidence for Situational Judgment Tests in Higher Education

About Casper

Get a more well-rounded view of each applicant.

Assess personal and professional skills—like communication, resilience, and ethics—alongside academic metrics to identify applicants most likely to succeed. Casper supports fair, evidence-based admissions decisions while uncovering high-potential candidates who might otherwise be overlooked.

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About Professional Skills Development (PSD)

Develop career-ready learners.

PSD measures and strengthens the professional skills employers and communities expect, providing actionable feedback and resources. Programs can track growth, surface strengths and gaps, and support learners in building the durable, non-technical skills that matter most in the workplace.

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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 institutions deliver on their mission holistically—considering the whole learner, widening pathways into higher education, and ensuring both learner and program success. Recognized as one of Canada’s Top Growing Companies by The Globe and Mail for six consecutive years, Acuity’s Casper situational judgment test has been taken by more than one million applicants and is backed by nearly 20 years of efficacy research. For more information, visit acuityinsights.com.

Media Contact:
Brianna Bell, Senior Content & Communications Manager
bbell@acuityinsights.com