TMDSAS will change how sGPA calculated in 2015?

[SweetCaroline7]

Has anyone seen this? From the FAQ's:

Beginning with the entry year 2015 application, TMDSAS will calculate a Biology-Chemistry-Physics-Math (BCPM) GPA in place of a science GPA.

I was under the impression that previously, non-BCPM-but-still-science courses like astronomy would be counted as "other sciences" and calculated into the sGPA. It looks like now, only the traditional BCPM courses are counted. And "other sciences" will count towards cGPA?

Can anyone confirm? This would be rather unfortunate for those of us that would forfeit the boost to sGPA.

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[Ryan17]

I'm in TX also and I hope this is true because I made a D in Computer Science freshman year and if what you're saying is true (which I think it is, I looked it up), my D won't count anymore in the science GPA.

 

[SweetCaroline7]

I'm in TX also and I hope this is true because I made a D in Computer Science freshman year and if what you're saying is true (which I think it is, I looked it up), my D won't count anymore in the science GPA.

Guess I didn't think about it bidirectionally. Glad it helps you. Guess I just have to figure out where I make up BCPM credits.

Would still love more thoughts if others want to chime in, though.

 

[Leonardo]

According to the 2015 handbook, biochemistry is under neither biology nor chemistry? Go to page 20, it says that computer science is an "other science", so I'm guessing it's probably not part of BCPM.

 

[SweetCaroline7]

According to the 2015 handbook, biochemistry is under neither biology nor chemistry? Go to page 20, it says that computer science is an "other science", so I'm guessing it's probably not part of BCPM.

Yeah, I agree about computer science, but that page also states that math other than calculus and statistics is "other science," so I'm confused.

 

[acaiberry]

Does stats count as math? Sorry if dumb question

 

[DrShephardWannabe]

Darn I was hoping there was some good news here to cheer me up after my calc two final just dropped me from an 86 to a 77.
But yes, I've worked with Scott Wright and he said it's the same thing as the AMCAS sGPA they've been wanting to transition to.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Has anyone seen this? From the FAQ's:

Beginning with the entry year 2015 application, TMDSAS will calculate a Biology-Chemistry-Physics-Math (BCPM) GPA in place of a science GPA.

I was under the impression that previously, non-BCPM-but-still-science courses like astronomy would be counted as "other sciences" and calculated into the sGPA. It looks like now, only the traditional BCPM courses are counted. And "other sciences" will count towards cGPA?

Can anyone confirm? This would be rather unfortunate for those of us that would forfeit the boost to sGPA.

What. 90% of my classes are biochem classes.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Okay here's the PDF for 2015 grades if you freaked like me:

You can download it below.

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/181694/data/amcas_course_classification_guide.pdf

 

[TexasSurgeon]

aaaaaand if you are too lazy to click on the link:

Biology (BIOL)
 Anatomy
 Biology
 Biophysics
 Biotechnology
 Botany
 Cell Biology
 Ecology
 Entomology
 Genetics
 Histology
 Immunology
 Microbiology
 Molecular Biology
 Neuroscience
 Physiology
 Zoology

Chemistry (CHEM)
 Biochemistry
 Chemistry
 Physical Chemistry
 Thermodynamics

Physics (PHYS)
 Astronomy
 Physics

Mathematics (MATH)
 Applied Mathematics
 Biostatistics
 Mathematic

 

[Noctámbulo]

Does this mean we can no longer petition courses, such as Physiological Psychology, to count towards our BCMP gpa?

 

[deleted390966]

Does this mean we can no longer petition courses, such as Physiological Psychology, to count towards our BCMP gpa?

Psychology isn't Science to begin with...

 

[Noctámbulo]

Psychology isn't Science to begin with...

Physiological Psychology has been successfully petitioned as so by many in the past. The way it's taught at my school, it's 90% neuroscience, 10% psychology.

 

[RTC19]

Does stats count as math? Sorry if dumb question

Good question!

Yes, Statistics does count as Math.

 

[Desperate For MD]

aaaaaand if you are too lazy to click on the link:

Biology (BIOL)
 Anatomy
 Biology
 Biophysics
 Biotechnology
 Botany
 Cell Biology
 Ecology
 Entomology
 Genetics
 Histology
 Immunology
 Microbiology
 Molecular Biology
 Neuroscience
 Physiology
 Zoology

Chemistry (CHEM)
 Biochemistry
 Chemistry
 Physical Chemistry
 Thermodynamics

Physics (PHYS)
 Astronomy
 Physics

Mathematics (MATH)
 Applied Mathematics
 Biostatistics
 Mathematic

Instead of Mathematics, it says Calculus or Statistics on the TMDSAS website. And the only courses that seem to be counting are-
Bio statistics
Calculus - must be taught by a Math or Physics Department
Statistics (for science majors NOT for business)
Business Calculus or any Pre-Calculus courses ARE NOT ACCEPTED

So does this mean that all other math courses, even with the prefix MATH will fall under "other science?"
Business calculus won't count in BCPM, but will engineering calculus count?

 

[jd989898]

I took statistics 1 and 2 for engineers, a class on abstract mathematics called "The Foundations of Math" for math/engineering majors, and calculus 3 for math majors. Will all of these count?

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Instead of Mathematics, it says Calculus or Statistics on the TMDSAS website. And the only courses that seem to be counting are-
Bio statistics
Calculus - must be taught by a Math or Physics Department
Statistics (for science majors NOT for business)
Business Calculus or any Pre-Calculus courses ARE NOT ACCEPTED

So does this mean that all other math courses, even with the prefix MATH will fall under "other science?"
Business calculus won't count in BCPM, but will engineering calculus count?

oooo I'm not entirely sure...

 

[meowfish6868]

What. 90% of my classes are biochem classes.

I can't say with 100% certainty that all of your biochem credits will be excluded, but at least one of my biochem courses, if not both, were excluded from my TMDSAS BCPM GPA. I emailed back and forth with one of the administrators to get a previously unapproved course reclassified to meet the biochem requirement, but my question about it being included in the BCPM gpa went unanswered. At least one of the wasn't included in calculating it, as there was a decent discrepancy between my AMCAS and TMDSAS sGPAs (3.52 vs 3.42).

 

[Catman21]

According to the 2015 handbook, biochemistry is under neither biology nor chemistry? Go to page 20, it says that computer science is an "other science", so I'm guessing it's probably not part of BCPM.

i guess it will depend on the school, at my school theres a (bio) biochem and a (chem) biochem

 

[TexasSurgeon]

I can't say with 100% certainty that all of your biochem credits will be excluded, but at least one of my biochem courses, if not both, were excluded from my TMDSAS BCPM GPA. I emailed back and forth with one of the administrators to get a previously unapproved course reclassified to meet the biochem requirement, but my question about it being included in the BCPM gpa went unanswered. At least one of the wasn't included in calculating it, as there was a decent discrepancy between my AMCAS and TMDSAS sGPAs (3.52 vs 3.42).

What courses were those?!

 

[meowfish6868]

What courses were those?!

One was intro biochem through the biochem department. The other was biological chemistry offered through the chemistry department. I did really well in both, so I was sad to see them excluded. That being said, I'm OOS with lower stats, so I still wouldn't have been a great candidate even with the minor bump.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

One was intro biochem through the biochem department. The other was biological chemistry offered through the chemistry department. I did really well in both, so I was sad to see them excluded. That being said, I'm OOS with lower stats, so I still wouldn't have been a great candidate even with the minor bump.

That's still ridiculous though! Who is TMDSAS to decide lol

 

[Lucca]

All of my biochem classes (excluding physical chemistry, analytical chemistry) are in the Biochem department. It would seem to me that they should all be counted??

 

[TexasSurgeon]

All of my biochem classes (excluding physical chemistry, analytical chemistry) are in the Biochem department. It would seem to me that they should all be counted??

They better or I'll be pissed.

 

[Desperate For MD]

I took statistics 1 and 2 for engineers, a class on abstract mathematics called "The Foundations of Math" for math/engineering majors, and calculus 3 for math majors. Will all of these count?

I took MATH 151 my freshman year, which was Engineering Math I at my school. I didn't get the best grade in this class, so if I can exclude this from BCPM I'll be ecstatic lol.

I'm pretty certain your cal 3 class and your stats classes will count, can't say anything about the other one for sure though. I'm planning on calling them in the morning.

 

[Catalystik]

I took MATH 151 my freshman year, which was Engineering Math I at my school. I didn't get the best grade in this class, so if I can exclude this from BCPM I'll be ecstatic lol.

I'm pretty certain your cal 3 class and your stats classes will count, can't say anything about the other one for sure though. I'm planning on calling them in the morning.

Calling is the best approach if category isn't clear. The TMDSAS folks have a list of every BCPM-class, which now includes courses where applicants petitioned to have it included that have been approved by all the med school deans. I found them to be very user-friendly about such inquiries.

 

[Hyahh15]

I took MATH 151 my freshman year, which was Engineering Math I at my school. I didn't get the best grade in this class, so if I can exclude this from BCPM I'll be ecstatic lol.

I'm pretty certain your cal 3 class and your stats classes will count, can't say anything about the other one for sure though. I'm planning on calling them in the morning.

I applied this past year with the BCPM system as an engineering student, so I classified Calc I, Calc II, Calc III, Differential Equations, and Biostatistics all under Math, which TMDSAS approved.

 

[Desperate For MD]

Calling is the best approach if category isn't clear. The TMDSAS folks have a list of every BCPM-class, which now includes courses where applicants petitioned to have it included that have been approved by all the med school deans. I found them to be very user-friendly about such inquiries.

Okay, so ALL Math classes will count in ones BCPM GPA calculation.
Do you know if entomology classes will count? It's not listed on the handbook, but I know that they used to previously count in BCPM.

 

[GEToutLADYits6AM]

Is precalcular and college algebra included? I am doing my application and need help

 

[Catalystik]

Is precalcular and college algebra included? I am doing my application and need help

Your status says you're an attending physician, so why do you need help filling out a med school application?

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Your status says you're an attending physician, so why do you need help filling out a med school application?

Maybe he's double MDing lolol

 

[GEToutLADYits6AM]

Your status says you're an attending physician, so why do you need help filling out a med school application?

You never considered a dad and a son sharing an account?LOL

 

[TexasSurgeon]

You never considered a dad and a son sharing an account?LOL

You have a most interesting username

 

[Catalystik]

You never considered a dad and a son sharing an account?LOL

I wondered if you might be an international physician who desired to relocate to the US. There is a DO med school that has a fast track for foreign-trained docs so they can qualify to practice in the US sooner; I'm not aware of any MD programs that do the same.

That you would share an account and designate the status that's inconsistent with the type of question you asked didn't cross my mind. Thank you for explaining.

 

[Lawpy]

I wondered if you might be an international physician who desired to relocate to the US. There is a DO med school that has a fast track for foreign-trained docs so they can qualify to practice in the US sooner; I'm not aware of any MD programs that do the same.

That you would share an account and designate the status that's inconsistent with the type of question you asked didn't cross my mind. Thank you for explaining.

A shared account would imply the previous user was active in the residency/attending forums. The entire posting history of the person of interest focuses on MCAT prep and application process. So the status is fake, and the guy is pretending to be an attending.

On topic of the thread: i am a bit curious why Texas schools don't use AMCAS scheme of classifying science courses. I realize it's a separate application altogether but overspecifying what constitutes science only complicated the matter

 

[GEToutLADYits6AM]

You have a most interesting username

You like?

 

[Catalystik]

i am a bit curious why Texas schools don't use AMCAS scheme of classifying science courses. I realize it's a separate application altogether but overspecifying what constitutes science only complicated the matter

Because Chuck Norris makes his own rules and lives to make life "complicated"?

 

[TexasSurgeon]

You like?

I like but me confused

 

[GEToutLADYits6AM]

Instead of Mathematics, it says Calculus or Statistics on the TMDSAS website. And the only courses that seem to be counting are-
Bio statistics
Calculus - must be taught by a Math or Physics Department
Statistics (for science majors NOT for business)
Business Calculus or any Pre-Calculus courses ARE NOT ACCEPTED

So does this mean that all other math courses, even with the prefix MATH will fall under "other science?"
Business calculus won't count in BCPM, but will engineering calculus count?

Who said these don't count?