BCP over Science GPA

Yellow Snow · Apr 26, 2006

My university had a prehealth conference today and there were a few dental school tables set up. I was very happy to learn that there is at least one school that doesn't use the science gpa to evaluate applicants. They only consider the overall gpa and the BCP gpa. This has been a concern of mine for awhile because many of the courses counted in the science gpa have little impact on my health related knowledge and I don't like having them bring down my gpa twice. That and my BCP is .2 higher than my science gpa.

I am going to contact a few more schools that I am interested in and find out how they do it. If anyone has school specific knowledge I would appereciate hearing which gpa they weigh higher.

titan305 · Apr 26, 2006

so which school did you find out doesn't look at the science gpa?

Yellow Snow · Apr 26, 2006

Oh yeah, sorry. It was OHSU.

Another interesting thing I picked up was that it became clear that the representative I was talking to had a role in making major decisions on applications and general policy regarding who gets accepted. I didn't realize that people so high up came to these kind of things. He had also fulfilled this role at other universities. He actually had sat in judgement on my brothers application at a different dental school so that was kinda interesting.

ItsGavinC · Apr 27, 2006

Yellow Snow said:
This has been a concern of mine for awhile because many of the courses counted in the science gpa have little impact on my health related knowledge and I don't like having them bring down my gpa twice.

I think you're completely missing the boat on this. A science GPA is a science GPA. The courses you'll take in dental school are science courses and science-based courses.

Having a health-related knowledge is only part of the picture.

Yellow Snow · Apr 27, 2006

ItsGavinC said:
I think you're completely missing the boat on this. A science GPA is a science GPA. The courses you'll take in dental school are science courses and science-based courses.

Having a health-related knowledge is only part of the picture.

Yeah, but my BCP grades are representative of my ability while a few science gpa classes aren't. Example is an online 100 level econ course I took as a senior and got a C+ in due to computer/internet problems. Another is a CC math class I took as a 17 year old who graduated a year early from high school and got a C in. These classes give no greater indication of my ability to get through the classes that I will face in dental school than any other non-science course and I am looking forward to being evaluated with them only being counted in my overall gpa and not twice in overall and science.

I am a postbac w/ a non-science degree so every class has a large impact on science gpa.

whiskeysour · Apr 27, 2006

Yellow Snow said:
Yeah, but my BCP grades are representative of my ability while a few science gpa classes aren't. Example is an online 100 level econ course I took as a senior and got a C+ in due to computer/internet problems. Another is a CC math class I took as a 17 year old who graduated a year early from high school and got a C in. These classes give no greater indication of my ability to get through the classes that I will face in dental school than any other non-science course and I am looking forward to being evaluated with them only being counted in my overall gpa and not twice in overall and science.

I am a postbac w/ a non-science degree so every class has a large impact on science gpa.

econ is not counted in your science gpa, so you may want to re-evaluate the courses you have used to compute your gpa.

americanpierg · Apr 27, 2006

crazy social science

KOM · Apr 27, 2006

I don't know how many times this question has come up, but I decided to call AADSAS on what courses comprise the Science GPA. I was given the vague response that each school has its own criteria on what courses they consider to be part of the science GPA and that I should contact the school itself.

I don't know if I buy that because I doubt they send different GPA calculations to every different school. What do you guys think? I'm still itching to know if a computer science course is counted in the science GPA as well as anthropology and psychology. AADSAS specifically states the science GPA as all science courses including math, natural sciences, and BCP. So then the question arises what are the natural sciences comprised of? Now, anthropology and psychology are listed in the AADSAS drop down menu as behavioral sciences...but I don't know if these are figured in or not.

Anybody know for certain?

pbure · Apr 27, 2006

KOM said:
I don't know how many times this question has come up, but I decided to call AADSAS on what courses comprise the Science GPA. I was given the vague response that each school has its own criteria on what courses they consider to be part of the science GPA and that I should contact the school itself.

I don't know if I buy that because I doubt they send different GPA calculations to every different school. What do you guys think? I'm still itching to know if a computer science course is counted in the science GPA as well as anthropology and psychology. AADSAS specifically states the science GPA as all science courses including math, natural sciences, and BCP. So then the question arises what are the natural sciences comprised of? Now, anthropology and psychology are listed in the AADSAS drop down menu as behavioral sciences...but I don't know if these are figured in or not.

Anybody know for certain?

yes..computer science counts. psychology and athro do not. unless its a special type of anthro called physical anthropology i think..but chances are that doesnt apply to you.

KOM · Apr 27, 2006

pbure said:
yes..computer science counts. psychology and athro do not. unless its a special type of anthro called physical anthropology i think..but chances are that doesnt apply to you.

Alright, thanks for your help.

BCP over Science GPA

Yellow Snow

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titan305

Junior Member

Yellow Snow

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ItsGavinC

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Yellow Snow

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whiskeysour

up'n the competition

americanpierg

Senior Member

KOM

Senior Member

pbure

Senior Member

KOM

Senior Member

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