BCPM or not??

[Tex10]

Ive been looking all over for the answer to this, but cant seem to find it anywhere.

Would this count toward my science GPA on the AMCAS?

My transcript would read something like this:

Dept. Course# Title
BIO 390 Teaching Asst: Anatomy


thanks guys
😕 😕

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Tuesday Weld]

If you want it to go towards the science part of your GPA, I don't think that would seem like a problem considering that the description would fit.

Originally posted by Tex10
Ive been looking all over for the answer to this, but cant seem to find it anywhere.

Would this count toward my science GPA on the AMCAS?

My transcript would read something like this:

Dept. Course# Title
BIO 390 Teaching Asst: Anatomy


thanks guys
😕 😕

 

[Tex10]

Based on just the "Dept." and "course #" I know AMCAS would clasify the grade under BCPM, but would the title disqualify it??
Since it is not a class, but TAing...

if we only knew someone that worked for AMCAS!!

 

[CatsAreKillers]

Tex,

Is there a reason you're asking? Do you have a personal preference as to how you want to deal with it?

How do you want to qualify it??


Anyways, you could probably qualify it either way.

Originally posted by Tex10
Based on just the "Dept." and "course #" I know AMCAS would clasify the grade under BCPM, but would the title disqualify it??
Since it is not a class, but TAing...

if we only knew someone that worked for AMCAS!!

 

[Neuronix]

Yes it would. When AMCAS calculates your GPA they just look at the broad department in which it was taught. If it's "Behavioral Sciences", it's not going to be counted, so Neuroscience under Psychology ends up excluded. However, if it's Biology of any kind it's going to be included. They don't look at the course title, they just look at the department.

 

[applejuice1979]

Originally posted by Tex10
Ive been looking all over for the answer to this, but cant seem to find it anywhere.

Would this count toward my science GPA on the AMCAS?

My transcript would read something like this:

Dept. Course# Title
BIO 390 Teaching Asst: Anatomy


thanks guys
😕 😕

I had the same question about classes taken for units that were not lecture/discussion/exam classes I was completing work for. Basically they don't count for BCPM, but they are under that other category--Special studies or something like.

 

[momofthree]

How about Oceanography in the dept of geology? The class was pure chemistry and physics.....

or....statistics taken as a psych major in the psych dept? Still math...

just curious here, guys...

 

[lola]

you get graded for being a ta?


i did not designate my oceanography class as a bcpm class. even though it had some bio, chem, and physics it was REALLY watered down. maybe it's not the same at your school?...

i designated my statistics class though the psych dept as bcpm, and amcas did not change the designation.

 

[Sweet Tea]

I TA-ed an intro to bio lab, and listed it as BCPM for AMCAS (it was listed as a bio course). I have friends who were able to list oceanography as a BCPM, but at my school oceanography is listed (may be cross-listed) through the biology dept.

My feelings would be to list the classes as you want them counted-- Mo3, if you want that stat class counted as a BCPM, then list it as BCPM. AMCAS will change it if they disagree with you, but they might agree with you and leave it.

 

[doepug]

I think the bio TA grade counts toward BCPM, since it's under the auspices of the bio department, and the OP's institution issues letter grades instead of Pass/Fail for TAs. I'd include it.

Oceanography and psych stats are not eligible for BCPM. AMCAS will nail you for those. Sorry. I wouldn't take the chance of claiming those courses, since the last thing you want is to delay your AMCAS application. Given the problems AMCAS has had in recent years, I'd play it safe and steer clear of having issues with them.

Good luck,
doepug

 

[momofthree]

Thanks for the feedback...I'll have to check regarding the cross-listing...

What is interesting is that there is such ridigidity in the system in determining what counts. The stats class, for example, was the same across the board regardless of your dept...you took the same exams, used the same book..it was just listed under your dept....(I guess cross-listing?). At the end of the day, we learned the same things.

The oceanography course did not have any more watered down physics or chem than the cell biology class that I took in the biology dept. Interesting that AMCAS will only look at a bio, chem, physics or math class as being a science...tell that to my Oceanography prof who had dedicated her life to geochemical research 😀

not a beef with anything written here...just a little rant! 😛

Kris

 

[Tex10]

thanks for the info guys..

yeah I would like it to go under the BCPM...

and no I wouldnt want to start a beef with AMCAS either..

and yes, for some TA positions we can get graded because it is considered "supervised teaching" so it is a bit more autonomous as we have to write lab lectures, quizes, and tests and give out grades.

 

[AlternateSome1]

I am curious about upper level math courses. If you've taken them, do they have to go into BCPM? This is mainly just a curiousity... If you didn't include them as BCPM, what would the AAMCAS do, just switch them in? Thanks.

~AS1~

 

[Sweet Tea]

AMCAS will put the upper-level math courses in your BCPM grade. It's all BCPM courses...not just pre-reqs.

 

[lola]

amcas had no problem with my stats class under the psych dept as i stated before. if your classifications are legit, i really doubt it will slow down your application too much. they might become suspicious if you have a whole bunch of strange classifications. i only had the one, and at my liberal arts college stats was only in the psych or econ dept. if you go to a school with a stats dept or math dept that offers stats and you didn't take that one, you might have more trouble. or if your stats class has a strange title and is not in the math dept, you might have trouble.
a couple of my grad school classifications were changed by amcas, but it was no big deal.
i really think oceanography is pushing it. geology courses are not supposed to be bcpm --- amcas even says oceanography should be classified as natural/physical sciences. it may be a little arbitrary that it's not bcpm, just as engineering courses are not, but that's the way amcas wants it. statistics is supposed to be classified bcpm.
you may as well try to classify the teaching assistant position. i'm sure amcas has a rule for whether or not it should be bcpm. if they don't like it, they'll change it for you.