GPA calculations

[Hochries]

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This is my first posting. To make this posting specific and targetted, i'd simply appreciate some insight into how the 'GPA boosting' process is accomoplished. I have a BS and and MS in engineering. But i still need to take about . . . all of the premed prerequisite courses. How will my grades in these courses, which i intend to take this summer and next fall boost my GPA? Is there some formula for GPA calculation that i should be aware of here? I assure you all there will be more postings to come in the future.

 

[Scottish Chap]

This is my first posting. To make this posting specific and targetted, i'd simply appreciate some insight into how the 'GPA boosting' process is accomoplished. I have a BS and and MS in engineering. But i still need to take about . . . all of the premed prerequisite courses. How will my grades in these courses, which i intend to take this summer and next fall boost my GPA? Is there some formula for GPA calculation that i should be aware of here? I assure you all there will be more postings to come in the future.

Welcome! On the AMCAS form which you will fill out and submit to medical schools, you will have three separate GPA's: undergraduate, graduate, postbacc (undergraduate classes thereafter --even the prereq's in your case since you have your B.S. already). Try to get the postbacc GPA as close to 4.0 as you can.

 

[vtucci]

As silly as this sounds, the science GPA that is on AMCAS is Biology, chemistry, physics and math only (no computer science, astronomy, engineering etc.) so if you can take classes and get As in them, that will serve you best.

 

[relentless11]

I never understood why they don't include engineering..haha. Especially biomedical engineering. Go figure. But yea, in regards to the OP, take more post-bacc, which = upper division undergrad classes. Doesn't have to be science, but that depends on what you want to boost and what u want to take.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

As silly as this sounds, the science GPA that is on AMCAS is Biology, chemistry, physics and math only (no computer science, astronomy, engineering etc.) so if you can take classes and get As in them, that will serve you best.

Astronomy IS counted as Physics and IS BCPM, but CS and Engineering are not for AMCAS.

For TMDSAS, Astronomy, CS, and Engineering are all counted as science courses.

 

[Hochries]

I never understood why they don't include engineering..haha. Especially biomedical engineering. Go figure. But yea, in regards to the OP, take more post-bacc, which = upper division undergrad classes. Doesn't have to be science, but that depends on what you want to boost and what u want to take.

Here are some terms in this thread that i did not understand and i hope to have cleared up.
What is BCPM?
What is the TMDSAS?
What is the OP?
Finally, in terms of the science GPA, If they take Bio, chem, physics, and math into account, are those all from undergrad or post-bacc? Or some combination?

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Here are some terms in this thread that i did not understand and i hope to have cleared up.
What is BCPM?
What is the TMDSAS?
What is the OP?
Finally, in terms of the science GPA, If they take Bio, chem, physics, and math into account, are those all from undergrad or post-bacc? Or some combination?

BCPM = Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math
TMDSAS = Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service (Used to apply to TX state medical schools)
OP = Original Poster

All undergrad. and post-bacc undergrad courses count towards BCPM. Graduate courses do not.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

i'd simply appreciate some insight into how the 'GPA boosting' process is accomoplished.

You've gotten some good information on how the BCPM grade point average is calculated. The whole process is extremely complicated, however - don't feel bad if takes you a while to get up to speed. SDN is a great resource and within about six months you'll be speaking the language of pre-meds, which definitely has its own vocabulary. Some points I haven't seen yet are:

Your undergraduate record - both your original undergraduate studies plus the "post-bacc" (post-baccalaureate) hours you'll be adding as you do your prerequisites are the most important GPA calculation. As long as your "overall" undergraduate GPA is acceptable, your BCPM (grade point average from your science courses) will carry the most weight. The fact that you completed a Masters degree is very helpful, especially if you did reasonably well, but your graduate GPA is not going to get looked at much unless it's exceptional or bad.

There are three major medical school application systems - AMCAS for allopathic medical schools, AACOMAS for osteopathic medical schools, and TMDSAS for all Texas medical schools except Baylor. If you have some grade-point average problems, you should be aware that, if you re-take any course that you did poorly in, AACOMAS will replace the old grade with the new one - AMCAS will not, AMCAS counts both so the two grades will be effectively "averaged" (and I don't remember TMDSAS policy but I don't believe that they replace grades either). For this reason, some non-traditionals choose to focus on osteopathic schools because it is much easier to fix one's past GPA on AACOMAS than it is on AMCAS (there are many other good reasons and many non-trads are attracted to the osteopathic philosophy).

You'll find a lot of great information here in the non-traditional section, and also in the pre-allo and pre-osteo sections - it's the beginning of the new application season, so a lot of basic questions are being asked and answered right now. Good luck.