Other-Science Courses

[maestrohuang]

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Hello

I am putting together my application and have put together a spreadsheet of my courses to calculate my sGPA. I know kinesiology courses are considered 'other science' and those will be used to calculate the sGPA, but what about the kinesiology courses that are just intro level or behavioral science courses?

For example, Physiology of Exercise I or Biomechanics can be considered other science, but what about the courses like sports psychology, sports sociology, or the intro to kinesiology courses? The only thing 'science' about those courses are the course names (KIN 3XXX, KIN 2XXX)

 

[Art3MiS]

Hello

I am putting together my application and have put together a spreadsheet of my courses to calculate my sGPA. I know kinesiology courses are considered 'other science' and those will be used to calculate the sGPA, but what about the kinesiology courses that are just intro level or behavioral science courses?

For example, Physiology of Exercise I or Biomechanics can be considered other science, but what about the courses like sports psychology, sports sociology, or the intro to kinesiology courses? The only thing 'science' about those courses are the course names (KIN 3XXX, KIN 2XXX)

It's best to just ask AACOMAS. They are pretty quick about their responses. To my knowledge however, if the course name doesnt start with BIO/PHYS/CHEM it doesn't count towards science gpa.

I took an astronomy class that counted toward sgpa because it was listed as a physics class.

Send them the description of the class and the official title and they should be able to tell you.😀

 

[maestrohuang]

Thanks, I know that their site lists what can be apart of the sGPA, but it isn't as specific as the AMCAS description of a BCPM GPA, which really is strictly bio, chem, physics, and math.

I will see if they can help clarify

 

[Art3MiS]

Best of Luck! Are you applying this cycle?

 

[maestrohuang]

Yup, I will be applying in June. Thanks for the help.

 

[pritomd]

It's best to just ask AACOMAS. They are pretty quick about their responses. To my knowledge however, if the course name doesnt start with BIO/PHYS/CHEM it doesn't count towards science gpa.

I took an astronomy class that counted toward sgpa because it was listed as a physics class.

Send them the description of the class and the official title and they should be able to tell you.😀

I'm reading the AACOMAS PDF and it seems like there are a lot of other science classes besides BIOL, PHYS, and CHEM listed under "Other Sciences" including engineering, kinesiology, nutrition, and geology. Do those count toward sGPA?

EDIT: whoops, I guess it would have helped to read the entire thread..sorry! I basically just regurgitated the OP's post.

 

[Oo Cipher oO]

Hello

I am putting together my application and have put together a spreadsheet of my courses to calculate my sGPA. I know kinesiology courses are considered 'other science' and those will be used to calculate the sGPA, but what about the kinesiology courses that are just intro level or behavioral science courses?

For example, Physiology of Exercise I or Biomechanics can be considered other science, but what about the courses like sports psychology, sports sociology, or the intro to kinesiology courses? The only thing 'science' about those courses are the course names (KIN 3XXX, KIN 2XXX)

I am a kinesiology major ("exercise and sport science" at my undergrad) and all my classes for my major, including the intro classes, were figured into my science gpa. This held true with my application on AACOMAS, AMCAS, and TMDSAS.

 

[maestrohuang]

Wow, really? And when you spoke with them they said it counted? I filled out my AACOMAS and AMCAS apps already, but for AMCAS it says these are considered 'health sciences' and therefore not apart of the BCPM sGPA. It's not that I don't believe you, my sGPA would just greatly increase if this were true

 

[Oo Cipher oO]

Wow, really? And when you spoke with them they said it counted? I filled out my AACOMAS and AMCAS apps already, but for AMCAS it says these are considered 'health sciences' and therefore not apart of the BCPM sGPA. It's not that I don't believe you, my sGPA would just greatly increase if this were true

So I looked it up and now I'm not so sure about what I said before. If that is the case that those classes don't count that would give Biology, Chemistry, Physics and other "hard science" majors a real edge on other health science majors. They would be able to count most of their undergrad classes towards science gpa but people like me would basically only have my medical school pre-reqs count in sGPA. But I guess what can either of us do about it at this point?

 

[maestrohuang]

That's what I was wondering because the basic BCPM degrees allow most of their courses to count, while health disciplinary degrees can only use the 'pre-med' courses.

 

[dreamweaver1988]

This issue has been hashed out on SDN countless times.

AMCAS (MD schools): Only classes in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics (including statistics) count in sGPA, hence the acronym 'BCPM.' A science class with a different heading, like a biogeography class with a GEOG heading, might count; ask AMCAS for cases like this. Same goes for the PSYCH classes that largely deal with anatomy; ask AMCAS.

AACOMAS (DO schools): Find the info online for the details, but here's what I remember from memory. Biology, chemistry, and physics classes count; math and statistics do not. There is also a huge category called "Other Sciences" that includes things like astronomy and physical geography.

 

[maestrohuang]

OK, I specifically asked if ALL courses from the "other sciences" counted because a large number of those courses should really fit under "behavioral sciences" or "non-sciences".

For example, in each of the "other sciences", there are introductory courses that deal with human interaction, society, abstract psychology, or even just how to make use of your degree (freshman courses). These classes, I feel, should not count towards the calculated science GPA because, well, they aren't sciences. Now, since I am in kinesiology and biology, I have classes that range from the typical BCPM/pre-med courses to classes like Sports Sociology and that very intro course that shows us how to use our degrees (sad, but it's required) to courses that COULD fit under the sGPA like Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, and Motor Control. Now, I can understand placing those degree specific science courses in the sGPA, but the surely not anything that has to do with the study of human interaction or obvious use of a degree.

All courses in the Kinesiology department are given a course name with the prefix KIN or KHS, denoting "kinesiology", which should technically fall under that "other sciences" category of "kinesiology", but I don't think a course that covers social disparities in sports or how to make use of your degree should be considered a science.

 

[DrWily]

I don't see what the issue is here. If AACOMAS lists those courses as "Other Science" then they count towards your science GPA whether you agree or not. It's AACOMAS's call and it's pretty clearcut in the instructions. If you have a question on a specific class or classes, then contact AACOMAS.

 

[maestrohuang]

So by clear cut, you're saying that all... -

Agricultural Science
Astronomy
Chiropractic
Electronics
Engineering
Epidemiology
Geology
Kinesiology
Medical Technology
Meteorology
Nutrition
Pharmacy
Physical Anthropology
Physical Geography
Physical Science
Physician Assistant
Radiology

courses, including their introductory and non-scientific classes are to be considered in the sGPA?

And I did say that I would contact AACOMAS about this, I was just seeing if others could clarify since this is a forum that includes those who have applied and will apply.

 

[dreamweaver1988]

Yes, that's what we're saying. For example, everything listed under KIN is, obviously, a kinesiology class, thus it counts as an Other Science class and it factors into your science GPA. This is a two-edged sword and the effect on your sGPA can either be beneficial or deleterious.

There are some distinctions made...for example, cultural (human) geography does not count as an Other Science class, but physical geography does.

Good luck!