Plus/Minus Grading System and AMCAS

[lrkoehle]

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I go to a school that uses the plus/minus grading system, how does AMCAS handle this?

For instance, an A+ is worth 4.33 and an A- is 3.67, and the cummulative GPA is capped at 4.0 even if it is above that. Currently, my GPA has been capped at 4.0 for a few semesters, but I have recieved 2 B's and lots of A+'s (a couple A-'s too). I am not applying until next June, but I am trying to determine what schools I should consider based on my potential AMCAS GPA calculations.

 

[redlight]

A = 4.0 A- = 3.7
B+= 3.3 B= 3.0 B- = 2.7.. etc.

 

[Livingapparatus]

A+=A=4.0

on amcas

 

[lrkoehle]

wow, that's lame. Basically, they punish A-'s and don't reward A+'s? I hate my school for doing this +/- garbage.

 

[chessknt]

A- is usually 3.7. Your school doesnt offer median grades? How stupid.

 

[lrkoehle]

A- is usually 3.7. Your school doesnt offer median grades? How stupid.

What do you mean median grades? Like just a regular A? we do have those. Its basically A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, and E.

My newly recalculated GPA with 3.7 for A- and 4.0 for A+ is 3.831. Not bad, but far worse than 4.0. I am a little upset that my A+'s will get tossed aside as essentially meaningless now, because usually there is quite a difference between A+ and A.

 

[chessknt]

What do you mean median grades? Like just a regular A? we do have those. Its basically A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, and E.

My newly recalculated GPA with 3.7 for A- and 4.0 for A+ is 3.831. Not bad, but far worse than 4.0. I am a little upset that my A+'s will get tossed aside as essentially meaningless now, because usually there is quite a difference between A+ and A.

The vast majority of schools function on a ysstem where A+=4.0=pointless. Sounds like your university is artificially inflating your GPA relative to other schools to impress employers or something. 4.33 seriously? That is a HUGE extra credit chunk.

 

[lrkoehle]

The vast majority of schools function on a ysstem where A+=4.0=pointless. Sounds like your university is artificially inflating your GPA relative to other schools to impress employers or something. 4.33 seriously? That is a HUGE extra credit chunk.

I agree. I have heard that they want to make the students "more competitive," but so far all it has done is piss me off and confuse me (which pisses me off even more). I don't understand why the +/- crap even needs to be used at all, I may have had a lower GPA without it, but come time to apply to medical school I wouldn't feel like my GPA is lower than it should be. With straight A's this fall and a straight A's and a moderate course load next spring, my cummulative GPA should be about 3.87 according to AMCAS's system.

Does any one else attend a school with an A+ being worth >4.0 or just me?

 

[redlight]

A+=A=4.0

on amcas

lol, thanks. dunno how i forgot to include the A+

i'd never heard of A+ being above 4.0 until i found sdn..

 

[schismal]

Does any one else attend a school with an A+ being worth >4.0 or just me?

I do as well. It sucks I can't go to an easy school with just a straight A/B/C system.

 

[lrkoehle]

I do as well. It sucks I can't go to an easy school with just a straight A/B/C system.

What were A+'s worth at your school? Is 4.33 really that high for an A+? I just sort of feel like AMCAS should at least give some weight to A+'s as they should be represented some how.

 

[schismal]

What were A+'s worth at your school? Is 4.33 really that high for an A+? I just sort of feel like AMCAS should at least give some weight to A+'s as they should be represented some how.

Mine were 4.33 as well. The A+'s are included on your AMCAS application, so they will be represented even if they are not calculated as part of your GPA.

 

[lrkoehle]

Mine were 4.33 as well. The A+'s are included on your AMCAS application, so they will be represented even if they are not calculated as part of your GPA.

So schools will see that you recieved A+'s even though the GPA won't reflect them?

I guess that's OK, assuming med schools look past just the GPA and MCAT numbers and actually through all the grades. With all the applications they get, to me it doesn't seem likely they will spend that much time looking through each grade you receive at least not early on in their process.

 

[schismal]

So schools will see that you recieved A+'s even though the GPA won't reflect them?

Yep. Consider it a small mercy, I guess.

 

[Ioriscrub]

What if you go to a school with a half step grading system?
(A=4, B+ =3.5, B=3, C+ = 2.5, etc.)

Does AMCAS use the school's grading values or does it default to .3 values for all of your + grades?

 

[Geekchick921]

I feel ya, OP. My cumulative GPA is 3.67 thanks to some grades in the B range (and one C-... I hated that class so much) from my undergrad major... theatre classes are graded SO subjectively it'll make your head spin. But I've got 4 A+'s on my transcript, 3 of which are in my pre-reqs (thankfully my BCPM is a 4.0). I wish they would do more to boost my cumulative GPA but at least they'll be somewhere on the app. *sigh*

 

[FreestyleKayak]

Why wouldn't AMCAS just make an A-= 4.0 like everyone else and forget the plus/minus altogether?

 

[Elpenor]

A+'s should not be used, as they are ridiculous.

But an A- is equally ridiculous.

Especially since in my college the +/- is completely up to the professor.

I recently got an A- in a course where I had over 94% (and the highest grade in the class) ....👎

As others have said

A+ = A = 4.0
A- = 3.7
B+ = 3.3

 

[DirtyJustice]

They do that because some schools do not even offer an A+. In fact, at my school a VAST majority of classes do not offer A+s. It would be unfair to give the students an advantage that didn't exist at other schools.

 

[Handinhand]

I always thought:

- = .67
+ = .33

so A- = 3.67, not 3.7. I Know that's how much school calculates them as. If AMCAS does it differently, than my GPA just went up a little bit.

 

[Muaythaiguy]

My school just went the the +/- system (thankfully just for my last year) and we were told research shows that your GPA shouldn't be very different because while under the +/- system your higher B's and lower A's help balance each other out. I don't like the +/- system but I've been told it's been put in place to separate 91's and 100's and 81's and 89's etc.

 

[lrkoehle]

Wow, this is a fairly old thread. I don't even remember starting it! I guess I can just update you guys with the fact that I currently have 4 acceptances, went on 7 interviews, and applied to only 10 schools, so the +/- thing did not screw me over at all. The reason I am telling you this is not to brag, but instead to hopefully help you stress less about it. Just do your best to learn everything you can in all your classes, and everything will work out in the end.

My school just went the the +/- system (thankfully just for my last year) and we were told research shows that your GPA shouldn't be very different because while under the +/- system your higher B's and lower A's help balance each other out. I don't like the +/- system but I've been told it's been put in place to separate 91's and 100's and 81's and 89's etc.

If they balance out, then what the hell is the point? I think it creates more headache for students and professors, because it puts a lot more people as borderline with their grades. Without plus minus you have the A/B cutoff, the B/C cutoff, etc, but with +/- you have A+/A, A/A-, A-/B+, etc. etc. We all know that most premeds have to get that higher grade no matter if the difference is A- to A or B- to B, they will email professors about it.

 

[RevMD]

Wow, this is a fairly old thread. I don't even remember starting it! I guess I can just update you guys with the fact that I currently have 4 acceptances, went on 7 interviews, and applied to only 10 schools, so the +/- thing did not screw me over at all. The reason I am telling you this is not to brag, but instead to hopefully help you stress less about it. Just do your best to learn everything you can in all your classes, and everything will work out in the end.

If they balance out, then what the hell is the point? I think it creates more headache for students and professors, because it puts a lot more people as borderline with their grades. Without plus minus you have the A/B cutoff, the B/C cutoff, etc, but with +/- you have A+/A, A/A-, A-/B+, etc. etc. We all know that most premeds have to get that higher grade no matter if the difference is A- to A or B- to B, they will email professors about it.

Most upper level classes these days do not offer +/- grades, but I do think they are helpful when it comes to motivation. By default, all students will aim for a solid A, which keeps them from stretching the limits and falling too close to the A/B cutoff. So if you barely miss you solid A cutoff, then at least you get an A- as opposed to a solid B. Obviously, the B will do more damage.

 

[JJMrK]

Basically, OP, if you have anything less than an A your overall GPA will not be a 4.0. AMCAS will calculate your A+ grades as 4.0.