Science GPA

[jkeaton88]

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Does the science GPA include only the premed prerequisites such as bio,physics,o-chem,chem, and math or does it also include upper-level sciences? I ask because if sGPA only includes the prerequisites then I have 4.0 as my GPA. If upper-levels are included, then I have lower. I do not think it is fair for the science majors if it the latter method is used to calculate sGPA. For example, lets say there are two students, a Bioengineering major and an History major. They both receive A's in all of their prerequisite sciences. However, the BioE major receives a lower sGPA because of making Bs in some of the upper-level sciences that the History major did not have to take.

 

[NickNaylor]

It includes all courses that are classified as biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics courses, not just pre-reqs.

Quit your whining.

 

[flatearth22]

Does the science GPA include only the premed prerequisites such as bio,physics,o-chem,chem, and math or does it also include upper-level sciences? I ask because if sGPA only includes the prerequisites then I have 4.0 as my GPA. If upper-levels are included, then I have lower. I do not think it is fair for the science majors if it the latter method is used to calculate sGPA. For example, lets say there are two students, a Bioengineering major and an History major. They both receive A's in all of their prerequisite sciences. However, the BioE major receives a lower sGPA because of making Bs in some of the upper-level sciences that the History major did not have to take.

Engineering classes aren't BCPM

Also read my sig.

 

[iniquus]

Some courses that aren't explicitly classified as BCPM can be considered BCPM if the the majority of the syllabus is BCPM. Stats is BCPM, even if it's not expilictly listed under mathematics. This goes for some engineering courses as well.

 

[Suncrusher]

Some courses that aren't explicitly classified as BCPM can be considered BCPM if the the majority of the syllabus is BCPM. Stats is BCPM, even if it's not expilictly listed under mathematics. This goes for some engineering courses as well.

stats is specifically listed under mathematics. Courses with engineering in the name definitely fall under the engineering category, which is not BCPM. https://www.aamc.org/students/download/131750/data/2012amcasinstructionmanual.pdf page 40

 

[iniquus]

I can tell you right now that at my school, BME, certain psychology courses, and certain anthropology courses are counted in your BCPM (AMCAS sGPA). We both know course codes are meaningless and the content of a course should determine its classification as BCPM (last I checked, it's something like more than 50% of the syllabus is BCPM).

From personal experience, this is the case. My pre-med advisor also gave a presentation and said this, while also saying that AMCAS has never gave him a problem. If there ever was confusion, he said a simple phone call stating historical precedent or the offering of a class syllabus would do the trick. I received no problems with classifying my courses and was verified promptly.

 

[Suncrusher]

I'm surprised amcas didn't cause any problems and require the phone calls/syllabus info when certain course names seemed like good fits for non-BCPM categories, but I'm glad everything worked out so smoothly for you

 

[iniquus]

It's generally done at my school and I go to a top 10 school. I think with courses in the gray area, it's your discretion to classify them what you truly feel they should be classified as. My pre-med advisor went as far to say that it was up to the engineers to decide whether or not they want courses to be BCPM or not (easy sGPA boost maybe?). I'm not an engineer, so I wouldn't know personally.

I assumed it was like that at other schools, but I guess that's not the case. I think that if you feel like a course is 50%+ hard science, talk to your pre-med advisor and AMCAS should have no problem categorizing it as BCPM. If an issue arises, a little more footwork may change their minds.

 

[Suncrusher]

Obviously you were and are correct about the course content mattering and not the course name; I just did not have the personal experience of trying to classify a course as BCPM when its name would seem to fall more easily into one of the other categories. My bad; sorry bro. I knew it wasn't a huge hassle to correct things if AMCAS tries to reject your classification based on the course name--which is the only info they originally have--, but I didn't realize that they were so flexible about the whole thing prior to getting a phone call from you or receiving the course syllabus. Good to know. Thanks. (On my app last year, I was so panicked over every little detail that I didn't want to risk having anything derail the verification process )

 

[flatearth22]

On any classes that aren't blatantly BCPM or blatantly non-BCPM....eg - "fringe" classes like Psych, Nutrition etc. I followed this simple yet elegant formula:

If{

BCPM GPA including the fringe class > BCPM GPA without including the fringe class then classify the fringe class as BCPM;

else classify as non-BCPM;
}

It's a game, people. Play to win.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=829188

 

[iniquus]

My bad; sorry bro.

(On my app last year, I was so panicked over every little detail that I didn't want to risk having anything derail the verification process )

Yeah, my answer wasn't directed to you. There's no need to apologize, I hope I wasn't patronizing you--not my intention. Just putting it out there, so next time someone applying searches, there's a relevant answer on this issue.

Believe me, you didn't want to see the state I was in during submission last summer.