The truth about AMCAS GPAs

[Franzliszt1]

Before I get into this I want to say please forgive my ignorance,

I have a 3.6 cGPA but given that I have many A+s in my last two years, my AMCAS calculated cGPA is 3.53. For all intents and purposes will I be judged as a 3.53?

Lets say I get in somewhere - when the medical school reports their average incoming class GPA will they use what my institution says or what AMCAS says? Just wondering if anyone has thoughts on this.

Thanks for your time/wisdom

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[Bryant088]

You will be judged based on whatever your AMCAS GPA is.

 

[878956]

Is it a faulty process?

Yes

Does the AAMC care?

No

 

[Lucca]

Your GPA for AMCAS schools is whatever AMCAS says it is.

 

[chaim123]

Before I get into this I want to say please forgive my ignorance,

I have a 3.6 cGPA but given that I have many A+s in my last two years, I'm certain that my AMCAS calculated cGPA will look something like 3.58. For all intents and purposes will I be judged as a 3.58?

Lets say I get in somewhere - when the medical school reports their average incoming class GPA will they use what my institution says or what AMCAS says? Just wondering if anyone has thoughts on this.

Thanks for your time/wisdom

Does your school work on a 4.3 scale, where an A+ is a 4.3?

 

[Franzliszt1]

Does your school work on a 4.3 scale, where an A+ is a 4.3?

yes.

 

[gyngyn]

yes.

In order to have an even playing field (since many schools do not have an A+ grade), you will receive an A when AMCAS calculates your gpa.

 

[Franzliszt1]

In order to have an even playing field (since many schools do not have an A+ grade), you will receive an A when AMCAS calculates your gpa.

The logic behind it makes sense. Now a slightly different question: do adcoms like seeing A+s, or do they even notice? Thanks again for your help.

 

[gyngyn]

The logic behind it makes sense. Now a slightly different question: do adcoms like seeing A+s, or do they even notice? Thanks again for your help.

We screen with the AMCAS gpa.
I can't even recall if A+'s appear (as such) in the software we use...

 

[Dantes]

In order to have an even playing field (since many schools do not have an A+ grade), you will receive an A when AMCAS calculates your gpa.

I never liked this reasoning though. AMCAS still considers B+/- and C+/- into calculations but many schools don't operate on a +/- system at all. To truly level the playing field shouldn't they only consider grades on an A/B/C/D/F scale?

 

[gyngyn]

I never liked this reasoning though. AMCAS still considers B+/- and C+/- into calculations but many schools don't operate on a +/- system at all. To truly level the playing field shouldn't they only consider grades on an A/B/C/D/F scale?

You are free to ask them!

 

[chaim123]

We screen with the AMCAS gpa.
I can't even recall if A+'s appear (as such) in the software we use...

According to my AMCAS report, my transcript grade A+ is listed, and then replaced by an A in the AMCAS grade column. So I suppose it relies on what column adcoms are viewing. Remember, they don't receive your transcript directly. Just the AMCAS report.

 

[cactusman]

I never liked this reasoning though. AMCAS still considers B+/- and C+/- into calculations but many schools don't operate on a +/- system at all. To truly level the playing field shouldn't they only consider grades on an A/B/C/D/F scale?

The other pluses and minuses create in between ranges, where students aren’t necessarily advantaged or disadvantaged by their grading system because there’s both a plus and minus. Counting A pluses would exclusively disadvantage people from schools with no equivalent because it inflates the maximum possible GPA. Seems reasonable to me.

 

[TheBiologist]

yes.

from the other side, how is that fair to (most) people who's schools don't have A+/4.3?

 

[TheBiologist]

I never liked this reasoning though. AMCAS still considers B+/- and C+/- into calculations but many schools don't operate on a +/- system at all. To truly level the playing field shouldn't they only consider grades on an A/B/C/D/F scale?

some schools only have plus but no minus! I think University of South Carolina does this

 

[Franzliszt1]

some schools only have plus but no minus! I think University of South Carolina does this

I realize this is considered fair. I'm just coming to terms that, five days before I enter the cycle, my GPA is going to be a full point lower than I thought it was. I did a calculation and, although my transcript will say 3.6, in AMCAS terms I only earned a 3.53.

 

[gdbath1995]

I never liked this reasoning though. AMCAS still considers B+/- and C+/- into calculations but many schools don't operate on a +/- system at all. To truly level the playing field shouldn't they only consider grades on an A/B/C/D/F scale?

it is still on a 4.0 scale though, as opposed to a 4.3 for some and 4.0 for others. You could be hurt if a B+ counts as a 3.0 instead of a 3.3 I suppose, but you also would benefit from a B- counting as a 3.0 instead of a 2.7. It's honestly probably just to make their lives easier since most have B+/- and C+/-.