What counts towards science GPA?

[Maigret Man]

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I have a quick question. What factors into the science GPA for med school? The reason I ask is I took a course on the biology of cancer and AIDS during freshman year and didn't do too hot on it. I retook it and got an "A" but won't AAMC average them together? I am just worried those classes I took 13 years ago will tank my science GPA, which is pretty good thanks to my post-bacc.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Yup, all those science courses you took as an undergrad will count. AMCAS will average your grades for retakes; the DO application process will allow you to replace the grade with the retake.

You can check the AMCAS website for a complete list of what is considered a science course, but in general: biology, chemistry, physics, and math.

 

[spicedmanna]

If you are thinking of applying to allopathic schools, try page 75 onward for more information on what counts toward BCPM:

http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/amcas2007instructions.pdf

Basically, if a course is primarily biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics, it gets calculated into your BCPM (science) GPA.

For allopathic schools, all your undergraduate classes are averaged into your undergraduate GPA, even if it is a retake.

 

[relentless11]

If you are thinking of applying to allopathic schools, try page 75 onward for more information on what counts toward BCPM:

http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/amcas2007instructions.pdf

Basically, if a course is primarily biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics, it gets calculated into your BCPM (science) GPA.

For allopathic schools, all your undergraduate classes are averaged into your undergraduate GPA, even if it is a retake.

Yes Maigret Man, take a look at the AAMC instructions. However ultimately it is up to AMCAS to decide what is BCPM. I think one could petition but not sure how worthwhile it is.

Note that some engineering classes may not be BCPM. Again it is as spicedmanna said, it depends on what the class is composed of, rather than its actual designation, etc.

 

[DestinyQx]

interesting! well what if you transfered colleges, would you categorize each college's science GPA, or do a bulk science GPA?

 

[spicedmanna]

interesting! well what if you transfered colleges, would you categorize each college's science GPA, or do a bulk science GPA?

Nope, AMCAS does it's own calculation of GPA independent of what your schools do. All of your undergraduate BCPM work is averaged together on the AMCAS; your undergraduate BCPM GPA is not broken down by college, or university attended. It's all lumped together.

 

[musashi]

I'm taking Basic Chemistry this semester before I take Gen Chem I and II. I know in the overall computation this will count towards my GPA, but since it's not a prereq how does that figure in to things?

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Does a course in mixology count?

 

[spicedmanna]

I'm taking Basic Chemistry this semester before I take Gen Chem I and II. I know in the overall computation this will count towards my GPA, but since it's not a prereq how does that figure in to things?

It doesn't make a difference whether it is a prerequisite, or not; AMCAS makes no such distinction. If it is a BCPM undergraduate course, it will count toward undergraduate BCPM GPA. In addition, as with all of your undergraduate classes, it will also count toward your undergraduate status GPA (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Post-Baccalaureate) and cummulative undergraduate GPA.

 

[spicedmanna]

Does a course in mixology count?

http://www.buchgourmet.com/data/pics/bartending101.jpg

I suppose if you took it as an undergraduate class, then it would count toward your undergraduate GPA.

It wouldn't count as BCPM, I wouldn't think. That is, unless you studied the chemistry involved extensively! *ROFL*