When to include a PSYCH class in a "science GPA"

[bobbybobbob]

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Some programs I'm looking at want a "science GPA" listed in the App.

Now, I know Psychology is a "soft science", so I would never include it. However, i have several classes listed under pysch such as "Human Neuropsychology", and " Brain and behavior"

In both of these classes, as large, LARGE chunk of time was devoted to learned the anatomy, and biochemistry of the brain, and how it lead to various conditions. In some senses, I'd say they were the most medically-oriented scientific class I took as an undergrad.

But alas they are not listed under the bio or neuroscience headers my school gives out... and so I must leave them out of my science GPA calculation?

 

[itsallthesame]

But alas they are not listed under the bio or neuroscience headers my school gives out... and so I must leave them out of my science GPA calculation?

read the amcas guidelines and examine your course description or search for any of the dozens of times this question was asked and debated.

 

[parafilm]

I've heard you can get away with as long as there's obvious biology involved. I'll be including psychobiology and psychopharmacology... if AMCAS doesn't agree with it, they just take it out of the science GPA anyway.

 

[whoknows2012]

Dont bother with psychopharmacology because I took the same course and it doesn't count as science. Any Psych course you put down goes towards your non-science GPA dont waste your time...

 

[itsallthesame]

Any Psych course you put down goes towards your non-science GPA dont waste your time...

This is NOT true. While people on here seem to have different experiences, mine was that every psych class that I took that could have been taught in the neuro or bio depts was allowed as science. These classes were upper or grad level though, and involved primarily reading primary model organism research into the molecular underpinnings of things like memory or the physics of and experimental design for fMRI. I counted at least 4 classes.

 

[Raryn]

Try counting them, the worst that happens is AMCAS "corrects" your application and switches it to non-science.

 

[vin5cent0]

I would put it down. I took it, and as you said, a large portion of the class was devoted to the anatomy of the brain. I probably learned more about the human body in that class than any Biology I've taken so far (with is admittedly not many).

 

[FlowLimited]

Definitely put them down. It's about content, not department.

 

[thoffen]

You guys who are talking about AMCAS need to bone up on your reading skills. The OP is acting about school-specific applications (aka secondaries). Personally, I'd simply use my AMCAS BCPM when filling out this box.

 

[phospho]

Dont bother with psychopharmacology because I took the same course and it doesn't count as science. Any Psych course you put down goes towards your non-science GPA dont waste your time...

😕 I'm a psych major, and I had at least 7 psych courses listed under BCPM (including psychpharm).

Personally, I'd simply use my AMCAS BCPM when filling out this box.

👍

 

[AtheGre]

Omg, no psych class should be counted as a science course. This is just personal opinion, though, cause I think psych is BS. This post has no informational value whatsoever. hahaha


AtG

 

[phospho]

Omg, no psych class should be counted as a science course. This is just personal opinion, though, cause I think psych is BS.


AtG

wow, that was a pretty stupid comment.

This post has no informational value whatsoever.

Next time you get the urge to write something as ignorant as your comments above, think again.

 

[koffein]

SEARCH function is your friend.

I think this can be added to the list of flame topics.

 

[gonj]

this isnt even subject to debate. amcas guidelines are pretty clear.

 

[medhearter]

Some programs I'm looking at want a "science GPA" listed in the App.

Now, I know Psychology is a "soft science", so I would never include it. However, i have several classes listed under pysch such as "Human Neuropsychology", and " Brain and behavior"

In both of these classes, as large, LARGE chunk of time was devoted to learned the anatomy, and biochemistry of the brain, and how it lead to various conditions. In some senses, I'd say they were the most medically-oriented scientific class I took as an undergrad.

But alas they are not listed under the bio or neuroscience headers my school gives out... and so I must leave them out of my science GPA calculation?

doesn't AMCAS do its own calculations ie) what you think is science vs. not science does not matter?

 

[WolverineDoc13]

Some programs I'm looking at want a "science GPA" listed in the App.

Now, I know Psychology is a "soft science", so I would never include it. However, i have several classes listed under pysch such as "Human Neuropsychology", and " Brain and behavior"

In both of these classes, as large, LARGE chunk of time was devoted to learned the anatomy, and biochemistry of the brain, and how it lead to various conditions. In some senses, I'd say they were the most medically-oriented scientific class I took as an undergrad.

But alas they are not listed under the bio or neuroscience headers my school gives out... and so I must leave them out of my science GPA calculation?

From looking at your courses, it looks like you went to Michigan. I took those same courses and counted it as "biology" and AMCAS took it as bio. The AMCAS guidelines get a little gray in this area. It's the material of the course that matters, not unnecessarily its department on the transcript.

Of course, this depends on the AMCAS reader who is verifying your transcript. Hence, even though labeling those courses as biology may have worked for me, it may not work for you. I would also speak with the pre-med academic advisor to get more help.

 

[medhearter]

From looking at your courses, it looks like you went to Michigan. I took those same courses and counted it as "biology" and AMCAS took it as bio. The AMCAS guidelines get a little gray in this area. It's the material of the course that matters, not unnecessarily its department on the transcript.

Of course, this depends on the AMCAS reader who is verifying your transcript. Hence, even though labeling those courses as biology may have worked for me, it may not work for you. I would also speak with the pre-med academic advisor to get more help.

hey i looked at my AMCAS just now and realized that when in my third year I took psychs and got 4.0s, the only "non-science" listed are the (#of psychcourses) 4.0s. And at my university, every psych course is considered a science course.. AMCAS THINKS DIFFERENTLY!

but did you get anythingfrom emailing them??

 

[Brent8927]

I think that generally AMCAS will classify anything taken through the Psych department as non-science. I took neurobiology and introductory biopsych, so I can see how advanced biopsych courses, etc. could count as science. But, AMCAS doesn't know the material covered--if I'm not mistaken, all they have to go off of is your transcript (course title, department, etc.)

Conversely, it seems anything taken through chem, bio, or physics departments will count as a science course. I took an introduction to space sciences course that involved less science than my into. biopsych course, yet it counted.

But, as others mentioned, it can't hurt too much to try to list your courses under biology or chemistry if you feel that is where they belong. The worst thing that would happen is your application is delayed a bit and AMCAS will move the course out of the BCMP category.

 

[itsallthesame]

to clarify, you should list your bmcp (or whatever) gpa when asked for a science gpa; therefore, if amcas agrees that your neurochem class offered in the psych dept is bcmp then you should count it on your secondaries.

the only time your secondary gpa's should differ from your amcas gpas is if you've taken a class post amcas verification and you want them to know about it (make sure to clarify this point).