What Counts Towards Your BCPM GPA?

Which Courses Count Towards Your BCPM GPA?

To accurately calculate your BCPM GPA, you must know which courses fall under Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math. These courses are typically prerequisites for life science majors. Grading well in BCPM courses is essential for medical school AdComs.

Common mistake: I’ve seen many pre-med students mistakenly count Psychology as a biology course and be disappointed when they realized the grade didn’t count towards their BCPM GPA.

There’s no need for you to be caught off guard. Below, I break down college courses by subject based on AAMC guidelines so you can keep accurate track of your BCPM GPA.

Biology (BIOL)

Courses in this category include many biological sciences that count towards your BCPM GPA:

• Anatomy
• Biology
• Biophysics
• Biotechnology
• Botany
• Cell Biology
• Ecology
• Entomology
• Genetics
• Histology
• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Neuroscience
• Physiology
• Zoology

Chemistry (CHEM)

This category encompasses both basic and advanced chemistry courses:

• Biochemistry
• Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Thermodynamics
• Toxicology

Physics (PHYS)

Physics courses, including those with an astronomical focus, are counted in your BCPM GPA:

• Astronomy
• Physics

Mathematics (MATH)

Courses here cover various mathematical and statistical fields:

• Applied Mathematics
• Biostatistics
• Mathematics
• Statistics

There are important differences in how various application services count math classes:

• AMCAS and TMDSAS count Math courses towards your BCPM GPA.
• AACOMAS for DO applicants does not typically count Math coursework towards your “BCPM” or science GPA.
• AADSAS for dental schools classifies Math courses as “Other Science,” and those do count towards your BCPM GPA.

Courses That Do Not Count Towards BCPM GPA

AO courses (“all other”) include everything that’s not BCPM. And there are some tricky ones. For instance, courses that fall under Health Sciences, Natural and Physical Sciences, or Behavioral and Social Sciences might not count towards your BCPM GPA — sometimes called “science GPA.”

If it’s unclear whether a course falls under the BCPM category, the general rule is that if the course content is 50% or more biology, chemistry, physics, or math, it is BCPM. Look at the course description and syllabus or consult your pre-health advisor to make the best judgment.

The AAMC and AACOM technically have the ability to remove or add courses to your BCPM GPA calculation on your application. This rarely happens, but be ready to defend your classifications. You may appeal changes the AAMC makes during the application verification process.

Here are some commonly mistaken courses that do not count toward your BCPM GPA:

• Allied Health
• Anthropology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chiropractic
• Computer Science
• Dentistry
• Environmental Science and Policy
• Health Education
• Hearing and Speech Sciences
• Hospital Administration
• Kinesiology
• Military Science
• Nursing
• Nutrition
• Occupational Therapy
• Optometry
• Osteopathy
• Pharmacy and Pharmacology
• Physician Assistant
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology
• Sports Medicine
• Veterinary Medicine

How to Calculate Your BCPM GPA

You assign your classes as BCPM on the AACOMAS, TMDSAS, or AMCAS application (though each application servicer does reserve the right to make changes). You can use a GPA calculator with BCPM built in to determine what your BCPM GPA should be, or you can do the work manually.

How different grading scales impact GPA: AAMC does not adjust for differences in grading scales (i.e., A is 93-100 vs. A is 90-100). All they care about is the letter grade. You may mention your school’s tougher grading in secondaries under the “Additional Information” section.

How withdrawals impact GPA: A “W” (withdrawal) on your transcript typically doesn’t affect BCPM GPA. It is considered a neutral grade and doesn’t earn credit or grade points, positively or negatively. 3+ withdrawals may harm your application, so be cautious about withdrawing too often.

How retakes impact GPA: Failing and retaking a class will show as two grades on your transcript, both of which count towards your GPA. Retaking a class that you completed (even if you failed) does not erase the initial grade.

Below, I’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you calculate your BCPM GPA.

Step 1: List All Your BCPM Courses

Start by creating a list of all your courses that fall under Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math. Refer to the course categories I outlined earlier to ensure you include the right ones.

Step 2: Gather Your Grades

Collect the grades you received for each of these courses. Make sure you have the most accurate and up-to-date grades.

Step 3: Convert Grades to Quality Points

Each grade corresponds to a specific number of quality points. There are multiple tables based on your school’s grading scale, but you can use the following common scale:

• A = 4.0
• A- = 3.7
• B+ = 3.3
• B = 3.0
• B- = 2.7
• C+ = 2.3
• C = 2.0
• C- = 1.7
• D+ = 1.3
• D = 1.0
• F = 0.0

Step 4: Multiply Quality Points by Credit Hours

For each course, multiply the credit hours it was worth by the quality points earned. This gives you the total quality points for each course.

Step 5: Sum the Total Quality Points and Total Credit Hours

Add the total quality points for all your BCPM courses to get one total. Then, add the total credit hours for all your BCPM courses to get a separate total.

Step 6: Divide Total Quality Points by Total Credit Hours

To find your BCPM GPA, divide the total quality points by the total credit hours. This will determine your GPA for your Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math courses.

Example Calculation

Let’s go through a quick example. Imagine you took the following courses:

• General Biology: (4 credit hours) and received an A (4.0 quality points)
• Organic Chemistry: (3 credit hours) and received a B (3.0 quality points)
• Calculus: (4 credit hours) and received a B+ (3.3 quality points)
• Physics: (4 credit hours) and received an A- (3.7 quality points)

How did we get those numbers? What do we do with these numbers?

1. Convert grades to quality points and multiply by credit hours:

• General Biology: 4 * 4.0 = 16
• Organic Chemistry: 3 * 3.0 = 9
• Calculus: 4 * 3.3 = 13.2
• Physics: 4 * 3.7 = 14.8

1. Sum the total quality points and credit hours:

• Total Quality Points: 16 + 9 + 13.2 + 14.8 = 53
• Total Credit Hours: 4 + 3 + 4 + 4 = 15

1. Divide total quality points by total credit hours:
2. BCPM GPA = 53 / 15 = 3.53

A BCPM GPA of 3.53 is okay, but I recommend aiming for at least a 3.7 BCPM GPA to be competitive.

Read Next: What Are My Chances of Getting Into Med School?

What Is a Good BCPM GPA for Medical School Admissions?

A good BCPM GPA for medical school admissions generally falls above at least a 3.5. Broadly speaking, a science GPA of 3.7 or higher is considered competitive for most medical schools. Below is a more detailed breakdown:

• MD schools: The average BCPM GPA for matriculants to MD-granting medical schools is 3.73, so that’s your target if your goal is allopathic medicine. Many of these schools will consider applicants with a lower GPA, but it helps if you have other factors to compensate (a good MCAT score, a strong CV, etc.).
• DO schools: Osteopathic programs (DO schools) typically accept lower applicant GPAs. The average BCPM GPA of an osteopathic matriculant is 3.52, and many schools accept applicants with a BCPM GPA closer to 3.3 or 3.4.
• Highly competitive schools: Highly competitive and prestigious medical schools, including (but not limited to) those in the Ivy League, usually prefer to see a BCPM GPA of 3.9+. With a 3.8, you’re still in the running — you’re just an underdog.

For high school students considering BS/MD programs or undergrads aiming for early decision programs, it’s important to maintain a higher-than-average GPA throughout your educational journey.

Learn More: How to Improve Your GPA with a Post-Bacc

How Important Is Your BCPM GPA to Your Applications?

Maintaining a strong BCPM GPA is critical for pre-med students. This GPA reflects your ability to handle the rigorous scientific work required in medical education and health professions, which is why AdComs place so much weight on it.

From my first-hand experience, upper-division science classes can sometimes be easier to get a good grade in than required early pre-med courses. Maybe it’s because of your momentum.

Strategically plan your coursework to boost your science GPA. If you had a lower BCPM GPA during your first 2 years, take more upper-division science classes in your 3rd year. If you haven’t already, I recommend switching to a life sciences major to align with your coursework needs.

Some AdComs use the 32-hour rule, which means they factor your most recent 32 credit hours separately from your overall BCPM GPA. There are only a few schools that use it officially, but others may unofficially consider your most recent year of coursework with more weight. 

Got your eye on a certain medical school? Enter your GPA and MCAT score into this free tool to see your odds of acceptance!