BCPM stands for “Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math,” the core subjects medical schools most closely scrutinize. Admissions committees consider BCPM GPA (sometimes called science GPA) separately from AO GPA (“all others” besides science) or overall GPA (combining BCPM and AO).
For most primary medical school applications, you need to categorize all of your courses as BCPM or non-BCPM, and I’ll help with that below.
Understanding how to calculate your BCPM GPA is essential for pre-med students, as it showcases your proficiency in these critical areas. This guide will explain everything you need to know about calculating your BCPM GPA and the courses that count towards it.
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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.
Courses in this category include many biological sciences that count towards your BCPM GPA:
This category encompasses both basic and advanced chemistry courses:
Physics courses, including those with an astronomical focus, are counted in your BCPM GPA:
Courses here cover various mathematical and statistical fields:
There are important differences in how various application services count math classes:
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:
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.
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.
Collect the grades you received for each of these courses. Make sure you have the most accurate and up-to-date grades.
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:
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.
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.
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.
Let’s go through a quick example. Imagine you took the following courses:
How did we get those numbers? What do we do with these numbers?
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?
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:
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
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.
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