Overall and BCPM GPA

BCPM stands for Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math – the core subjects that medical schools scrutinize closely. 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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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 and are essential to medical schools and their respective application services. 

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’ve broken down the courses by subject based on the AAMC guidelines so you can ensure you are prepared to keep accurate track of your BCPM GPA:

Biology (BIOL)

Courses in this category include a wide range of biological sciences:

• 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
• Organic chemistry

Mathematics (MATH)

Courses here cover various mathematical and statistical fields:

• Applied Mathematics
• Biostatistics
• Calculus
• Linear algebra
• Mathematics
• Statistics

Physics (PHYS)

Physics courses, including those with an astronomical focus, are included:

• Astronomy
• Physics

Courses That Do Not Count Towards BCPM GPA

While the above courses contribute to your BCPM GPA, courses that fall under Natural and Physical Sciences or Behavioral and Social Sciences might not. 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 in biology, chemistry, physics, or math, it is BCPM.

Since the 50% is subjective and hard to quantify, you must look at the course description and syllabus or consult your pre-health advisor to make the best judgment. For example, if you took a biomedical engineering course and are unsure if it counts towards the BCPM, you can still classify it as a biology course if you determine it meets the 50% criteria. 

The AAMC and AACOM technically have the ability to remove or add courses to your BCPM GPA calculation on your application. Although this rarely happens, you should be prepared to defend your classifications. You can appeal any changes the AAMC makes to your GPA during the application verification process.

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

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Nutrition
• Computer Science
• Pharmacy and Pharmacology

How to Calculate Your BCPM GPA

You, not the AAMC, assign your classes as BCPM on the AACOMAS or AMCAS application (though the AAMC 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.

Here’s 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. 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?

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

A “W” (withdrawal) on your transcript generally does not affect your BCPM GPA (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math GPA). It is considered a neutral grade and doesn’t earn credit or grade points, positively or negatively.

One or 2 “W”s generally won’t harm your application if the rest of your academic record is strong. More than two withdrawals might raise questions about your ability to handle coursework, though, so be cautious about withdrawing from courses. 

What Is a Good BCPM GPA for Medical School Admissions?

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

• General range for MD schools: The average BCPM GPA for matriculants to MD-granting medical schools is 3.71, so that’s your target if your goal is allopathic medicine. Many MD-granting 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) are often more flexible with GPA requirements. The average BCPM GPA of an osteopathic matriculant is 3.5, 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 3.8 or higher.

For high school students considering B/MD programs or underclassmen in undergrad aiming for early assurance programs (EAPs), it’s important to maintain a higher-than-average GPA throughout your educational journey.

Is This Actually Important?

Yes, maintaining a strong BCPM GPA is very important for pre-med students. This GPA reflects your ability to handle the rigorous science courses required in medical education and health professions, which is why admissions committees place so much weight on it. A strong BCPM GPA signals that you are well-prepared for the challenging coursework in medical school.

Considering your BCPM GPA can also help you strategically plan your coursework. If you had a lower BCPM GPA during your first 2 years, it might be wise to improve your GPA by taking more upper-division science classes. I’d probably recommend keeping or switching to a life sciences major to align with your coursework needs.

From my experience, upper-division science classes can sometimes be easier than the required pre-med courses (Bio I & II, Chem I & II, O-Chem, etc.), providing a good opportunity to boost your GPA.

On the other hand, if you have a high BCPM GPA in your first two years and want to explore other fields, you have more flexibility in choosing a non-science major. This way, your BCPM GPA remains strong, and you only need to focus on maintaining a good overall GPA while you explore classes and topics you find interesting.

However, remember that you might perform better in science classes than in non-science ones, so choose wisely.

If you are ever unsure about the classification of a course or how it might impact your BCPM GPA, consult with your pre-health advisor or refer to the AAMC’s Course Classification Guide.

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