AMCAS Science (BCPM) GPA Calculator
Calculate your BCPM (science) and overall GPA the AMCAS way โ A+ capped at 4.0.
Overall GPA
Add courses to see your overall GPA.
BCPM (Science) GPA
Check "BCPM" on your science courses to see this.
How AMCAS Calculates GPA
AMCAS (the American Medical College Application Service) doesn't simply read the GPA off your transcript โ it reclassifies every course you report and recalculates your GPA on its own standardized 4.0 scale. Two GPAs come out of this process: your overall GPA (every course you've taken) and your BCPM GPA, covering only courses classified as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Math.
GPA = ฮฃ(Credit Hours ร Grade Points) รท ฮฃ(Credit Hours)
Calculated twice โ once across every course for Overall GPA, and again across BCPM-only courses for Science GPA.
The 4.0 Cap: AMCAS's Most Confused Rule
On the AMCAS scale, A+ and A are both worth exactly 4.0 โ there is no bonus for a plus grade at the top of the scale. This trips up a lot of applicants, because many college transcripts award A+ a higher value (4.3 or 4.33 is common). AMCAS overrides whatever your transcript shows and recalculates using its own capped scale. This is a deliberate and important contrast with LSAC's scale for law school applications, which does allow A+ to count as 4.33 โ the two systems are genuinely different standards, not just different labels for the same thing, so don't assume a number calculated for one application service transfers directly to the other.
Every Attempt Counts โ No Grade Replacement
If you retook a course after a weak grade, AMCAS does not drop the original attempt. Both grades are included in your GPA calculation, weighted by their own credit hours, exactly as if they were two separate courses. This is different from how many universities calculate a student's own institutional GPA (which often does apply grade replacement), so a retake that looks "erased" on your home transcript will still show both attempts on your AMCAS GPA.
Worked Example: A Retaken Course
A student's coursework: Gen Chem I (4 credits, A, BCPM), Gen Chem II (4 credits, B+, BCPM), Bio I (4 credits, A-, BCPM), English (3 credits, A, non-BCPM), and Organic Chemistry I โ first attempt (4 credits, D, BCPM) and retake (4 credits, A, BCPM).
Notice the BCPM GPA (3.20) sits below the overall GPA (3.30) here, and both the original D and the successful retake A pulled equal, separate weight in the science calculation โ the retake helped, but it didn't erase the original attempt's impact.
Worked Example: The 4.0 Cap in Practice
A student with straight A+ grades across 30 credits might expect a GPA above 4.0 based on their home transcript. On AMCAS's scale, every A+ converts to exactly 4.0, so the result is a clean 4.00 โ not 4.3 or higher, regardless of how many A+ grades are entered.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does BCPM stand for?
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math. AMCAS classifies every undergraduate course you report into either the BCPM category or the AO (All Other) category, and your science GPA is calculated from BCPM courses only, separately from your overall GPA across all courses.
Why do medical schools care about BCPM GPA separately from overall GPA?
It's considered a more direct signal of readiness for the science-heavy medical school curriculum than overall GPA alone. A strong overall GPA propped up by non-science electives reads very differently to an admissions committee than the same overall GPA built on a demanding science course load โ BCPM GPA isolates that specific signal.
Is A+ really capped at 4.0 on AMCAS, even though some transcripts show A+ as higher?
Yes โ this is the single most common point of confusion. Many undergraduate transcripts award A+ a value above 4.0 (4.3 or 4.33 is common), but AMCAS recalculates every grade onto its own standardized scale, where A+ and A both equal exactly 4.0. This is different from LSAC's scale for law school applications, which does allow 4.33 for A+ โ the two systems are genuinely different, not just labeled differently.
Do AACOMAS and TMDSAS use the exact same rules as AMCAS?
They're similar but not identical. AACOMAS (for osteopathic medical schools) and TMDSAS (Texas schools) each maintain their own course classification and recalculation rules, with some differences in how certain courses are categorized or how repeated courses are handled. This calculator follows the AMCAS standard specifically, since it's the most widely used system โ always verify against your target application service's own guidelines.
If I retake a course, does the old grade get replaced?
No โ this surprises many students. Unlike some undergraduate institutions' own GPA calculations, AMCAS includes every attempt at a course separately; the original grade is not dropped or averaged out when you retake it. Both the original D and the retaken A, for example, count fully and separately toward your AMCAS GPA.
Is this calculator's result my official AMCAS GPA?
No โ treat it as a close, unofficial estimate. Your official AMCAS GPA is calculated only when AMCAS itself processes your actual transcripts, which involves verifying course classifications and applying rules more precisely than a self-service calculator can replicate. Use this tool to track your progress and plan your course load, not as a substitute for AMCAS's official calculation.
Does a Pass/Fail course affect my AMCAS GPA?
Generally, AMCAS excludes Pass/Fail courses from GPA calculations, since there's no letter grade to convert to a grade point. This calculator doesn't include a Pass/Fail option for that reason โ leave ungraded courses out of your entries entirely.
Should international coursework be included?
AMCAS has specific rules for converting and including international coursework that go beyond a simple letter-grade lookup. This calculator is built around the standard US letter-grade scale โ for international coursework, consult AMCAS's official guidelines directly rather than estimating here.