Biology
General biology, genetics, physiology
Science GPA Calculator (BCPM)
Estimate your BCPM GPA from the letter grades and credits of your biology, chemistry, physics, and math courses.
Which Courses Count Toward Your BCPM GPA?
If you’re calculating your science GPA for medical school, start with the rules for the application service you’re using. For AMCAS, BCPM stands for Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. AMCAS classifies a course by its primary content. If the classification is unclear, check your school’s course description or ask a prehealth adviser.
Chemistry
General chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry
Physics
College physics, astronomy
Mathematics
Calculus, statistics, biostatistics
How to Calculate Your Science GPA
Step 1. Identify Your BCPM Courses
Use the AMCAS Course Classification Guide to identify eligible courses on your transcript.
Step 2. Enter Grades and Credits
In College mode, enter each eligible course’s name, final letter grade, and credits.
Step 3. Calculate and Review
Choose the applicable grading preset, click Calculate, and check the course breakdown.
BCPM GPA Formula and Worked Example
To calculate your math and science GPA, multiply each included course’s grade points by its credits to get quality points. Add the quality points, then divide by the credits for those same courses.
BCPM GPA = Total BCPM quality points ÷ Total BCPM GPA credits
Estimated BCPM GPA = 49.0 ÷ 14 = 3.50
Try this example using Lynote’s 4.0 plus/minus preset.
| Course | BCPM subject | Letter grade | Grade points | GPA credits | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Biology | Biology | A | 4.0 | 4 | 16.0 |
| Organic Chemistry | Chemistry | B+ | 3.3 | 3 | 9.9 |
| College Physics | Physics | B | 3.0 | 4 | 12.0 |
| Statistics | Mathematics | A− | 3.7 | 3 | 11.1 |
| Total | 14 | 49.0 |
The four-credit Physics course has more influence on the average than the three-credit Statistics course. Use the credits behind each grade when you calculate your own result.
BCPM GPA vs. AO GPA vs. Total GPA
AMCAS reports separate BCPM, All Other (AO), and Total GPAs. BCPM uses courses in the four science and math categories. AO uses the other GPA-bearing courses. Total GPA combines both sets of coursework.
Suppose the student in the example also earned a C in a three-credit English Composition course. The course adds 6.0 quality points and 3 GPA credits to the total.
BCPM GPA
3.50
The four BCPM courses · 49.0 ÷ 14
AO GPA
2.00
English Composition · 6.0 ÷ 3
Total GPA
3.24
All five courses · 55.0 ÷ 17
Run each calculation separately in Lynote. To find Total GPA, enter both groups together so every course is counted according to its credits.
Check Your Estimate Before You Apply
Include eligible repeated attempts
AMCAS counts grades from all attempts of a repeated course, even if your school replaces an earlier grade in its own GPA. Enter each eligible graded attempt separately in your estimate.
Check how labs appear on your transcript
Enter a separately graded, credit-bearing lab as its own course if it qualifies. If the lab is already part of a lecture’s grade and credits, enter that course once.
Review special grades and credit units
Lynote excludes P, NP, W, and I from its GPA calculation. Check the application service’s instructions for special grades and credit conversions, especially if you have both quarter and semester credits.
Check your grading scale
The example uses a 4.0 plus/minus scale. AMCAS applies its own conversion and verification rules, so use the verified application GPA when an official figure is required.
Who Can Use the Science GPA Calculator?
Estimate the GPA for the course group your application asks you to review.
Pre-med students
Build a BCPM course list
Use the AAMC guide to identify eligible courses before estimating your science GPA.
Post-bacc students
Add recent science courses
Combine an earlier BCPM estimate and its credits with eligible new courses on the same credit basis.
Transfer students
Check credit units
Gather final grades from each institution and check that the credits use a consistent basis.
PA applicants
Follow CASPA categories
Review which courses CASPA includes in Science GPA before preparing a separate estimate.
Dental applicants
Check which GPA is requested
Use the ADEA AADSAS course categories to prepare a BCP or broader Science GPA estimate.
Prehealth advisers
Explain course weighting
Use the worked example to show how course credits influence each GPA.
What Our Users Say
I checked what my psychology statistics class actually covered before deciding whether to include it in my BCPM estimate.
Amelia Hart
I entered my lab separately because it had its own grade and credits on my transcript. That helped me keep the credits straight.
Noah Bennett
I entered both graded attempts for chemistry so I could see how my earlier grade and my retake affected the same estimate.
Sofia Mercer
Why Use Lynote to Estimate Your BCPM GPA?
Check how your selected courses, credits, and grading scale shape the estimate.
Use the courses you select
Enter a list of BCPM courses after checking the classification guide.
Work from your transcript
Use each course’s final letter grade and GPA credits.
Compare course groups
Run BCPM, AO, and Total estimates separately to check each result.
Check credits by course
See how higher-credit classes contribute more to the average.
Review quality points
Check the calculation breakdown against your selected grades and credits.
Choose a grading preset
Use a supported preset that matches the grade points for your estimate.
Keep a copy for advising
Download Excel or CSV, or use Print / PDF to keep a copy of your result.
Science GPA Calculator FAQ
Does statistics count toward my science GPA for med school?
AMCAS lists statistics and biostatistics under Mathematics, one of the four BCPM categories. For a course that mixes statistics with another subject, check its primary content before assigning a classification. AAMC Course Classification Guide
Can I calculate a cumulative science GPA across several semesters?
Yes. Enter the eligible courses from every term you want to include, using a consistent credit basis. If you already have a BCPM GPA and know the GPA credits behind it, use Previous GPA to combine that history with eligible new courses. Add each course only once. Lynote GPA Calculator
Can I calculate my science GPA from my overall GPA alone?
You need the grades and credits for your science courses, or a science GPA already calculated from those courses. Overall GPA combines coursework from different subjects and doesn’t show how much each group contributed.
How does CASPA calculate science GPA for PA school?
CASPA includes Biology/Zoology, Inorganic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Other Science in its Science GPA. CASPA classifies Math as non-science, so an AMCAS BCPM course list can give a different result. If you’re estimating your science GPA for PA school, select your courses using CASPA’s rules first. CASPA GPA Calculation Guide
Can I save a PA school science GPA estimate in Excel?
After you select the courses for your estimate and calculate in Lynote, use Download Excel (.xlsx) to save the result. For the official CASPA calculation and its own calculator resources, use the CASPA guide. Lynote GPA Calculator · CASPA GPA Calculation Guide
How do I calculate my science GPA for dental school?
Check the GPA category your dental program asks for. ADEA AADSAS reports a BCP GPA for biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as a broader Science GPA that includes math and other science coursework. Use the course list for the requested category when estimating your result. ADEA AADSAS GPA Calculation Guide
How do I calculate my science GPA for CRNA school?
Start with the nurse anesthesia program’s published course list. A program may define science GPA using foundational sciences and specific prerequisites. Confirm which courses and attempts count, then use those grades and credits for your estimate. Example nurse anesthesia program requirements
Where can Northwestern students check what counts toward science GPA?
Northwestern’s Health Professions Advising site explains which coursework to include for different application services and provides a GPA calculator resource. Start there if you’re unsure how to classify a Northwestern course. Northwestern Health Professions Advising GPA Calculator
More Tools for Science Courses and Pre-Med Study
Organize lecture notes, turn lab material into flashcards, and plan your next round of science review.
Estimate Your BCPM GPA
Have your BCPM course list ready? Enter your letter grades and credits to see your estimated science GPA.
