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Medical School GPA Calculator (AMCAS)

Calculate your AMCAS Science (BCPM) GPA, Non-Science GPA, and Total GPA — the three figures every MD program sees on your application.

Course NameCategoryGradeCredits

AMCAS Total GPA

3.56

Science (BCPM) GPA

3.48

Science Credits

Non-Science GPA

3.85

Non-Science Credits

Total Credits

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How to Use This Medical School GPA Calculator (AMCAS)

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) calculates two separate GPAs for every medical school applicant: the Science GPA (BCPM) — covering Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math — and the Non-Science GPA for all other coursework. Both are reported alongside your Total GPA on every AMCAS application.

Enter each undergraduate course, select its subject category, choose the letter grade you earned, and enter the credit hours. The calculator instantly separates your courses into BCPM (science) and non-science buckets and computes all three AMCAS GPA figures. Use the Am I Competitive? tab to benchmark your GPAs against typical medical school matriculants.

AMCAS GPA Formula

Science (BCPM) GPA = Σ(Science Grade Points × Credits) ÷ Total Science Credits
Non-Science GPA = Σ(Non-Science Grade Points × Credits) ÷ Total Non-Science Credits
Total GPA = Σ(All Grade Points × Credits) ÷ Total Credits

BCPM subjects: Biology · Chemistry · Physics · Math
All other courses count toward Non-Science GPA.

AMCAS uses a standard 4.0 scale where A+ and A both equal 4.0 grade points. An A- equals 3.7, B+ equals 3.3, and so on down to F at 0.0. Unlike some institutional calculations, AMCAS does not allow grade replacement — every attempt of every course appears on your AMCAS application.

Step-by-Step Example

Science (BCPM) courses:

General Biology I (4 cr, A) → 4.0 × 4 = 16.0 pts

General Chemistry I (4 cr, A-) → 3.7 × 4 = 14.8 pts

Organic Chemistry (3 cr, B+) → 3.3 × 3 = 9.9 pts

BCPM GPA: 40.7 pts ÷ 11 cr = 3.70

Non-Science courses:

English Composition (3 cr, A) → 4.0 × 3 = 12.0 pts

Psychology 101 (3 cr, A-) → 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 pts

Non-Science GPA: 23.1 pts ÷ 6 cr = 3.85

Total GPA: (40.7 + 23.1) pts ÷ 17 cr = 3.75

What AMCAS Counts as Science (BCPM)

AMCAS defines the BCPM GPA using a strict list of subject area codes. The four qualifying categories are:

Biology (BIO): General biology, genetics, cell biology, microbiology, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, ecology
Chemistry (CHEM): General chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry (if coded CHEM)
Physics (PHYS): General physics, modern physics, astrophysics
Math (MATH): Calculus, statistics, linear algebra, differential equations

Computer science, engineering, and psychology are generally classified as non-science in AMCAS, even if they feel science-adjacent. When in doubt, check the AMCAS course classification guide or ask your pre-med advisor.

Medical School GPA Benchmarks

According to AAMC data, the average GPA among students who matriculated to MD programs in recent cycles was approximately 3.73 total and 3.65 science. These benchmarks vary by school tier:

Top 20 programs: Average matriculant GPA typically 3.80+
Mid-tier MD programs: Average around 3.65–3.75
DO programs (AACOMAS): Average around 3.50–3.60
Caribbean schools: Often accept 3.0–3.4 range

A low science GPA can be offset by an exceptionally high MCAT, significant research, meaningful clinical experience, or a strong upward grade trend. AMCAS does not replace grades — every grade appears — but a post-baccalaureate program showing grade improvement is a recognized path for applicants with earlier struggles.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. AMCAS includes every attempt of every course in GPA calculations. If you retook Organic Chemistry and improved from a C to an A, both grades count. This makes upward grade trends visible to admissions committees — they can see improvement — but does not allow the bad grade to be erased from the AMCAS GPA calculation.

Most medical schools weigh the science (BCPM) GPA heavily because it directly predicts performance in preclinical coursework. Applicants with a strong total GPA but a weak science GPA often struggle to explain the discrepancy. Ideally, both GPAs should be within 0.2 points of each other. A science GPA significantly below your total GPA is a red flag for admissions committees.

It depends on how your college classified the course on your transcript. AMCAS assigns courses based on the subject area code from your institution. If your transcript lists it under CHEM, it counts as Chemistry. If listed under BIOL or BCHM, it counts as Biology. Both categories are BCPM science courses, so the distinction only matters for individual category breakdowns — not for your overall science GPA.

A high MCAT score can partially compensate for a borderline GPA, but there are limits. Most MD programs use academic index cutoffs that factor in both GPA and MCAT. A 520+ MCAT with a 3.3 science GPA may still result in secondary screening filters rejecting the application before a human reviewer sees it. A post-bacc or SMP program demonstrating strong science performance is a more reliable path to addressing a low science GPA.

AP and IB credits that appear on your college transcript as transfer credits generally do not count in AMCAS GPA — they typically appear as credit hours only without a letter grade. Community college courses do count if you received a letter grade. Post-baccalaureate courses taken after your bachelor's degree also count, which is why formal post-bacc programs are an effective GPA repair strategy.