Your science GPA — often called your BCPM GPA (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math) — is calculated separately from your overall GPA by medical, dental, pharmacy, and other health-professions schools. A strong science GPA signals that you can handle rigorous coursework. List only your science and math courses below to see where you stand.
Science GPA Calculator
Include biology, chemistry, physics, and math courses only.
How to use the Science GPA Calculator
- List your science courses — biology, chemistry, physics, math, and closely related courses.
- Select each grade — use the grades on your transcript (or expected grades for planning).
- Enter credit hours — include labs, which are often 1 credit alongside the lecture.
- Calculate — get your science GPA instantly.
Science GPA formula
Science GPA = science grade points ÷ science credit hours. Only BCPM courses count: each contributes (grade points × credits), and non-science courses are excluded entirely. Health-professions application services (like AMCAS for medical school) compute this separately on an unweighted 4.0 scale, so enter grades without high-school-style weighting.
Frequently asked questions
Which courses count toward my science GPA?
Biology, chemistry, physics, and math (BCPM) — including labs, biochemistry, statistics, and neuroscience in most classifications. Psychology, nursing, and engineering courses are typically excluded; check your application service’s course classification guide for edge cases.
Why do medical schools look at science GPA separately?
It predicts how you will handle the science-heavy preclinical curriculum. A science GPA well below your overall GPA can raise concerns, while an upward trend in upper-level sciences is viewed positively.
What is a competitive science GPA?
For US MD programs, successful applicants often have science GPAs around 3.6–3.7 or higher, though the full range is wider. DO, dental, and pharmacy programs publish their own averages — compare against your target schools, not just national medians.