.science-gpa-calculator-container {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
max-width: 850px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 10px;
background-color: #ffffff;
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
}
.science-gpa-calculator-container h2 {
color: #2c3e50;
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 25px;
font-size: 2em;
font-weight: 600;
}
.course-row {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
gap: 12px;
margin-bottom: 12px;
align-items: center;
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #f0f0f0;
border-radius: 8px;
background-color: #fdfdfd;
box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
}
.course-row label {
font-weight: 500;
color: #555;
margin-right: 5px;
white-space: nowrap;
}
.course-row input[type="text"],
.course-row input[type="number"],
.course-row select {
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #dcdcdc;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 15px;
flex: 1;
min-width: 100px;
box-sizing: border-box;
color: #333;
}
.course-row input[type="text"] {
flex: 2;
min-width: 150px;
}
.course-row button {
padding: 10px 15px;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
cursor: pointer;
font-size: 15px;
white-space: nowrap;
transition: background-color 0.2s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
}
.course-row button.remove-btn {
background-color: #e74c3c;
color: white;
}
.course-row button.remove-btn:hover {
background-color: #c0392b;
transform: translateY(-1px);
}
.add-course-btn {
background-color: #2ecc71;
color: white;
margin-top: 20px;
padding: 12px 20px;
width: auto;
display: block;
margin-left: auto;
margin-right: auto;
font-size: 16px;
font-weight: 600;
}
.add-course-btn:hover {
background-color: #27ae60;
transform: translateY(-1px);
}
.calculate-btn {
background-color: #3498db;
color: white;
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 15px 25px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: 600;
width: 100%;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.calculate-btn:hover {
background-color: #2980b9;
transform: translateY(-1px);
}
#gpaResult {
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 20px;
border: 1px solid #3498db;
border-radius: 8px;
background-color: #eaf6ff;
font-size: 1.2em;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: center;
color: #2c3e50;
box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
}
#gpaResult.error {
border-color: #e74c3c;
background-color: #fde7e7;
color: #c0392b;
}
.calculator-article {
margin-top: 40px;
line-height: 1.7;
color: #333;
font-size: 1.05em;
}
.calculator-article h3 {
color: #3498db;
margin-top: 30px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
font-size: 1.6em;
font-weight: 600;
border-bottom: 2px solid #e0e0e0;
padding-bottom: 5px;
}
.calculator-article p {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.calculator-article ul, .calculator-article ol {
list-style-type: disc;
margin-left: 25px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.calculator-article ol {
list-style-type: decimal;
}
.calculator-article li {
margin-bottom: 8px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.course-row {
flex-direction: column;
align-items: stretch;
}
.course-row input, .course-row select, .course-row button {
width: 100%;
min-width: unset;
}
}
var courseCounter = 1; // To ensure unique IDs for new rows
var gradePoints = {
'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,
'D-': 0.7, 'F': 0.0
};
function addCourseRow() {
courseCounter++;
var container = document.getElementById('courseRowsContainer');
var newRow = document.createElement('div');
newRow.className = 'course-row';
newRow.innerHTML = `
Select Grade
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)
D- (0.7)
F (0.0)
`;
container.appendChild(newRow);
}
function removeCourseRow(buttonElement) {
var rowToRemove = buttonElement.parentNode;
rowToRemove.parentNode.removeChild(rowToRemove);
}
function calculateScienceGPA() {
var totalQualityPoints = 0;
var totalCredits = 0;
var isValid = true;
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('gpaResult');
resultDiv.className = "; // Reset class
var courseRows = document.querySelectorAll('.course-row');
if (courseRows.length === 0) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please add at least one course to calculate your Science GPA.";
resultDiv.classList.add('error');
return;
}
for (var i = 0; i < courseRows.length; i++) {
var row = courseRows[i];
var creditsInput = row.querySelector('.course-credits-input');
var gradeSelect = row.querySelector('.course-grade-select');
var credits = parseFloat(creditsInput.value);
var grade = gradeSelect.value;
if (isNaN(credits) || credits <= 0) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid positive number for credits in all courses.";
resultDiv.classList.add('error');
isValid = false;
break;
}
if (!grade || !gradePoints.hasOwnProperty(grade)) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please select a grade for all courses.";
resultDiv.classList.add('error');
isValid = false;
break;
}
var points = gradePoints[grade];
totalQualityPoints += (credits * points);
totalCredits += credits;
}
if (!isValid) {
return;
}
if (totalCredits === 0) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Total credits cannot be zero. Please enter valid credits for your courses.";
resultDiv.classList.add('error');
return;
}
var scienceGPA = totalQualityPoints / totalCredits;
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Your calculated Science GPA is: " + scienceGPA.toFixed(2) + "";
}
Science GPA Calculator
Select Grade
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)
D- (0.7)
F (0.0)
Your Science GPA will appear here.
What is Science GPA?
The Science GPA, often referred to as BCPM GPA (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math), is a specialized grade point average calculated by professional school application services like AMCAS (for medical school), AADSAS (for dental school), and VMCAS (for veterinary school). Unlike your overall GPA, which includes all college coursework, the Science GPA focuses exclusively on courses within these core scientific disciplines. It provides admissions committees with a clear picture of your academic performance in the rigorous science curriculum essential for health professions.
Why is Science GPA Important?
For aspiring doctors, dentists, veterinarians, and other health professionals, the Science GPA is a critical metric. Admissions committees use it to:
- Assess Scientific Aptitude: It directly reflects your ability to handle the demanding science coursework required in professional school.
- Predict Success: A strong Science GPA is often correlated with success in the challenging first years of medical, dental, or vet school.
- Filter Applicants: Many programs have minimum Science GPA requirements, and a competitive GPA is essential to stand out among a large pool of applicants.
- Demonstrate Rigor: It shows your commitment and capability in the foundational subjects that underpin advanced medical and scientific study.
Which Courses Count Towards Science GPA (BCPM)?
While specific definitions can vary slightly between application services, the BCPM categories generally include:
- Biology (B): General Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology, Immunology, Neuroscience, etc.
- Chemistry (C): General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, etc.
- Physics (P): General Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Thermodynamics, Quantum Physics, etc.
- Mathematics (M): Calculus, Statistics, Biostatistics, Algebra, Trigonometry, Differential Equations, etc.
It's important to note that some courses, like Psychology or certain Engineering courses, may or may not count depending on their content and how they are classified by the application service. Always refer to the specific guidelines of the application service you are using (e.g., AMCAS Course Classification Guide).
How is Science GPA Calculated?
The Science GPA is calculated using a weighted average, similar to your overall GPA. The formula is:
Science GPA = (Total Quality Points for Science Courses) / (Total Science Credits Attempted)
Where "Quality Points" for each course are calculated as: Credits x Grade Points.
The standard grade point scale used by most application services is:
- 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
- D-: 0.7
- F: 0.0
Example Science GPA Calculation
Let's calculate the Science GPA for a student with the following science courses:
- General Chemistry I: 4 Credits, Grade B+
- General Biology I: 4 Credits, Grade A-
- Calculus I: 3 Credits, Grade B
- Organic Chemistry I: 3 Credits, Grade C+
Step 1: Convert Grades to Grade Points
- General Chemistry I (B+): 3.3 Grade Points
- General Biology I (A-): 3.7 Grade Points
- Calculus I (B): 3.0 Grade Points
- Organic Chemistry I (C+): 2.3 Grade Points
Step 2: Calculate Quality Points for Each Course
- General Chemistry I: 4 Credits * 3.3 = 13.2 Quality Points
- General Biology I: 4 Credits * 3.7 = 14.8 Quality Points
- Calculus I: 3 Credits * 3.0 = 9.0 Quality Points
- Organic Chemistry I: 3 Credits * 2.3 = 6.9 Quality Points
Step 3: Sum Total Quality Points and Total Credits
- Total Quality Points = 13.2 + 14.8 + 9.0 + 6.9 = 43.9
- Total Credits = 4 + 4 + 3 + 3 = 14
Step 4: Calculate Science GPA
Science GPA = 43.9 / 14 = 3.1357…
Rounded to two decimal places, the Science GPA is 3.14.
Tips for Improving Your Science GPA
- Focus on Foundational Courses: Ensure a strong understanding in introductory biology, chemistry, physics, and math. These build the base for advanced courses.
- Seek Help Early: Don't wait until you're struggling. Utilize professor office hours, TA sessions, and campus tutoring services.
- Form Study Groups: Collaborating with peers can help clarify concepts and reinforce learning.
- Effective Time Management: Science courses often require significant study time. Plan your schedule to allocate sufficient time for lectures, labs, and independent study.
- Retake Courses (Strategically): If you performed poorly in a critical science course, consider retaking it. Be aware that application services have different policies on how retaken courses are factored into GPA calculations (e.g., some average both grades, others replace the old grade).
- Choose Electives Wisely: If you have room for science electives, choose those that genuinely interest you and where you feel confident you can excel.
Use this calculator to track your progress and understand how each course impacts your overall Science GPA!