CASPA GPA Calculator
Estimate your BCP Science GPA, Other Science GPA, and Overall GPA the way CASPA calculates them for PA school applications — with correct Math-as-Non-Science classification and all-attempts counting.
| Course Name | Term | Grade | Credits | Category | Subject | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | |||||||
— | |||||||
— | |||||||
— |
Ready to calculate your CASPA GPA
Fill in at least one course with a grade and credit hours, then click "Calculate CASPA GPA" to see your Overall, Science, BCP, and Non-Science GPAs.
- Include every transcript — community college, post-bac, online
- Enter each repeat attempt as a separate row
- Statistics and Calculus are Non-Science in CASPA
What Is the CASPA GPA?
CASPA — the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants — is used by the vast majority of PA programs in the United States. When you submit your application, CASPA takes every transcript you upload and recalculates your GPA from scratch using a single standardized method. The result is a set of GPAs that appear identically on every PA program application you send through the service, regardless of what your home institution shows on your diploma.
Why does CASPA recalculate? Because institutions grade differently. A 3.7 at one university may represent the same underlying performance as a 3.2 at another with a stricter grading curve. CASPA removes that variability by applying one conversion — the standard 4.0 scale — to every applicant.
BCP Science GPA
Biology, Chemistry (Inorganic + Organic), Biochemistry, and Physics. The core science benchmark for PA admissions.
Other Science GPA
Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Nutrition, Exercise Science, and Health Science.
Non-Science GPA
Math, English, Humanities, Psychology, Sociology, Social Sciences, and all other non-science subjects.
Science vs. Overall: CASPA Course Categories
CASPA's most surprising classification rule for pre-PA students is the treatment of Mathematics. Unlike AMCAS — where Math is part of BCPM and counts toward the Science GPA — in CASPA, all Mathematics courses are Non-Science. Calculus, Statistics, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations go into your Non-Science GPA only.
What Counts as Science in CASPA?
| CASPA Category | Example Courses | GPA Impact |
|---|---|---|
| BCP Science | Biology, Zoology, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics | Science GPA + Overall GPA |
| Other Science | Anatomy, Physiology, A&P, Microbiology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Nutrition, Exercise Science, Health Science | Science GPA + Overall GPA |
| Mathematics | Calculus I–III, Statistics, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Pre-Calculus | Non-Science GPA + Overall GPA |
| English & Humanities | English Composition, Literature, History, Philosophy, Foreign Languages | Non-Science GPA + Overall GPA |
| Behavioral / Social Sciences | Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, Economics | Non-Science GPA + Overall GPA |
Course classification is finalized during CASPA transcript verification. If you misclassify a course, CASPA will correct it — which can change your reported GPA after verification.
How CASPA Handles Repeated Courses
CASPA does not use grade replacement. This applies universally — regardless of what your home institution's academic forgiveness policy says, regardless of what appears on your unofficial transcript. Every attempt at every course is included in your CASPA GPA.
The CASPA Repeat Rule
If you earned a C in General Chemistry I and retook it for an A, CASPA includes both the C and the A in your quality-point total. The retake adds quality points to the numerator and credit hours to the denominator — it raises your GPA but does not erase the original grade. This is why a single strong retake has less GPA impact than students expect.
The strategic implication: a retake is most valuable as a signal of perseverance and course mastery, not as a GPA-repair mechanism. Admissions committees see both grades. The retake A communicates that you learned the material; the original C remains part of your academic record. Consistent strong performance in new upper-division science courses is often more impactful than a single retake.
Step-by-Step: How to Use This Calculator
Gather your official transcripts
Pull the official paper or PDF transcript from every institution you attended — not your student portal dashboard, not your degree audit. The grade and credit hours on the official transcript are what CASPA uses. Include community college, summer school, online, and study-abroad credits if they appear on a US institution transcript.
Classify each course as BCP, Other Science, or Non-Science
BCP: All biology, chemistry (inorganic, organic, biochemistry), and physics. Other Science: Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Nutrition, Exercise Science, Health Science. Non-Science: ALL Mathematics, English, Humanities, Psychology, Sociology, and Social Sciences.
Enter the exact grade and credit hours
Use the letter grade as it appears on the transcript — A, B+, C, WF, etc. Do not convert it to a number yourself. Enter credit hours exactly (usually 3.0, 4.0, or 1.0 for labs). For Pass (P), No Pass (NP), Satisfactory (S), or Withdrawal (W/WP) grades, you can note them but they will not count in the GPA.
Enter every repeat attempt as a separate row
For each course you took more than once, add a separate row for each attempt. All attempts count — do not just enter the highest grade. The calculator will correctly include every attempt in your GPA average.
Review your BCP and Other Science GPAs separately
PA programs review your BCP GPA and your Other Science GPA independently. A weak BCP GPA combined with a strong Other Science GPA signals that you may need to strengthen prerequisite chemistry or biology performance specifically. Address each category gap before submitting your application.
Worked Example
Here is how a typical semester looks when calculated by CASPA, including a repeated course and a non-graded entry:
| Course | Credits | Grade | Points | QP | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbiology | 4 | A | 4 | 16 | Other Science |
| Gen Chem I (Retake) | 4 | B | 3 | 12 | BCP Science |
| Gen Chem I (Original) | 4 | F | 0 | 0 | BCP Science |
| Statistics | 3 | A | 4 | 12 | Non-Science |
| Anatomy (W) | 4 | W | — | — | Other Science |
The Math
BCP Science GPA: (12 + 0) quality points ÷ 8 credits = 1.50 — the original F drags this down severely
Other Science GPA: 16 QP ÷ 4 credits = 4.00 — Microbiology A unaffected
Science GPA (BCP + Other): (12 + 0 + 16) QP ÷ 12 credits = 2.33
Non-Science GPA: 12 QP ÷ 3 credits = 4.00 — Statistics A here, not in science
Overall GPA: (0 + 12 + 16 + 12) QP ÷ 15 counted credits = 2.67 — Anatomy W excluded entirely
Common CASPA GPA Mistakes
CASPA Official Grade-to-Point Scale
CASPA uses the standard 4.0 scale. A+ is treated as 4.0, not 4.33. Institutions that award A+ as 4.33 will have those grades converted down to 4.0 by CASPA.
| Letter Grade | CASPA Points | Counted in GPA? |
|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | Yes |
| A− | 3.7 | Yes |
| B+ | 3.3 | Yes |
| B | 3.0 | Yes |
| B− | 2.7 | Yes |
| C+ | 2.3 | Yes |
| C | 2.0 | Yes |
| C− | 1.7 | Yes |
| D+ | 1.3 | Yes |
| D | 1.0 | Yes |
| D− | 0.7 | Yes |
| F | 0.0 | Yes |
| WF (Withdrawal Failing) | 0.0 | Yes — as F |
| W / WP (Withdrawal) | — | No — excluded |
| P / S / CR (Pass/Sat/Credit) | — | No — excluded |
| NP (No Pass) | — | No — excluded |
| I (Incomplete) | — | No — excluded until resolved |
| AU (Audit) | — | No — excluded |
Frequently Asked Questions — CASPA GPA
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Do Next
Save a Scenario
Save this CASPA GPA estimate as a named scenario so you can compare it against your MD (AMCAS) and DO (AACOMAS) applications side by side.
Compare MD vs PA GPA
Calculate your AMCAS GPA to see how your Science GPA changes when Math moves from Non-Science (CASPA) to BCPM (AMCAS).
Calculate DO GPA
Use the AACOMAS calculator to see your DO application GPA — another service where Math is Non-Science, similar to CASPA.
All Professional School Calculators
Compare CASPA, AMCAS, and AACOMAS side by side on the Professional School GPA hub.