CASPA (the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants) calculates your GPA differently from your school transcript — and the difference can be significant. The single biggest reason: CASPA counts every attempt of a repeated course, with no grade forgiveness, even if your school replaced the old grade on your own transcript. This page walks through exactly how CASPA’s calculation works.
Calculate a Standard GPAHow CASPA Calculates GPA
CASPA uses the same basic quality-points formula as a standard U.S. GPA, applied uniformly to every applicant regardless of which school they attended:
Each grade you enter is converted to CASPA’s numeric value (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0, with plus/minus variations), multiplied by that course’s credit hours to get quality points, then totaled and divided by total attempted credits. Courses completed in quarter hours are converted to semester hours at a ratio of 1.0 quarter hour = 0.667 semester hours. Non-graded credits — AP credit, pass/fail courses, satisfactory/unsatisfactory grades — are excluded from the calculation entirely.
No Grade Forgiveness: The Biggest Difference
This is the rule that surprises the most applicants. CASPA does not recognize your school’s grade replacement, academic renewal, or forgiveness policy — it calculates GPA based on how every attempt of a course was reported on your official transcript. If you retook a class, both attempts count, even if your school’s own transcript only shows (or only counts toward your school GPA) the newer grade.
Your school’s transcript (grade replacement policy): only the A counts → GPA contribution = 4.0
CASPA’s calculation (no forgiveness): both attempts count → (0.0 × 4) + (4.0 × 4) = 16.0 quality points ÷ 8 credits = 2.00
Same two grades, same class — but your school shows a 4.0 for that course while CASPA shows a 2.00. This is exactly why a CASPA GPA is often noticeably lower than the GPA a student sees on their own unofficial transcript, and it’s worth knowing well before application season.
Science, Non-Science, and BCP GPA
CASPA doesn’t just calculate one GPA — it breaks your coursework into several categories, and PA programs often weigh these separately:
- BCP GPA — Biology/Zoology, Inorganic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physics only
- Other Science GPA — science courses outside the BCP categories
- Science GPA — BCP plus Other Science combined
- Non-Science GPA — everything else, including humanities, social sciences, and — notably — Math and Statistics, which CASPA classifies as Non-Science, not Science
- Cumulative and Overall GPA — your complete undergraduate record, and combined with graduate coursework respectively
- Year-level GPAs — separate GPAs for Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year coursework
CASPA classifies courses by subject content during verification, not by your school’s department name or course prefix, and can reclassify a course if needed — you can dispute the subject classification, but not the underlying GPA calculation itself.
Other CASPA-Specific Rules
- Withdraw-Fail (WF) counts as an F in CASPA’s calculation, even if your school treats it differently.
- Standard withdrawal (W) does not directly factor into your GPA.
- All undergraduate coursework counts — including post-baccalaureate courses taken after your bachelor’s degree, at every institution you attended, not just your final degree-granting school.
- International coursework requires a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-approved credential evaluation service before it can be included.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my CASPA GPA lower than my school GPA?
The most common reason is repeated courses. CASPA counts every attempt of a repeated course with no grade forgiveness, even if your school’s own transcript only counts your most recent grade. Other reasons include CASPA including post-baccalaureate coursework or courses from every school you attended, not just your final degree-granting institution.
Does CASPA use grade replacement or academic renewal?
No. CASPA does not recognize a school’s grade replacement, forgiveness, or academic renewal policy. It calculates GPA based on how every attempt of a repeated course was reported on your official transcript, counting both the original and subsequent grades.
Is Math classified as Science or Non-Science in CASPA?
Non-Science. CASPA classifies Math and Statistics courses as Non-Science, which surprises many applicants who expect them to count toward their Science GPA.
What is the BCP GPA?
BCP GPA covers Biology/Zoology, Inorganic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physics coursework specifically — a narrower category than the overall Science GPA, which also includes other science subjects.
Does a WF count as an F in CASPA?
Yes. A withdraw-fail (WF) is factored into CASPA’s GPA calculation as an F, even if your school treats it differently on your own transcript.
Estimate Your Standard GPA
For a general credit-weighted GPA using the standard scale, this calculator uses the same underlying quality-points method.
Go to GPA Calculator