Free guide
How AADSAS calculates your GPA.
When you apply to dental school, AADSAS recalculates your GPA from every transcript using its own rules. That number is the one schools see, and it is often different from the GPA your college reports.
The short version
- Every attempt counts. A retake is averaged with the original grade. It does not replace it.
- Every college counts. Community college and any other school you attended are included.
- Withdrawals don't count. A W adds no grade and no credit hours.
- One grade scale for everyone. An A+ counts as 4.0, the same as an A.
- Three GPAs matter: overall, Science, and BCP (biology, chemistry, physics).
Why the number changes
Colleges don't agree on how to calculate a GPA. Some replace a grade when you retake a course, some leave transfer credits out, and some give extra weight to an A+. AADSAS puts every applicant on the same footing by recalculating everyone's GPA the same way, from every transcript you send.
The result can be higher or lower than the GPA on your transcript. If you retook a course or started at a community college, expect it to be different.
The five rules that move your number
1. Every attempt counts
If you took a course twice, both grades are in your AADSAS GPA. A retake still helps, because the new grade is averaged in, but the old grade does not disappear.
2. Every college counts
Courses from a community college, a summer at another school, or a school you transferred from are all included, not only the school you graduate from.
3. Withdrawals don't count
A W carries no grade and no credit hours, so it does not change your GPA. It still appears on your transcript, where schools can see it.
4. One grade scale for everyone
Your letter grades are converted to the AADSAS scale below. Plus and minus grades count, and an A+ is worth the same as an A.
5. Science is broader than you might expect
The Science GPA is not only biology and chemistry. It also includes other science courses, such as math and statistics. BCP is the narrower group. More on both below.
A retake, worked out
Say you earned a C in a 4-credit Organic Chemistry course, retook it, and earned an A. Some colleges would now count only the A. AADSAS counts both.
| Attempt | Grade | Credits | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| First time | C (2.0) | 4 | 8.0 |
| Retake | A (4.0) | 4 | 16.0 |
| Both, as AADSAS counts them | 8 | 24.0 |
- If your college replaces the grade
- 4.00 Only the retake counts toward that course.
- How AADSAS counts it
- 3.00 24.0 points over 8 credits.
One course rarely moves a whole GPA by much, but a few retakes add up. This is a common reason an AADSAS GPA comes out lower than the one on a transcript.
The grade scale
| Letter grade | AADSAS value |
|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 |
| 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 |
| W | Not counted |
Overall, Science and BCP
AADSAS reports more than one GPA. These are the three to know:
- Overall. Every graded course, from every college.
- BCP. Biology, chemistry and physics courses only.
- Science. BCP plus other science courses, such as math and statistics.
AADSAS has its own list of which courses count under which subject, and it may not match your college's departments. If a course could go either way, check how AADSAS classifies it before you count on it.
Quarter hours
If one of your schools used quarter hours, AADSAS converts them to semester hours. One quarter hour counts as 0.667 of a semester hour. Cyclo works in semester hours today, so convert quarter-hour courses before you enter them.
Your official GPA
Your official GPA is the one AADSAS reports after it verifies your transcripts. Nothing you calculate yourself, here or anywhere else, replaces it.
Cyclo applies the rules on this page as closely as it can, so you can see roughly where you stand before you submit, and what a retake or next semester's grades would do. You can try it on a sample student in the demo: her record has a retake, a withdrawal and transfer credits.
Where this comes from. AADSAS publishes its GPA rules in the ADEA AADSAS Applicant Help Center, and that is the place to confirm anything on this page. Rules can change from one cycle to the next. Cyclo is independent and is not affiliated with ADEA or AADSAS.