PTCAS calculates a standardized set of grade point averages (GPAs) to help PT programs evaluate applicants using uniform criteria. PTCAS GPAs may differ from those calculated on your transcripts due to the grade standardization process. Programs may choose to use the PTCAS GPAs or calculate their own.
PTCAS GPAs Include…
- Courses from regionally accredited US colleges and universities only
- Repeated courses
- Study abroad courses, if reported on a US transcript
PTCAS GPAs Do Not Include…
- Foreign courses (including Canadian)
- Courses from non-regionally accredited institutions
- Advanced Placement (AP)
- CLEP
- Audit
- Deferred
- Institutional/Departmental Exam
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
- Incomplete
- Pass/Fail
- Withdrawn/withdrawn passing
- Withdrawn failing
Check Your PTCAS GPAs
Allow 4–5 weeks for PTCAS to calculate your GPAs once your file is complete. PTCAS will e-mail you once your coursework is verified and GPAs are calculated. Login to your application to view your GPAs. If you have questions about your GPAs, contact PTCAS customer support.
PTCAS Grade Scale
- A/A+ = 4.0
- A- = 3.7
- AB = 3.5
- B+ = 3.3
- B = 3.0
- B- = 2.7
- BC = 2.5
- C+ = 2.3
- C = 2.0
- C- = 1.7
- CD = 1.5
- D+ = 1.3
- D = 1.0
- D- = 0.7
- DE = 0.5
- F = 0.0
GPA Calculation Rules
Repeated courses are included in GPAs. All repeated courses are included, even if they are later repeated for a higher grade or excluded from the GPA on the transcript.
Failed courses are included in GPAs. All failed courses are included, even if they are later repeated for a higher grade or excluded from the GPA on the transcript.
If credits or grades are missing, courses are excluded from GPAs. PTCAS will not calculate GPAs by totaling grade values and dividing by the number of courses completed. PTCAS includes grades and credits from transcript where course was originally taken, regardless of transfer credit earned at other institutions. The only exception to this rule is study abroad coursework that transferred to a US institution with itemized credit and grades.
GPAs are calculated on a 4.0 semester-based system. Quarter hours are automatically converted to semester hours. Quarter Hours × .667 = semester hours.
Unit credits are converted to semester hours. Grade value is multiplied by semester credits.
Grade value (eg, "A"=4.0) x semester credits (eg, 3) = quality points (eg, 12).
Total quality points ÷ total credits attempted = PTCAS GPA
All credit hours are rounded to the tenths place.
PTCAS GPAs are rounded at the hundredths place.
PTCAS GPA Descriptions
- Overall Cumulative GPA includes all undergraduate, graduate, and professional courses.
- Undergraduate Cumulative GPA excludes any post-baccalaureate undergraduate courses.
- Graduate Cumulative GPA. If no graduate coursework, GPA is blank.
- GPA for Each Institution Attended may differ from the college or university transcript due to grade standardization process.
- Academic Status GPAs are based on a student's registration status at the time the courses were taken: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, graduate, and post-baccalaureate undergraduate.
- Upper-Division Course GPA includes junior and senior courses identified in the "course level" field of the coursework section.
- Science GPA includes anatomy and physiology in biology, biology, chemistry and physics courses.
- Combined Science and Math GPA includes all courses in the science GPA, plus math courses.
- Course Subject GPAs are calculated for every PTCAS course subject.
- Core PT Prerequisite GPA is based on the courses identified as core PT prerequisites by the applicant in the coursework section. Core PT prerequisites may differ from program-specific course requirements. PTCAS does not verify that applicants have properly matched a college course to the correct prerequisite.