Introduction
Applying to medical school is a competitive process that requires careful planning and preparation. One important aspect of the application is calculating your GPA and converting your quarter grades to semester hours. The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) uses semester hours to calculate your GPA, so it’s important to understand how to make this conversion.
What is a Quarter Hour?
A quarter hour is a unit of academic credit that is typically earned in a quarter-long course. Quarter hours are most commonly used in the United States, while semester hours are used in most other countries. One quarter hour is equivalent to 10 contact hours of instruction.
What is a Semester Hour?
A semester hour is a unit of academic credit that is typically earned in a semester-long course. Semester hours are most commonly used in most countries outside the United States, while quarter hours are used in the United States. One semester hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of instruction.
Converting Quarter Hours to Semester Hours
To convert quarter hours to semester hours, you need to multiply the number of quarter hours by 2/3. For example, if you have earned 12 quarter hours in a course, you would convert this to 8 semester hours (12 x 2/3 = 8).
AMCAS GPA Calculation
AMCAS uses semester hours to calculate your GPA. This means that if you have taken courses in both quarter and semester systems, you will need to convert your quarter hours to semester hours before you can calculate your GPA.
To calculate your AMCAS GPA, you will need to:
- Convert all of your quarter hours to semester hours using the formula above.
- Add up all of your semester hours earned.
- Multiply your total semester hours by your grade point average (GPA) for each course.
- Add up all of the products from step 3.
- Divide the sum from step 4 by the total number of semester hours earned.
Example
Let’s say you have taken the following courses:
- English 101: 4 quarter hours, A
- Math 101: 3 quarter hours, B+
- History 101: 5 quarter hours, C+
- Science 101: 6 quarter hours, B
To calculate your AMCAS GPA, you would first need to convert your quarter hours to semester hours:
- English 101: 4 quarter hours x 2/3 = 2.67 semester hours
- Math 101: 3 quarter hours x 2/3 = 2 semester hours
- History 101: 5 quarter hours x 2/3 = 3.33 semester hours
- Science 101: 6 quarter hours x 2/3 = 4 semester hours
Next, you would add up all of your semester hours earned:
2.67 + 2 + 3.33 + 4 = 12 semester hours
Then, you would multiply your total semester hours by your GPA for each course:
- English 101: 2.67 semester hours x 4.0 GPA = 10.68
- Math 101: 2 semester hours x 3.5 GPA = 7
- History 101: 3.33 semester hours x 2.5 GPA = 8.33
- Science 101: 4 semester hours x 3.0 GPA = 12
Next, you would add up all of the products from step 3:
10.68 + 7 + 8.33 + 12 = 38.01
Finally, you would divide the sum from step 4 by the total number of semester hours earned:
38.01 / 12 = 3.17
Your AMCAS GPA would be 3.17.
Why Convert Quarter Hours to Semester Hours?
There are several reasons why you might need to convert quarter hours to semester hours. These include:
- Applying to medical school: AMCAS uses semester hours to calculate your GPA, so you will need to convert your quarter hours to semester hours if you are applying to medical school.
- Transferring to a different school: If you are planning to transfer to a different school, you may need to convert your quarter hours to semester hours so that your credits can be transferred.
- Applying for scholarships: Some scholarships require you to have a certain number of semester hours to be eligible.
How to Convert Quarter Hours to Semester Hours
There are several ways to convert quarter hours to semester hours. These include:
- Using a conversion table: There are several conversion tables available online that can help you convert quarter hours to semester hours.
- Contacting your school’s registrar: Your school’s registrar can help you convert your quarter hours to semester hours.
- Using a calculator: You can use a calculator to convert quarter hours to semester hours by multiplying the number of quarter hours by 2/3.
Conclusion
Converting quarter hours to semester hours is a simple process that can be done using a variety of methods. By understanding how to make this conversion, you can ensure that your GPA is calculated correctly and that you are able to apply to medical school and other programs that require semester hours.
FAQs
1. How many quarter hours are in a semester hour?
One semester hour is equivalent to 1.5 quarter hours.
2. How many semester hours are in a quarter hour?
One quarter hour is equivalent to 0.67 semester hours.
3. How do I convert quarter hours to semester hours?
To convert quarter hours to semester hours, multiply the number of quarter hours by 2/3.
4. How do I convert semester hours to quarter hours?
To convert semester hours to quarter hours, multiply the number of semester hours by 1.5.
5. Why do medical schools use semester hours?
Medical schools use semester hours to calculate your GPA because semester hours are the standard unit of academic credit in most countries.
6. Can I use quarter hours to apply to medical school?
You can use quarter hours to apply to medical school, but you will need to convert them to semester hours before your GPA can be calculated.
