Wondering what a good MCAT score is? A score of 510-511 is seen as competitive by most medical schools, while scores above 520 are considered exceptional. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of MCAT score ranges, percentiles, and what your MCAT score means for medical school admissions. If you are still preparing for the exam, check out our guide to MCAT prep for effective study strategies and resources.
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What is a Good MCAT Score?
A good MCAT score varies by medical school, but scores around 510-511 are generally viewed favorably at competitive MD programs. Strong applicants also tend to show balanced performance across sections, since uneven scores in one section may raise concerns even when the overall score is competitive.
MCAT Score Competitiveness
MCAT scores are only one part of the admissions process, alongside GPA, extracurricular activities, research, interviews, and school selection. For this reason, no single MCAT score guarantees admission. A score that is competitive at one medical school may fall below the average at another. At highly selective programs, for instance, accepted applicants often score well above the national averages.
Comparing your score with the averages reported by your target schools provides more useful context than focusing on a single national benchmark. Resources, like the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) database, allow you to compare applicant MCAT averages across individual schools.
Wondering what a good MCAT score is? Watch this video:
What MCAT Score Is Competitive?
For MD applicants, scores around 510-511 fall within the competitive range, while average matriculant scores at DO programs are lower. Scores around 515 are viewed favorably at selective institutions, whereas scores above 520 place applicants within the highest percentile ranges of MCAT test takers.
Applicants whose scores fall below their target schools’ averages often compensate with broader school lists or stronger supporting metrics, especially when applying to medical schools with low MCAT scores.
How is the MCAT Scored?
The MCAT contains four sections, each scored from 118 to 132, which combine to create a total MCAT score ranging from 472 to 528. Wrong answers and unanswered questions are scored the same way, so there is no additional penalty for guessing.
The AAMC converts raw scores into scaled MCAT scores through a process called equating, which compensates for minor differences in exam difficulty across testing dates. You can use an MCAT score calculator to estimate your scaled score ranges from practice exam performance before the official test.
On the MCAT score release date, applicants receive five MCAT scores: one scaled score for each section and 1 overall MCAT score. Percentile rankings provide additional context for interpreting scaled MCAT scores and are discussed in the next section.
MCAT Percentiles and Score Ranges
MCAT percentiles show how your score compares with other test takers, not the percentage of questions answered correctly. Higher MCAT score ranges correspond with higher percentile rankings and stronger competitiveness across medical schools.
Very Competitive MCAT Score Ranges: 515–528
Scores above 515 fall within the highest MCAT percentile ranges and are viewed favorably at selective medical schools. Scores above 520 may strengthen admissions positioning, especially at prestigious institutions or highly competitive programs. For some programs, a strong MCAT performance may partially offset weaker academic metrics during a holistic review. This score range also provides greater flexibility when building a school list.
Competitive MCAT Score Ranges: 511-514
Applicants scoring between 511 and 514 remain competitive across a broad range of MD programs and demonstrate strong academic readiness for medical school coursework. School-specific admissions averages provide better competitiveness context than national percentiles alone.
Mid-Range MCAT Scores: 502–510
Scores between 502 and 510 fall closer to average matriculant ranges and may limit competitiveness at highly selective institutions. For this reason, broader school selection often becomes important within this score range, particularly when learning how to choose a medical school.
Lower MCAT Scores: 501 and Below
Scores below 502 are less competitive at schools with higher MCAT expectations and may require stronger supporting metrics elsewhere in the application. Applicants with lower MCAT scores sometimes apply to medical schools that don't require MCAT or use different admissions priorities.
A 518 MCAT score, for example, typically falls around the 95th percentile, placing the score above approximately 95% of recent MCAT test takers. The AAMC updates percentile rankings regularly using recent testing data, so cross-reference your MCAT percentile with these updates to ensure accuracy.
Check out the list below to quickly find your MCAT percentile:
Applicants aiming to improve their scores can also review the infographic below on how to get a good MCAT score.
How Do Medical Schools Use MCAT Scores?
Some medical schools use MCAT scores as early screening tools, while others place greater emphasis on holistic review, MCAT section scores, or minimum score thresholds. Certain programs may prioritize CARS performance, for example, McMaster University, or subsection balance across the exam, making it important to review school-specific MCAT requirements before applying.
MSAR, official admissions websites, and our guide on how to get into medical school provide additional insight into how target programs evaluate MCAT performance.
What MCAT Score Do I Need for Harvard and Other Ivy League Medical Schools?
Applicants accepted to Harvard and other Ivy League medical schools usually score within the highest percentile ranges of test takers. Highly selective programs, however, evaluate more than total MCAT scores alone.
The table below provides a quick overview of reported MCAT averages at Harvard and other Ivy League medical schools. Our guide to Ivy League medical schools further explores admissions expectations, selectivity, and application strategies across these prestigious programs.
What MCAT Scores Are Competitive at Canadian Medical Schools?
Some Canadian medical schools prioritize CARS performance and evaluate individual section scores separately from total scores. Others use subsection cutoffs, minimum score requirements, or different evaluation standards for in-province and out-of-province applicants, for example, the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine. A few programs do not require the MCAT at all, making the treatment of MCAT scores in Canadian medical school admissions nuanced.
Because Canadian medical schools evaluate MCAT scores differently, reviewing subsection requirements early is important when building a school list. For a detailed breakdown of differences in admissions requirements, residency preferences, and MCAT policies across programs, refer to our guide on medical schools in Canada.
FAQs
1. Is 500 a Bad MCAT Score?
An MCAT score around 500 falls below the averages reported by many medical schools, although some applicants still apply strategically to programs with lower MCAT expectations, including certain Caribbean medical schools.
2. Should I Retake the MCAT?
Retaking the MCAT may be worthwhile if a previous score does not reflect consistent practice-test performance or limits the range of schools an applicant can realistically target. Our guide on retaking the MCAT outlines how applicants evaluate whether another attempt is likely to strengthen their application.
3. How Long Are MCAT Scores Valid?
MCAT score validity policies vary by medical school, and applicants should review each school’s latest and oldest accepted MCAT test dates. Applicants planning to delay medical school applications should review individual school requirements carefully, since some programs may not accept older MCAT results.
4. How Many Times Can You Take the MCAT?
According to the AAMC, applicants may take the MCAT up to three times in a single testing year, four times across two consecutive years, and seven times over a lifetime. Medical schools may evaluate multiple MCAT attempts differently, with some programs focusing primarily on the highest score and others reviewing overall score trends.
5. Do Medical Schools Look at MCAT Section Scores?
Some medical schools evaluate individual MCAT section scores in addition to total scores. Certain programs place greater emphasis on sections such as CARS, while others use subsection cutoffs during the admissions process. Reviewing school-specific admissions requirements can help applicants determine whether section performance may affect competitiveness
6. What Is the Highest MCAT Score Possible?
The highest possible MCAT score is 528, which represents a perfect score across all four exam sections. According to the AAMC, only a very small percentage of test takers achieve this score each year.
7. What is the Average MCAT Score for Medical School Applicants?
Average MCAT scores for applicants and matriculants change each admissions cycle slightly, with matriculating students typically scoring above the national testing average.
8. Do Medical Schools Accept Low MCAT Scores?
Some medical schools accept applicants with lower MCAT scores, particularly when other parts of the application demonstrate strong academic preparation, clinical experience, research involvement, or alignment with the school’s mission. Applicants with lower scores often improve admissions outcomes by applying strategically to schools whose admissions profiles align with their academic metrics.
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1 Comments
Anitha • 06/21/2021 11:16
Should our score match exactly with a school's median to have a chance at not being filtered out prior to secondaries?
Reply