MCAT Fundamentals

We realize that taking the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is one of the most anxiety provoking parts of the medical school admissions process for many applicants. After years of study, focus, and commitment, time spent on extracurricular and scholarly pursuits, it is stressful to think that your success may hinge on your MCAT score. You may be wondering:

• What MCAT score do I need to get into medical school?
• What is a good, or "good enough," MCAT score?
• I have one MCAT score? Should I retake the MCAT?

Because many medical schools consider the MCAT score the most important objective criteria of your med school application, you should use every strategy to take the MCAT as few times as possible to earn the highest score (ideally on your first or second attempt).

While your GPA is also extremely important, the MCAT is the only measure medical schools can use to compare you objectively to other applicants. In recent years, we have seem medical schools put greater emphasis on an applicant's MCAT score versus the GPA since many colleges have inflated grading systems and GPAs across student profiles are more homogeneous than they used to be.

Earning the highest MCAT score possible or one near the average MCAT scores for accepted students at your target medical schools should be your goal. Learn the medical school admissions statistics including average MCAT scores and average GPA for all United States medical schools.

What are the MCAT Sections?

There are four sections on the MCAT and you will receive an individual score for each section.

The four MCAT sections are:

1. Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
   This section tests knowledge of biologic and biochemical concepts as well as the ability to apply analytical, scientific inquiry, reasoning, and statistics skills to solve problems.
2. Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
   This section tests knowledge of chemical and physical sciences and, as in section 1, the ability to apply analytical, scientific inquiry, reasoning ,and statistics to solve problems.
   
   Sections 1 & 2 are collectively referred to as the natural sciences. Prerequisites for these sections are: introductory biology, biochemistry (one semester only), inorganic (general) chemistry, organic chemistry & physics.
3. Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
   This section tests knowledge of psychology and sociology along with some basic biologic principles. These subjects reflect the importance of social and behavioral determinants of health in the practice of medicine. Like the other sections, it tests the ability to apply analytical, scientific inquiry, reasoning ,and statistics to solve problems.
4. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
   This section does not test a specific knowledge base or subjects. Instead, it evaluates the critical analysis and scientific reasoning skills required of medical students and physicians. This section covers topics such as ethics, population health, philosophy, and cross-cultural studies. This section is similar to reading comprehension sections on other types of standardized exams with passages based on the humanities and social sciences.

How is the MCAT Scored?

Your MCAT score is based on the number of correct answers you achieve on the MCAT. Wrong and unanswered questions are scored the same way so there is no penalty for guessing.

The number or correct scores on each section is then converted to a scale of 118 – 132. The MCAT is not graded on a curve.

You will also receive a percentile rank for each MCAT section and your total score to see how you compare to other test takers.

MCAT Score Report

Understanding the components of your MCAT score report is not only important for you personally, but also because this is the same information that admissions committees will be using to evaluate your readiness for success in the medical school curricula.

What are the MCAT Section Score Ranges?

What is the Total MCAT Score Range?

The total MCAT score range is 472-528 with 500 as this midpoint of this range.

The total MCAT score is the sum of the four section scores

The MCAT is not scored on a curve and admissions committees only use the scaled section and overall scores during the admissions process. Medical schools will not consider your overall percentile in the admissions process; they will only use your scaled scores.

What is the Highest MCAT Score?

The highest score you can earn on the MCAT is a 528 with a 132 on each of the four MCAT sections.

RELATED: Getting into a Top 20 Medical School

RELATED: Ivy League Medical Schools: How to Get In

RELATED: Osteopathic Medical Schools: Top 10 Statistics

What is a Good MCAT Score?

A good MCAT score is a 512 or above with no section score below 127.

However, a "good" MCAT score will vary from applicant to applicant which is especially important because medical school applicants are evaluated holistically.

To be the safest, we suggest students aim to be in the 75th percentile for the school you want to apply to most.

For example, a student who wants to attend The Perelman School of Medicine should aim for a score that is close to the 75th percentile for accepted applicants: 524.

A student aiming to get in to Rosalind Franklin, should aim for a score close to 516 to be "safe" which is the 75th percentile for accepted applicants.

An MCAT of 512 or above makes you a competitive applicant for both allopathic and osteopathic medical schools assuming other aspects of your candidacy are also strong.

An MCAT of 515, which will place you in the 91st percentile of all test takers in 2026, or above will make you a much more competitive applicant.

A score over 517, the 94th percentile in 2026, should nearly guarantee admission. Although, consider that 17.4% of applicants with scores over 517 and with a GPA of 3.79 or higher were not accepted to medical school based on aggregate data from 2022-2025. This is evidence that great metrics alone will not get you accepted to medical school!

 

What Factors Determine a "Good MCAT Score?"

When we are consider what a "good MCAT score" is for any given student there are many factors we consider including:

• State residency

The average MCAT score for certain state schools can have much lower average MCAT scores for in state matriculants. This is why, when advising students, we inquire about state residency and the student's goals to attend medical school in state or out of state..

• Ethnicity

Depending on your ethnic group, the average MCAT score could be higher or lower than the overall average MCAT of 511.7. Some ethnicities have much higher average MCAT scores while others have lower average scores.

READ: Medical School Acceptance Rates MCAT/GPA, Major, and Race

• Future goals

Not every student aims to attend a selective medical school so we offer guidance based on a student's future aspirations. However, your ideal MCAT score should be aligned with the average MCAT scores for accepted applicants at your target medical schools.

For example, the average MCAT for students at Columbia Medical School is 520, however, the average MCAT for UT Southwestern Medical School is 515. Columbia matriculates most students from out of state while UT Southwestern accepts the majority of students from Texas. 

Therefore you need to be realistic of the medical schools for which you are competitive based on your MCAT score. Admissions committees also consider your MCAT score within the context of your entire application and profile. For example, if you are an applicant that has overcome tremendous adversity, a lower MCAT score might be easier to overcome.

Or, if you have exceptional achievements (as documented in your personal statement and AMCAS work and activities entries) as well as stellar letters of recommendation and a high GPA, your MCAT may not need to be stellar.

This year alone, MedEdits students have been accepted to allopathic medical schools with MCAT scores as low as 508. We even had one student accepted who had never taken the MCAT. Another student was accepted to a top 10 medical school with an average MCAT of 510. There are many variables that can impact a candidate's strength and attributes.

Medical School Acceptance Rates Based on MCAT Score

Keep in mind that a great MCAT score will not guarantee your admission to medical school. To illustrate, let's consider the aggregated acceptance rates for applicants by MCAT score as reported by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

RELATED ARTICLE: EASIEST MEDICAL SCHOOLS TO GET INTO AND WHERE TO APPLY

Now you are likely asking,

Where Should I Apply to Medical School Based on my MCAT Score?

These are very general guidelines about where to apply based on your MCAT score and assuming your GPA is a 3.5 or above. These suggestions might change depending on your state residence, ethnicity, disadvantaged status, and other factors.

• MCAT of 505 or below: Consider applying to your state allopathic medical schools and osteopathic medical schools.
• MCAT score ranges of 506 – 509: Apply to your state medical schools. Apply to a handful of additional allopathic medical schools and 15 – 20 osteopathic medical schools.
• MCAT score ranges of 510 – 514: Apply to your state medical schools and 25 – 30 carefully selected allopathic medical schools. Consider, depending on other factors in your profile, applying to a few top-tier osteopathic medical schools.
• MCAT of 514 or higher: Apply to your state medical schools and 25 allopathic medical schools. The higher your MCAT, the more selective your school list should be.

Keep in mind that these are very general recommendations. Our recommendations to an individual student can vary tremendously from these parameters when we consider other factors.

Final Thoughts

Your MCAT represents only one factor in your medical school candidacy, but, it is a very important one! Medical schools will often screen applications based on GPA and scores, however, many do view applications holistically with the MCAT score being only one piece of that overall picture when applying to MD programs. It is important to only take the MCAT when you are ready, devoting a minimum of three months of study. Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I study for the MCAT?

When students ask me how to prepare, I first ask them, "How did you prepare for the SAT or ACT and what worked?" At this point, most students know their weaknesses and have an idea of how they learn best. The material that is tested is typically covered in undergraduate courses. How best to prepare will vary from applicant to applicant and there is no one right way.

MCAT Prep

Here are some MCAT prep possibilities:

• Review on your own. If you are a good self- studier and have excellent time management and organizational skills, buying or borrowing review books and studying on your own could be a good option. Many excellent review books are available if you need to supplement what you have learned in your prerequisite courses. Many students have the discipline to self-study and incorporate the AAMC practice tests in their study plan (see below). Khan Academy has some excellent prep materials that were made with the AAMC. And, the are free!
• Commercial prep course. Most often, students prepare for the exam by enrolling in MCAT review courses, which are either live or online. These courses do not vary tremendously in quality and their effectiveness depends on each individual teacher's talent, which is often difficult to assess before a course. But whatever the effectiveness of the course, taking it forces a student to stay on schedule and create a study plan, which in itself has value. In my experience, these courses sometimes offer initial "diagnostic tests," which tend to "underscore" applicants and then offer "simulated tests," which "overscore" applicants. I am not sure why testing companies use this strategy, but perhaps they are trying to make applicants nervous initially to motivate them to study and then to boost students' confidence before test day. Regardless, evaluate your performance on commercial practice tests with a grain of salt and place a higher value on your AAMC practice test performance (see below).
• Private tutoring. Private tutors are becoming more common. It might be beneficial to seek out a talented tutor for "problem spots" if you need some intensive study for certain areas. For some applicants, private tutoring for every section might be a possible and expensive option.
• Online resources. There are many online resources and question banks available at this point. Before signing up for one, be sure to speak with multiple students who have used the resources and scored well.
• Study plan. Regardless of how you prepare, it is essential to have an organized study plan to ensure you get through all of the material before the exam. As mentioned, I recommend that students take at least three months to study for the MCAT®. Being well prepared for the MCAT® is essential, and required preparation time will vary from student to student. Be honest with yourself and devote the time you need to do well on the exam even if this means postponing your planned application year.
• Practice tests. The AAMC offers practice tests for applicants. I recommend that applicants take all of these tests by incorporating them into their study schedules. Performance on these tests is the most accurate predictor of how a student will perform on test day. Go to the AAMC store to order practice tests.
• AAMC resources. The AAMC provides many resources for applicants as they prepare for the MCAT, including a portal of resources offered by undergraduate university professors. In addition, in collaboration with Khan Academy and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the AAMC offers free lectures and tutorials to help students prepare.

For how long should I study for the MCAT?

Most test takers study for the MCAT for at least three months, but, this will in part depend on how you are performing on practice tests. How you study is also an individual choice and will depend on your exam history and how you have successfully prepared for past standardized test.

If I underperform on one MCAT section, will it negatively impact my chances?

As we tell our applicants, underperforming on the CARS section of the MCAT can be forgiven, especially if you earned high scores in the three science sections. This is a common pattern with our students when they apply to medical school which makes sense since many medical school applicants are more gifted in the sciences and math. Underperforming on a science section, however, can hurt you. Your cumulative score matters most.

How many times can I take the MCAT?

Below are the rules on how many times you can take the MCAT:

• In a single testing year, you can take the MCAT exam up to three times.
• In a two year consecutive period, you can take the MCAT exam up to four times.
• In your lifetime, you can take the MCAT exam up to seven times.
• Voids and no-shows count toward your lifetime limits.
• You can only be registered for one MCAT seat at a time.

Should I retake the MCAT?

Many students ask if they should retake the MCAT. The answer to this question in part depends on your goals. If, for example, you earned a 506 on the MCAT and you want to attend an osteopathic medical school, there is little need for a retake. However, if your goal is to attend an allopathic medical school, MedEdits would likely suggest retaking the exam after determining what you need to do to improve.

The other reason a student should retake the MCAT is if he or she underperformed for a reason that is easy to identify. Were you sick on test day? Were there stressful exam center circumstances that negatively impacted your test performance? Did you have extreme test anxiety that wasn't treated or addressed? Were there things going on in your personal life that distracted you?

Sometimes a student may reflexively retake the MCAT when he earns a score below his target goal. However, without identifying what went wrong on test day, or what needs to be done to improve the score, a fast retake rarely results in a significantly increased score. We usually suggest a minimum of a three month interval between exams unless there are extenuating exam day circumstances as described above.

Which Medical Schools have the Highest Average MCAT Scores?

What are some of the highest average MCAT scores for American medical colleges?

Which Medical Schools have the Lowest Average MCAT Scores?

Understanding a medical school's average scores will help you determine your competitiveness for that school.

What are some of the lowest average MCAT scores for American medical colleges?

How do medical schools look at multiple MCAT scores?

Medical schools are accustomed to seeing multiple MCAT scores on an application. While some medical schools claim to average multiple MCAT scores or only look at the highest combined score, we find this is rarely the case. Medical schools will see all of your MCAT attempts and results. Three common exam patterns are described below:

One exam pattern we often see is the "outlier." This student takes the exam two times or more earning lower scores. She then takes the MCAT one last time and bumps her score. The more "low scores" you have on your exam profile, the more likely your one higher score might be interpreted as an outlier. This is a typical "outlier" exam profile: 503, 504, 512.

The other profile we sometimes see is the "creeper." This student takes the exam multiple times and slowly creeps up. In this profile, the exam scores are likely to be averaged. This is a typical "creeper" exam profile: 505, 507, 509, 512.

The profile we like to see the most is the "learner" profile. In this profile, the student takes the MCAT twice. She doesn't do as well as she wants on the first exam, waits a few months to figure out what she has to do to improve, and then bumps that score by at least 3 points. A typical "learner" MCAT exam profile is: 508, 514. This is an ideal exam profile.

READ: Should I Retake the MCAT?