What is a good MCAT score? (2024)

Your raw score is the number of questions you answer correctly out of 59 in the Science sections and out of 53 in the CARS section. Your raw score is converted to a scaled score from 118 (lowest) to 132 (highest), with a median score of 125, in each section. Scores for the four sections are combined to create a scaled total score ranging from 472 (lowest) to 528 (highest), with a median score of 500. Your percentile rank is the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or below your score in each section and on the test as a whole.

Your scaled section scores and scaled total score are the most important in the admissions process.

Other basic facts about MCAT scoring include:

• All questions are weighted equally so easy questions are worth the same as difficult ones.
• There is no deduction for incorrect answers so there is no penalty for guessing.
• Questions are in random order of difficultly. The MCAT is not a computer?adaptive test like the GMAT that adjusts the difficulty level of questions based on how you answered previous questions.
• There may be some experimental questions that do not count toward your score. They do, however, count against the clock. Unfortunately, there is no way to know which questions, if any, are experimental. It does, however, provide some comfort when guessing on a difficult question to know that it may not count.

Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to this simple question.

First, “good” should be replaced by “competitive”. What really matters is whether a given score will help or hurt your chances of admission to your target medical schools. And “score” should be changed to “scores” to convey the importance of section scores in addition to total score. Your MCAT performance is sometimes only as strong as your weakest section score.

Second, the MCAT is only one of many factors considered by admission committees. Whether a given set of scores is competitive depends on the strength or weakness of the entirety of your application.

Third, there is tremendous variation in how medical schools use MCAT scores. Some medical schools only use MCAT scores at the first stage of the admission process as a cut-off to reduce the pool of applicants. Other medical schools use MCAT scores at every stage of the admission process: who to consider, who to interview and, ultimately, who to accept.

Fourth, medical schools have very different standards when it comes to MCAT scores deemed worthy of admission. MCAT scores that don’t even meet the minimum for consideration at one medical school may be highly competitive at another medical school.

Recall that the MCAT scores range from 472 to 528, with a mean score of 500. In 2019-20 the average score of applicants to medical school was 506.1 (61^st percentile). The average score of applicants accepted by medical schools was 511.5 (83^rd percentile) [source]. In terms of test sections, the average scores of accepted applicants in 2019-20 was 127.8 (83^rd percentile) for Physical Sciences, 127 (82^nd percentile) for CARS, 128.1 (83^rd percentile) for Biological Sciences and 128.6 (84^th percentile) for Behavioral Sciences.

However, these global numbers obscure a LOT of underlying variability among medical schools. The AAMC helpfully publishes a correlation between scaled scores and percentile ranks that can be used to divide scores into tiers of competitiveness:

Top 10% = Competitive at all medical schools

• Total Score: 515-528
• Physical Sciences: 129-132
• CARS: 128-132
• Biological Sciences: 129-132
• Behavioral Sciences: 129-132ETTER MCAT SCORES: 75th Percentile

Top 25% = Competitive at most medical schools

• Total Score: 509-514
• Physical Sciences: 127-128
• CARS: 127-128
• Biological Sciences: 127-128
• Behavioral Sciences: 128D MCAT SCORES: 50th Percentile

Top 50% = Competitive at some medical schools

• Total Score: 501-508
• Physical Sciences: 125-126
• CARS:124-126
• Biological Sciences:125-126
• Behavioral Sciences:126-127

It’s not just about total score. Medical schools look much more favourably on balanced section scores than on lopsided section scores. For example, a 508 comprised of 127/127/127/127 is more competitive than a 508 comprised of 131/123/130/124 – especially if a low section score is on the wrong side of a cut-off and eliminates you from consideration. The Score Report even includes a Score Profile graph that displays the pattern of your section scores in relation to the midpoint of 125. In the example below, the CARS score on the second row is conspicuously low and might be a red flag for some admissions committees.

The chart in the previous section looked at the competitiveness of MCAT scores in isolation from the rest of your application. Whether you are actually competitive depends on many other factors such as:

1. GPA. Your MCAT scores are important but your GPA is the most important data point in the medical school admissions process. If yourGPAis low for your target medical schools, you’ll need higher MCAT scores to be competitive. If your GPA is high for your target medical schools, you’ll need lower MCAT scores to be competitive. In 2019-20, the average GPA of applicants accepted to medical school was 3.73 out of 4 [source]. (Note that many medical schools use adjusted GPAs that diminish the negative effects of a bad course or even a bad year.) The AAMC publishes a very useful grid of the admission prospects of different combinations of GPA and MCAT scores.
2. Residency. Where you live can have a big impact on your admission prospects. Many medical schools have more lenient admission criteria and lower tuition fees for state/provincial residents. The expectation is that you are more likely to stick around and contribute to the state/provincial healthcare system after graduation.
3. Target medical schools. Simply put, a “good” MCAT score is one that approximates the score of accepted applicants at your target medical schools. The AAMC maintains an online database called Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) with admission information about U.S. and Canadian medical schools – including the average GPA and MCAT scores of accepted applicants to each medical school. The websites of medical schools also have informative sections on admission criteria including such info as GPA/MCAT cut-offs, use of MCAT scores, GPA adjustments, treatment of multiple MCAT scores, etc.
4. Overall Application. Medical schools use a holistic approach to assess applicants. They are seeking the “complete package” and weak MCAT scores can sometimes be offset by strengths in other areas: extracurricular activities, undergraduate coursework, letters of recommendation, personal statement, etc. And final acceptance depends heavily on your interview performance.

In sum, your MCAT scores can have a positive, negative, or neutral effect on your admission prospects and your target scores will depend on other factors. A high GPA and strong application means you can get away with lower MCAT scores. A low GPA and weak application, however, means you’ll need higher MCAT scores to be competitive. As a general rule, a high GPA can offset low MCAT scores more effectively than high MCAT scores can offset a low GPA.

No. Perfection is NOT required to obtain a competitive score in any MCAT section. In fact, striving to get the correct answer for every question is counter-productive. Perfectionists get repeatedly bogged down by difficult questions and run out of time. Top-scoring MCAT test-takers are not perfectionists. They are adroit tacticians who recognize when to make an educated guess and move on to the easier questions.

In the Science sections with 59 questions, you can usually get:

• 5 wrong answers (92% accuracy) and score 130-131 (top 5%)
• 10 wrong answers (83% accuracy) and score 129-130 (top 10%)
• 15 wrong answers (75% accuracy) and score 126-128 (126 = top 50%, 127-128 = top 25%)

In the CARS section with 53 questions, you can usually get:

• 5 wrong answers (90% accuracy) and score 130 (top 5%)
• 10 wrong answers (83% accuracy) and score 127-128 (top 25%)
• 15 wrong answers (72% accuracy) and score 125 (top 50%)

Note the emphasis on “usually”. Variations in difficulty between test versions make it tricky to say anything definitive about raw scores. On the other hand, the AAMC says the variations are slight. And we are using raw scores only to make the general point that you shouldn’t aim for perfection to accomplish competitive scores.

Many students take the MCAT more than once to achieve higher scores. Retakes are not frowned upon by medical schools. If anything, retaking the MCAT is commendable as it shows your unwavering commitment to doing whatever it takes to become a physician.

Retaking is only advisable if the gap is bridgeable – that is, your target score is within reach. If your target score is 510 and you scored 507 on your first take, it’s realistic to think that a retake might yield those 3 extra points. If, however, you scored 501 on your first take, your target score of 510 is probably unreachable on a retake unless your first take did not represent your true abilities for some reason (see below).

There are some limits on retakes set by the AAMC. You can take the MCAT up to:

• three times in one calendar year
• four times in two consecutive years
• seven times in a lifetime

Before you decide to retake the MCAT you should contact your target medical schools and inquire how they treat multiple MCAT scores. Different medical schools will consider:

• your highest score (retake may help)
• your most recent score (retake may help or hurt)
• your average score (retake unlikely to have much impact)
• all your scores but give more weight to most recent score or highest score (retake may help)
• all your scores but give credit for pattern of improvement (retake may help)
• all your scores but “super-score” the highest section scores (retake may help)

You should also ask yourself these three questions:

1. Do you need higher MCAT scores?
2. Do you have good reasons to believe you can achieve higher MCAT scores?
3. Do you have a realistic plan to ensure you will achieve higher MCAT scores?

You may need higher MCAT scores if:

• Your scores are not competitive. If your combined GPA and MCAT scores are considerably lower than those of accepted students at your target medical schools and there’s nothing extraordinary in the rest of your application, a retake is worth serious consideration.
• Your section scores are not balanced. If your total score is competitive but one of your section scores is below the minimum for consideration at your target school or stands out as a red flag, a retake may be necessary. This most commonly happens with a low CARS score because this section is such unfamiliar territory for most test-takers.

You may reasonably conclude you can achieve higher scores if:

• You didn’t prepare enough. If you didn’t study and practice as much as you should have for your first take, there’s a good chance you`ll improve your scores on a retake.
• Life got in the way. If you were ill or distracted by personal challenges around your test date, you likely didn’t perform at your best and you may want to retake the exam.
• You lost your cool. The MCAT is unquestionably very stressful and if your clarity of thought was disrupted by nervousness, you probably didn`t maximize your scores.
• You did better on practice tests. If your scores on full-length practice tests (especially AAMC tests considered most predictive of MCAT scores) under timed conditions were consistently higher than your actual scores, then another crack at the MCAT might be a good idea.

You may reasonably conclude you will achieve higher scores if:

• You know what went wrong. You have a solid understanding of what caused you to underperform (e.g., poor time management) on your first take.
• You know how to fix it. You have a realistic plan of action to fix what capsized your first take (e.g., daily time management drills) and produce higher scores this time.
• You have the requisite time, energy and willpower. None of this will matter if you can`t fully commit to following through on your plan of action. You have to be honest with yourself as to whether you can and will do what is necessary to achieve higher scores on a retake.

You should not retake the MCAT if:

• You scored a balanced 515 or higher. Well done! This puts you in the top 10% of test-takers and is a competitive score for all medical schools.
• Your scores work for your target schools. Simply put, your MCAT scores are “good enough” if they are close to the average scores of accepted applicants at your target medical schools.
• You thoroughly prepared and the results are not surprising. If you put your full effort into studying and practicing and your actual scores are consistent with your scores on full-length AAMC practice tests, you are unlikely to score higher on a retake.
• You don’t have the plan, time, energy, or willpower to fix what went wrong on your previous take. If you are missing any one of these necessary ingredients to improve your performance, you are better off to make the best of your current scores.

Deciphering the information on your MCAT Score Reportwill help you decide whether to apply to your target medical schools or start prepping for another shot at the MCAT. While scaled total score dominates most conversations about MCAT scores, the Score Report includes other data points that are highly relevant to this decision.

Your Score Report will include your performance in each test section and the test as a whole reported in the form of:

• Scaled scores
• Confidence bands
• Percentile ranks

You will receive five scaled scores: one for each section (118-132) and one combined total score (472-528). In addition to ensuring your total score is competitive, it’s important to verify that your section scores are reasonably balanced (no red flags!) and all surpass the minimums for consideration, if any, at your target medical schools.

Confidence bands show what the test developers describe as the best estimate of your “true scores” – that is, the range of scores you would achieve if you took the exam again and again with the same level of preparation. Total scores are reported with a confidence band of plus or minus two points. Section scores are reported with confidence bands of plus or minus one point. The figure below shows a total score of 501 and its confidence band from 499 to 503.

The AAMC encourages admissions committees to consider the overlap between confidence bands when comparing scores from different applicants. The greater the overlap in confidence bands, the less meaning should be attributed to the difference between scores.

Percentile ranks show the percentage of test-takers who scored equal to or lower than your scores – that is, how you stack up against the competition. Percentile ranks are updated annually. The average MCAT score of accepted students has been incrementally going up in recent years – 510.4 in 2017-18 to 511.5 in 2020-21 – so comparing your percentile ranks to accepted students may shed more light on your competitiveness than relying solely on scores.

The Score Report also includes a Score Profile which displays your section scores – but not the test as a whole – in confidence bands and provides a concise depiction of patterns among your section scores.