What Is a Good MCAT® Score?

A good MCAT score is about 510 or higher, but “good” is relative. You should always check the average MCAT scores of the students accepted to your preferred medical schools. For example, the average MCAT score among Harvard Medical School’s Class of 2028 was 520.
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Pre-med student checking her MCAT score

Medical School Acceptance Rates by MCAT Score

To help you determine the MCAT score you need to get accepted into medical school, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) keeps a chart of acceptance rates to U.S. M.D.-granting medical schools by MCAT score and GPA. Below, we’ve parsed out GPA data and provided a quick look at acceptance rates by MCAT score.

MCAT Score  Acceptance Rate for
All Applicants
<  486 0.7%
486-489 1.3%
490-493 3.6%
494-497 11.6%
498-501 20.9%
502-505 31.9%
506-509 41.7%
510-513 57.1%
514-517 68.0%
> 517 78.1%

Source: AAMC Matriculation Rates

How Is the MCAT Scored?

MCAT scores range from 472 to 528. This final score is determined by adding your four MCAT section scores, which range from 118 to 132. This means that the 50th percentile (where approximately 50% of students achieve this score or less) is usually around 125 per section or 500 total.

MCAT score range by section and total score]

MCAT Question Weights

All questions in each section are weighed equally, and there is no penalty for guessing incorrectly. Your raw score is determined only by the number of correct answers you submit in each section. As a result, you should submit your best guess if you don’t know the answer to a question, and select an answer for all remaining questions if you find yourself short on time.

MCAT Raw Score to Scaled Score

Your MCAT score is determined using the AAMC’s scaled score system. This method converts your raw score into a scaled score that takes into account any differences in difficulty between administered exam forms. The purpose is to create a more stable, accurate assessment of your performance compared to strictly raw scores.

MCAT Raw Score Conversion

There is no official MCAT raw score conversion chart. Any such charts available online are estimates. The AAMC only offers scaled scores because of the difficulty variations between exam forms. We offer percentile rank indicators that display your level of preparedness compared to other UWorld MCAT users.

MCAT Score Report

After you complete the MCAT, you will receive a report consisting of scores, confidence bands, percentile ranks, and score profiles for each section of the exam, as well as your total results. Your percentile ranks are simply based on your scores. The confidence bands, however, estimate your performance by taking into account the margin of error in score accuracy between exam forms. Section score bands vary by 1 point, while the total score band varies by 2 points. Your score profiles display your confidence bands over each section’s score range.

Example MCAT score report by section and total score
Your white coat is closer than you think with a UWorld MCAT® trial.
Your white coat is closer than you think with a UWorld MCAT® trial.

MCAT Percentiles by Score

Every year on May 1, the AAMC updates its MCAT percentile ranks based on scores over the past 3 years. This technique balances long-term scoring trends with year-to-year fluctuations for stable results.

MCAT percentile ranking chart

MCAT Total Score Percentile Ranks

Total
Score		 Percentile
Rank		 Total
Score		 Percentile
Rank		 Total
Score		 Percentile
Rank
472 < 1 491 22 510 79
473 < 1 492 25 511 82
474 < 1 493 27 512 84
475 1 494 30 513 87
476 1 495 33 514 89
477 2 496 36 515 91
478 2 497 39 516 92
479 3 498 42 517 94
480 4 499 45 518 95
481 5 500 48 519 96
482 6 501 51 520 97
483 7 502 54 521 98
484 9 503 58 522 99
485 10 504 61 523 99
486 12 505 64 524 100
487 14 506 67 525 100
488 16 507 70 526 100
489 18 508 73 527 100
490 20 509 76 528 100

MCAT Section Score Percentile Ranks

Section Score Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
118 2 1 2 1
119 4 3 4 2
120 9 8 8 5
121 16 15 14 10
122 24 25 23 16
123 34 36 31 24
124 46 49 42 33
125 56 61 53 43
126 67 73 64 54
127 77 83 75 65
128 85 90 83 76
129 92 95 90 85
130 96 98 96 93
131 99 99 98 97
132 100 100 100 100

Understanding your MCAT score is crucial, but improving it requires targeted preparation. Practicing with MCAT sample questions can help you identify areas for improvement and boost your confidence.

Receiving and Sending Your MCAT Score

When you receive your MCAT score, it is automatically released to the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®). This eliminates a step in your application process, but means you cannot withhold your score. You can also send your MCAT score to other centralized application services – including the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS), Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA), Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS), etc. – or individual institutions through the AAMC’s Score Reporting System, or by mailing your official score report.

MCAT Rescore Request

The AAMC’s scoring verification measures are rigorous, meaning errors in the scoring process are very rare; however, you may submit a rescore request within 30 calendar days of your score release date for a fee of $80. Your answers will then be independently rescored by hand to verify accuracy. You will receive a confirmation of your scaled score within three weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The MCAT is not scored on a curve, but it is graded using scaled scoring. Scaled scoring is a process by which your raw score (total correct answers) is weighted based on your specific exam form’s difficulty. This results in more accurate examinee performance comparisons.
The highest possible MCAT score is 528. To achieve a perfect score, you need to score 132 on each of the exam’s four sections.
The average MCAT score is 506.3 for applicants and 511.7 for matriculants (based on 2023 to 2024 data). Average scores for applicants by section are CPBS: 126.4, CARS: 125.8, BBLS: 126.6, and PSBB: 127.4. Average scores for matriculants by section are CPBS: 127.8, CARS: 127.0, BBLS: 128.1, and PSBB: 128.9.
MCAT scores are released approximately 30 to 35 days after your test date, and will be available by 5:00 p.m. EST on your exam date’s listed score release date.
MCAT scores are typically valid for 2-3 years, depending on which medical schools you intend to apply to. It’s recommended to check with your preferred schools’ admissions requirements in advance.

MCAT Test Dates & Score Release Dates

View the latest MCAT testing calendar for your country, including registration deadlines and score release dates based on when you take the exam.

MCAT Registration Guide

Learn about the MCAT registration and scheduling process, including suggested prerequisites, rescheduling information, and various costs and fees.

About the MCAT Exam

Learn everything you need to know about the MCAT exam. We’ll walk you through what it is, when to take it, what it covers, its format, and how you should prepare.

MCAT Subjects & Sections

Develop an in-depth understanding of all 7 topics covered on the MCAT, such as sociology and psychology, chemistry, physics, bio, and CARS.

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