{"id":101,"date":"2025-11-18T20:36:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T20:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=101"},"modified":"2026-02-26T23:43:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T23:43:51","slug":"whats-a-good-mcat-score","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/whats-a-good-mcat-score\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#039;s a Good MCAT Score? (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good MCAT score is a score of 511 or higher, which would put you in at least the 82nd percentile rank among all test takers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The average MCAT score is a score of 501, and a \u201cperfect\u201d MCAT score is the maximum score of 528.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Competitive medical schools prefer an even distribution of section scores, even if your overall MCAT score is high.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An MCAT score of 515 or higher is considered a top applicant score (91st percentile) and significantly increases your medical school acceptance rate.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good MCAT score is generally considered to be 511 or higher, with no section score below 127. The MCAT, also known as the Medical College Admission Test, is a computer-based standardized exam designed to assess your potential as a medical student and doctor. Earning a good MCAT score is crucial to gaining acceptance into a top medical school. There is no set passing score on the MCAT; therefore, understanding the different MCAT score ranges and which percentile you\u2019ve scored in will help you set realistic goals. This article breaks down the MCAT score ranges so you can see what a good MCAT score looks like and how it might impact your admittance into medical school.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>[<\/strong> <b>RELATED:\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\/mcat-test-dates\">2026 MCAT Test Dates and Score Releases<\/a> <strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n\t<div  style='background:#efefef;color:#ffffff;border-color:#efefef;' class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_hr  avia-builder-el-first '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><\/p>\n<p><div  class='avia-video avia-video-16-9   av-lazyload-immediate  av-lazyload-video-embed  '   itemprop=\"video\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\"  data-original_url='https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uXSWlCqb67Q' ><script type='text\/html' class='av-video-tmpl'><div class='avia-iframe-wrap'><iframe title=\"MCAT Tips: What&#039;s a Good MCAT Score? | Kaplan MCAT Prep\" width=\"1500\" height=\"844\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uXSWlCqb67Q?feature=oembed&autoplay=0&loop=0&controls=1&mute=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/script><div class='av-click-to-play-overlay'><div class=\"avia_playpause_icon\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><b>TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#MCATSCORED\">How is the MCAT scored?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#HIGHESTMCAT\">What is the highest MCAT score?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#SCORERANGES\">MCAT Score Ranges by Scoring Percentiles<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#SCOREBREAKDOWN\">MCAT Score Breakdown by Section<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#520\">Is 520 a good MCAT score?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#515\">Is 515 a good MCAT score?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#GOODSCORE\">How do you get a good MCAT score?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#TOPMEDSCHOOLS\">What MCAT score do you need for top medical schools?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#SCORESVALID\">How long are MCAT scores valid?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#SCORESTATS\">MCAT Score Statistics<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#PRACQUIZ\">MCAT Practice Quiz<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"MCATSCORED\"><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How is the MCAT scored?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your MCAT score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly. The MCAT is not graded on a curve; rather, it is scaled and equated so that scores have the same meaning no matter when you take the exam. Furthermore, there is no penalty for wrong answers, so it\u2019s important to answer all questions on the MCAT to maximize your score, even if you have to take an educated guess.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is how the MCAT is scored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC):<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The AAMC counts the number of questions you answered correctly in each of the four sections. There is no penalty for wrong or unanswered questions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The AAMC converts the number of correct questions you answered into scaled scores for each of the four sections.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The AAMC adds the scaled scores from each section to calculate your total scaled MCAT score, ranging from 472 (lowest) to 528 (highest).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, you will receive five scores for your MCAT exam: one scaled score for each of the four sections and one combined total scaled score.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>[ READ NEXT:<\/strong><\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-2\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s Tested on the MCAT?<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>]<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About MCAT Score Ranges<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each of the four sections of the MCAT is scored between 118 and 132. The total MCAT score range is between 472 to 528. Why such odd numbers? According to the AAMC, this scale emphasizes the importance of the central portion of the score distribution, where most students score (around 125 per section, added up to 500 total), rather than putting an undue focus on the high end of the scale.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn how to calculate your MCAT score by using the example below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-48600 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot-2025-08-01-150905.png\" alt=\"MCAT score calculator \" width=\"1153\" height=\"645\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note that per recent <a href=\"https:\/\/students-residents.aamc.org\/media\/18846\/download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">AAMC data,<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0the current MCAT total score average is 501 based on student performance. The numbers above represent the average based on the MCAT score range. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"HIGHESTMCAT\"><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the highest score you can receive on the MCAT?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The highest MCAT score you can receive is 528. While test designers make it difficult, it is possible to achieve a so-called\u00a0 \u201cperfect score\u201d on the MCAT. O<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ut of the approximately two hundred thousand students who take the exam each year, it is estimated that between 30 and 70 achieve the highest score of 528 on the MCAT. See below for the correlation between scaled MCAT score and percentile.<\/span><\/p>\n<div  style='height:5px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_heading '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><a id=\"SCORERANGES\"><\/a><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h2    avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr  '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >MCAT Score Ranges by Scoring Percentiles<\/h2><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<div  style='height:5px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_promobox '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div  style='background:#222222;color:#ffffff;border-color:#222222;' class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_heading '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><\/p>\n<h2><span  class=\"av_font_icon avia_animate_when_visible avia-icon-animate  av-icon-style-  avia-icon-pos-left \" style=\"color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff;\"><span class='av-icon-char' style='font-size:25px;line-height:25px;' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Best MCAT Scores<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><div  class='avia-progress-bar-container  avia_animate_when_almost_visible  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_font_icon  el_before_av_hr  av-striped-bar av-animated-bar '><div class='avia-progress-bar blue-bar icon-bar-no'><div class='progress' ><div class='bar-outer'><div class='bar' style='width: 96%' data-progress='96'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Best MCAT Scores: 515-528\u00a0<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">These MCAT scores will put you in the top 10% of all MCAT test takers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><div  style='height:25px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_progress  el_before_av_font_icon '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n<h2><span  class=\"av_font_icon avia_animate_when_visible avia-icon-animate  av-icon-style-  avia-icon-pos-left \" style=\"color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff;\"><span class='av-icon-char' style='font-size:25px;line-height:25px;' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Competitive MCAT Scores<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><div  class='avia-progress-bar-container  avia_animate_when_almost_visible  avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_font_icon  el_before_av_hr  av-striped-bar av-animated-bar '><div class='avia-progress-bar green-bar icon-bar-no'><div class='progress' ><div class='bar-outer'><div class='bar' style='width: 76%' data-progress='76'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Competitive MCAT Scores: 509-514<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">These scores will put you in a highly competitive place in medical school admissions (top 25% of MCAT test takers).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"><div  style='height:25px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-11  el_after_av_progress  el_before_av_font_icon '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span  class=\"av_font_icon avia_animate_when_visible avia-icon-animate  av-icon-style-  avia-icon-pos-left \" style=\"color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff;\"><span class='av-icon-char' style='font-size:25px;line-height:25px;' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">\u00a0Above Average MCAT Scores<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><div  class='avia-progress-bar-container  avia_animate_when_almost_visible  avia-builder-el-13  el_after_av_font_icon  el_before_av_hr  av-striped-bar av-animated-bar '><div class='avia-progress-bar orange-bar icon-bar-no'><div class='progress' ><div class='bar-outer'><div class='bar' style='width: 54%' data-progress='54'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Above Average MCAT Scores: 501-508<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">These scores put you ahead of the pack in medical school admissions (50%+), but won\u2019t be as advantageous when applying to highly competitive programs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><div  style='height:25px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-14  el_after_av_progress  el_before_av_font_icon '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n<h2><span  class=\"av_font_icon avia_animate_when_visible avia-icon-animate  av-icon-style-  avia-icon-pos-left \" style=\"color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff;\"><span class='av-icon-char' style='font-size:25px;line-height:25px;' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Below Average MCAT Scores<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><div  class='avia-progress-bar-container  avia_animate_when_almost_visible  avia-builder-el-16  el_after_av_font_icon  avia-builder-el-last  av-striped-bar av-animated-bar '><div class='avia-progress-bar red-bar icon-bar-no'><div class='progress' ><div class='bar-outer'><div class='bar' style='width: 37%' data-progress='37'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Below Average MCAT Scores: 500 or below<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">These scores may be enough to get admitted to certain medical school programs, but are below average when compared to the testing population.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2><a id=\"SCOREBREAKDOWN\"><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MCAT Score Breakdown by Section<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MCAT sections are scored between 118 and 132. Below, we break down each MCAT section score by best, competitive, average, and below average<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Best MCAT Total Score Range: 515-528<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-chemistry-and-physics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 129-132<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-cars\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critical Analysis and Reading Skills<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 128-132<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-mcat-biology\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 129-132<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-psychology-and-sociology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 130-132<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Competitive MCAT Total Score Range: 509-514<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: 127-128<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critical Analysis and Reading Skills: 127-128<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: 127-128<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: 128-129<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Above Average MCAT Total Score Range: 501-508<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: 125-126<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critical Analysis and Reading Skills: 125-126<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: 125-126<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: 126<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Below Average MCAT Total Score Range: 500 or below<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: 124 or below<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critical Analysis and Reading Skills: 124 or below<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: 124 or below<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: 125 or below<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"520\"><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is 520 a good MCAT score?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An MCAT score of 520 is very strong and puts you in the 97th percentile of all MCAT test takers. However, whether or not a score of 520 on the MCAT is enough to get you into medical school depends on which schools you are applying to and your other qualifications. Another factor to consider is that while a 520 on the MCAT is generally considered a good score, top medical schools prefer an even distribution for section scores. You may want to retake the MCAT if one of your section scores is significantly lower than the others to be a more competitive applicant.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"515\"><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is 515 a good MCAT score?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earning a 515 or higher on the MCAT makes you a top applicant for medical school admissions. A score of 515 on the MCAT is an important score threshold because it means you\u2019ve earned a 91st percentile score. According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aamc.org\/data-reports\/students-residents\/data\/facts-applicants-and-matriculants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the AAMC,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> earning a 514 or better on the MCAT results in a 71% acceptance rate.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-17  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_sidebar  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >How to Score 515 on the MCAT<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, how do you score a 515 on the MCAT? There are a few key strategies our experts recommend to enhance your test prep:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Take a high number of practice tests spaced throughout your studies. <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\/courses\/score-515-mcat\">Kaplan\u2019s 515+ MCAT Course<\/a> incorporates eight full-length exams (five AAMC practice tests + three Kaplan practice tests) directly into your study schedule, with two additional AAMC practice tests and eight additional Kaplan practice tests available to use as needed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Conduct a thorough review of practice and self-reflection to identify areas of opportunity. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaplan&#8217;s 515+ MCAT Course features dedicated practice test review time, with systematic processes to help you hone in on what you need to do to improve.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Learn how to apply content to test-like passages and questions. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaplan&#8217;s 515+ MCAT Course includes over 25 new hours of application-focused live class sessions that won&#8217;t just teach you the content, but will also show you how the content is tested, along with how to learn from your practice.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dedicate 300-350 hours to test prep. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We know staying motivated over a long period is difficult, so your Kaplan MCAT accountability coach will help monitor your studies, keeping you accountable and on track.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about how to get a good MCAT score with Kaplan resources below.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"GOODSCORE\"><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you get a good MCAT score?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earning a good MCAT score may seem like a daunting task. One of the most important things you can do to set yourself up for success on the MCAT is to begin your studies early and take advantage of study materials and resources designed to enhance your studies. Below, we list some MCAT test prep resources we recommend you use to maximize your score.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/top-10-mcat-study-tips\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>[ Keep Reading:<\/strong> Top 10 MCAT Study Tips <strong>]<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best Online MCAT Prep Resources\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaplan offers some of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">best online MCAT prep resources<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to jumpstart your studies, including: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\/free\/mcat-free-practice-test\"><b>Free MCAT Practice Test (with starter pack):<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Establish a baseline for your MCAT studies by taking a realistic practice test. After signing up, you\u2019ll also receive 30-day access to our new study planning calendar preview, a Qbank with 230 questions, and learning modules.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Free Study Plans for the MCAT: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plan out your MCAT studies with our expertly curated MCAT study plans. Choose from our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/how-to-study-for-the-mcat-in-6-months\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6-month MCAT study plan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/mcat-study-guide-and-schedule-3-months\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3-month MCAT study plan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/how-to-study-for-the-mcat-in-2-months\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2-month MCAT study plan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/how-to-study-for-the-mcat-in-a-month\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1-month MCAT study plan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, depending on your exam date.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaplanquizzes.com\/mcat\/\"><b>MCAT Question of the Day:<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jumpstart your studies with an MCAT question \u2013 and detailed answer explanations \u2013 in your inbox every day.\u00a0<\/span><b><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\/mcat-test-dates\"><b>MCAT Test Dates &amp; Registration:<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Schedule your MCAT by reviewing a list of all upcoming test dates, registering for the exam, and keeping an eye on score release dates so you know when to expect your score.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\"><b>Kaplan MCAT Prep Courses:<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Get personalized online and in-person MCAT prep from Kaplan experts. We&#8217;ll show you how to add 15+ points to your MCAT score.* From live online courses to private tutoring, we have the right test prep option for you and your study goals.<br \/><\/span><\/span>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaplan MCAT courses are frequently ranked by third-parties<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2020<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">best MCAT prep<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> available. Recently, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/testprepinsight.com\/best\/best-mcat-prep-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Test Prep Insight<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rated Kaplan the \u201cBest Overall MCAT Prep Course<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2021<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><b>\u201d <\/b><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe firmly believe they now offer the best MCAT prep course on the market, hands down. \u2026 Bottom line, Kaplan just provides an extremely solid, all-around MCAT prep course that gets the job done.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2020Test Prep Insight is a review and analytics site that is a Kaplan affiliate but uses an independent review process to evaluate exam prep products.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-48633\" src=\"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-content\/uploads\/new_43231-KTP-MCAT-515-and-15-Point-Bell-Curve_640x400.gif\" alt=\"Kaplan MCAT Bell Curve\" width=\"640\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"TOPMEDSCHOOLS\"><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What MCAT score do you need for top medical schools?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>What MCAT score you need to get into top medical school depends on various factors. When considering your MCAT score goal, it\u2019s always a good idea to look at the requirements or minimums (if any) at the schools to which you\u2019re applying. But while what is considered a good MCAT score differs from program to program, Kaplan Test Prep research shows that not doing well on the exam is the admissions factor most likely to keep you out of medical school.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>According to the 59 medical school admissions officers we spoke with in 2024, 39% said a low MCAT score is \u201cthe biggest application deal-breaker\u201d in the primary application, followed by a low GPA and then a lack of clinical experience.<\/p>\n<p>In the table below, we list the average MCAT scores for some of the top medical schools across the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>MEDICAL SCHOOL<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>AVERAGE MCAT SCORE<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/meded.hms.harvard.edu\/admissions-at-a-glance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Harvard University<\/a><\/td><td>520<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/med.nyu.edu\/education\/md-degree\/md-admissions\/by-the-numbers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New York University (Grossman)<\/a><\/td><td>523<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vagelos.columbia.edu\/about-us\/facts-and-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Columbia University<\/a><\/td><td>518<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/som\/education-programs\/md-program\/our-students\/class-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Johns Hopkins University<\/a><\/td><td>520<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.med.upenn.edu\/admissions\/entering-class-profile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)<\/a><\/td><td>522<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/medicine.yale.edu\/about\/history-facts-and-figures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yale University<\/a><\/td><td>522<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-18  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_toggle_container '><div id=\"text-90\" class=\"widget clearfix widget_text\"><h3 class=\"widgettitle\">MCAT Score Calculator<\/h3>\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><div>\n<div class='op-interactive' id='64db9fcb4c439c5a88e63a34' data-title='MCAT Score Increase Calculator New' data-url='https:\/\/kaplannorthamerica.outgrow.us\/64db9fcb4c439c5a88e63a34?vHeight=1' data-width='100%'><\/div>\n<p><script>var og_temp=document.createElement('script');og_temp.async=true;og_temp.defer=true;og_temp.src='\/\/dyv6f9ner1ir9.cloudfront.net\/assets\/js\/nloader.js',og_temp.onload=function(){initIframe('64db9fcb4c439c5a88e63a34')},document.querySelector('head').appendChild(og_temp)<\/script><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"SCORESVALID\">How long are MCAT scores valid?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the AAMC, medical schools generally accept MCAT scores that date back two to three years at most. If you have an MCAT score that\u2019s older than three years, the AAMC will keep a record of it in their database. However, an MCAT score older than three years will not be valid for medical school applications as schools will want to see applicants prove up-to-date medical knowledge by taking a more recent MCAT. Consult <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/students-residents.aamc.org\/medical-school-admission-requirements\/medical-school-admission-requirements-msar-applicants\" target=\"_blank\">the Medical School Admission Requirements\u2122 (MSAR\u00ae)<\/a>&nbsp; to check the application policies of the schools to which you intend to apply to ensure your MCAT scores are valid.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"SCORESTATS\">MCAT Score Statistics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on student performance, the average MCAT total score is 501 with a standard deviation of 11.2, while the 91st percentile score is 515. As of the 2025-2026 academic year, there are 44,998 men and 55,347 women in medical school, according to current <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aamc.org\/data-reports\/students-residents\/data\/facts-enrollment-graduates-and-md-phd\" target=\"_blank\">data from the AAMC<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1095\" height=\"403\" src=\"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot-2025-11-21-093724.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48996\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Many factors affect your med school application, and each will help decide whether you&#8217;re admitted or rejected. Your MCAT score is just one part of your candidacy. Your undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, research, interviews, and personal essays will all contribute to your acceptance into your dream school.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-19  el_after_av_sidebar  el_before_av_sidebar \" >\n<section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-1\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-1\"><span style=\"color: #240f6e;\">View MCAT Scores and Percentiles<\/span><span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-1\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><div class='avia-data-table-wrap avia_responsive_table'><table  class='avia-table avia-data-table avia-table-1  avia-builder-el-20  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  avia_pricing_default '  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Table\" ><caption>May 1, 2025 \u2013 April 30, 2026 MCAT Percentiles<\/caption><tbody><tr class='avia-heading-row'><th class=''>MCAT Total Score<\/th><th class=''>MCAT Percentile Rank<\/th><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>524-528<\/td><td class=''>100<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>522-523<\/td><td class=''>99<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>521<\/td><td class=''>98<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>520<\/td><td class=''>97<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>519<\/td><td class=''>96<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>518<\/td><td class=''>95<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>517<\/td><td class=''>94<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>516<\/td><td class=''>92<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>515<\/td><td class=''>91<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>514<\/td><td class=''>89<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>513<\/td><td class=''>87<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>512<\/td><td class=''>84<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>511<\/td><td class=''>82<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>510<\/td><td class=''>79<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>509<\/td><td class=''>77<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>508<\/td><td class=''>74<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>507<\/td><td class=''>71<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>506<\/td><td class=''>68<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>505<\/td><td class=''>65<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>504<\/td><td class=''>62<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>503<\/td><td class=''>58<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>502<\/td><td class=''>55<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>501<\/td><td class=''>52<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>500<\/td><td class=''>49<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>499<\/td><td class=''>46<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>498<\/td><td class=''>42<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>497<\/td><td class=''>39<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>496<\/td><td class=''>36<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>495<\/td><td class=''>34<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>494<\/td><td class=''>31<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>493<\/td><td class=''>28<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>492<\/td><td class=''>25<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>491<\/td><td class=''>23<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>490<\/td><td class=''>21<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>489<\/td><td class=''>18<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>488<\/td><td class=''>16<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>487<\/td><td class=''>14<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>486<\/td><td class=''>12<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>485<\/td><td class=''>11<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>484<\/td><td class=''>9<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>483<\/td><td class=''>8<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>482<\/td><td class=''>6<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>481<\/td><td class=''>5<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>480<\/td><td class=''>4<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>479<\/td><td class=''>3<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>477-478<\/td><td class=''>2<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>475-476<\/td><td class=''>1<\/td><\/tr><tr class=''><td class=''>472-474<\/td><td class=''>&lt;1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><style type='text\/css'>.avia-table-1 td:nth-of-type(1):before { content: 'MCAT Total Score'; } .avia-table-1 td:nth-of-type(2):before { content: 'MCAT Percentile Rank'; } <\/style>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"PRACQUIZ\">MCAT Practice Quiz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Test your readiness for the MCAT with these free practice questions.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-21  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_sidebar '><div id=\"custom_html-90\" class=\"widget_text widget clearfix widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div><div class='op-interactive' id='63249c163a77a103b5d4b44f' data-title='MCAT Pop Quiz' data-url='https:\/\/kaplannorthamerica.outgrow.us\/63249c163a77a103b5d4b44f?vHeight=1' data-width='100%'><\/div><script src='\/\/dyv6f9ner1ir9.cloudfront.net\/assets\/js\/nloader.js'><\/script><script>initIframe('63249c163a77a103b5d4b44f');<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Written by Kaplan experts, reviewed by Rich Maraggio, Executive Director, Pre-Health Programs at Kaplan North America. Rich has worked on the MCAT for over a decade and has assisted thousands of pre-med students. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Union College.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Kaplan is the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\/partner\/amsa\">official MCAT\u00ae prep<\/a> of the American Medical Student Association.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>* 15-point average <strong>only<\/strong> applied to students who completed 4,400+ practice questions <strong>and<\/strong> 550+ study activities during their program. A recent study conducted by Kaplan showed that students who completed a minimum of this work saw an average score improvement of 15 points from their first to their highest practice exam. Students who completed fewer practice questions, study activities, or who did not engage in the full program, saw lower score increases. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\/higher-score\">Learn More<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2021 <a href=\"https:\/\/testprepinsight.com\/best\/best-mcat-prep-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/testprepinsight.com\/best\/best-mcat-prep-courses\/<\/a>. Test Prep Insight is a review and analytics site that is a Kaplan affiliate but uses an independent review process to evaluate exam prep products.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-22  el_after_av_sidebar  avia-builder-el-last '><div id=\"text-72\" class=\"widget clearfix widget_text\">\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p><code><br \/>\n<span data-sumome-listbuilder-embed-id=\"412169cd3aa9977143b6f06c0fae300dfc947b95c5705249ca54c9f4a812a953\"><\/span><br \/>\n<\/code><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div id=\"text-73\" class=\"widget clearfix widget_text\">\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p><code><br \/>\n<span data-sumome-listbuilder-embed-id=\"69112752ce12d39d65c983f7db76907ae236d4cb30c38eaf7538c5f1d3530ae0\"><\/span><br \/>\n<\/code><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A good MCAT score is a score of 511 or higher, which would put you in at least the 82nd percentile rank among all test takers. The average MCAT score is a score of 501, and a \u201cperfect\u201d MCAT score is the maximum score of 528. Competitive medical schools prefer an even distribution of section [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":48634,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[3],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101"}],"version-history":[{"count":147,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49315,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101\/revisions\/49315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}