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A good MCAT score is 515 or higher, which places you in the 91st percentile of all test-takers, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Only 9% of test-takers achieve a MCAT score of 515 or higher, so this is a great way to stand out and demonstrate your competitiveness.
The following table breaks down what each score range signals to medical schools at both the total and section levels:
In the 2025-2026 admissions cycle, the average MCAT score of all medical school matriculants was 512.1. Submitting an MCAT score of 515 means that you scored higher than the average matriculant in the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.
Your MCAT percentile ranking tells you the percentage of test-takers you outperformed. A 75th percentile score means you scored higher than 75% of everyone who took the exam. Medical schools refer to AAMC percentiles rather than raw scores to compare applicants across different test dates and cycles.
Use our MCAT Score Calculator to convert your raw practice test score into a scaled score and percentile ranking. From there, you can match your results against specific medical schools to see where you're most competitive.
A good MCAT score, based on acceptance rates, is 514-517, as this score threshold yielded a 71.20% acceptance rate for applicants from 2023-2024 to 2025-2026.
Take a look at the graphic below to see how your MCAT score directly correlates to your acceptance chances.
The table below shows how your MCAT score will affect your acceptance rate to medical school.
Applicants who scored below 486 faced a 0.6% acceptance rate. Scoring above 517 pushes that number to nearly 80%.
The jump between a 498-501 range (22.20% acceptance) and a 510-513 range (62.4% acceptance) shows how dramatically a few points can shift your odds. Even with a strong GPA and extracurriculars, a low MCAT score creates a significant barrier that few applicants overcome.
Your MCAT score is very important in the medical admissions process, as admissions committees use it as a standardized benchmark to compare applicants from different universities, majors, and grading systems.
Admissions committees evaluate your score in two key stages:
Improving your MCAT score over several attempts also demonstrates something that GPA alone can't: how well you handle high-stakes, standardized pressure across multiple science disciplines in a single sitting.
Dr. Callie Ginapp, a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine who served on the admissions committee and is an expert counselor at Inspira Advantage, reinforces this point during our MCAT study schedule webinar:
"The MCAT is more important than your GPA because it's something that is very standardized across everyone ... it's one piece of the puzzle, but it's an important piece of the puzzle. The purpose is to make sure you have the skills and knowledge capacity it takes to succeed within medical school."
Medical schools publish median MCAT data for their admitted classes every year. Look up the programs you're targeting and compare your score to their 10th and 90th percentile range. Achieving a perfect MCAT score is the best way to improve your competitiveness.
Scoring above the median means you’re competitive. Scoring below the median means the rest of your application needs to work significantly harder to compensate.
To be a competitive applicant at top medical schools, you need an excellent MCAT score. Here are the median MCAT scores for the top 10 medical schools in the U.S.:
Top medical schools admit students who score roughly 4% above the national median. That sounds small on paper, but it translates to a 19-23-point difference on a 528-point scale.
In percentile terms, those extra points push you from the 49th percentile to the 97th-99th percentile range. Every point above 515 becomes exponentially harder to earn and more impactful on your application. If you're targeting schools at this level, aim for a 520 or higher to score above their median matriculant MCAT score.
A strong MCAT score tells admissions committees you can perform under pressure by sticking to a good study schedule.
Take a look at the video below for tips and tricks on how to get a top MCAT score.
If you don’t get a good MCAT score, you can retake the exam up to three times in a single testing year and seven times total. Before retaking, look at your AAMC score report to pinpoint exactly which sections and content areas need improvement. Most successful retakers dedicate eight to 12 weeks of focused preparation targeting their specific weaknesses rather than repeating the same broad study plan.
Yes, you can still apply to medical school even with a low MCAT score. However, your school list and strategy need to reflect your score realistically. A below-average MCAT paired with a strong GPA, meaningful clinical experience, and compelling personal narrative can still earn acceptances at less score-dependent MD programs and many DO schools. Use the AAMC's MSAR database to identify schools where your score falls within the 10th-to-90th percentile range of matriculants. Applying to schools where your score sits below the 10th percentile wastes both time and application fees.
A 514 is a competitive MCAT score that places you around the 89th percentile, meaning you outperformed roughly 9 out of 10 test-takers. You fall within the competitive range for most MD programs and sit close to the national matriculant average of 512.1. A 514 won't limit you at the majority of medical schools, though top-20 programs typically admit students with median scores of 519-523. Pair a 514 with a 3.7+ GPA and strong extracurriculars, and you'll have a well-rounded application for a wide range of schools.
Yes, a 508 MCAT score is a good score. A 508 is an above-average MCAT score at the 74th percentile, which means you scored higher than nearly three-quarters of all test-takers. You remain viable for many MD programs, especially state schools and mid-tier private institutions, but you'll need a strong GPA and compelling experiences to compensate. A 508 also makes you highly competitive for DO programs, where the average matriculant score is 503. Focus your school list on programs where 508 falls within the middle of their admitted student range rather than reaching for schools where it sits near the bottom.
Yes, a 517 is an excellent MCAT score that places you at the 94th percentile. You outperformed nearly 19 out of every 20 test-takers and sit well above the national matriculant average. A 517 makes you competitive at the vast majority of medical schools, including many top-tier programs. At schools like Stanford, UChicago, and UVA, where the median admitted MCAT is 520, a 517 needs to be paired with a strong GPA and extracurriculars.
A diagnostic score of 500 or above before any structured studying is a strong starting point. A 500 baseline score means you already sit near the national test-taker median without any preparation, giving you a solid foundation to build on during your study plan. Students who start at 500+ and follow a disciplined four- to six-month study plan often reach the 510-515 range. If your diagnostic falls below 490, plan for a longer preparation timeline and consider a structured course to close the content gaps before shifting to practice-heavy studying.
A 510 is a good MCAT score at the 79th percentile, keeping you competitive with many MD programs. You sit just below the national matriculant average of 512.1, which means most mid-tier MD schools will view your score favorably. A 510 becomes especially strong when paired with a GPA above 3.7 and meaningful clinical or research experience. For top-20 medical schools where median scores range from 519-523, a 510 will need significant support from other application components to remain competitive.
A good MCAT score for MD programs is 515 or higher, while DO programs consider 509 or above competitive. The average matriculant score for MD schools is 512.1, compared to 503 for DO schools. That gap gives applicants with scores in the 503-510 range strong options on the DO side, even if their MD prospects are limited. Regardless of the path you choose, aim to score above the median for your target schools to maximize your chances of acceptance.
Top medical schools typically admit students with median MCAT scores of 519-523. No top school publishes a hard minimum cutoff, but scoring below a program's 10th percentile usually means your application gets filtered out before anyone reads it. Aim for 519 or higher to remain competitive across the top 20 medical schools. And remember that, even at these elite programs, the MCAT is only one part of a holistic review that includes GPA, research, clinical experience, and a personal narrative.
We’ll send you a 100+ page MCAT practice test created by one of our expert 99th percentile tutors. No strings attached.
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