What's a Good MCAT Score: What You Need for 2026

If you're asking, “What’s a good MCAT score?” you're probably staring at your score report, wondering: Is this enough? Or you’re prepping for your exam with no idea what you’re actually shooting for. Either way, the pressure is real and so is the confusion. Because what’s “good” depends entirely on who you are, where you’re applying, and what the rest of your app looks like.

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This blog walks you through what a good MCAT score actually looks like in 2026. We’ll break down the score ranges, why the average can be misleading, and how your MCAT interacts with every other part of your app. We’ll also cover whether you should retake, how your background changes the math, and how to strategically target schools based on your score.

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At the end of the day, you need more than numbers. Our free Application Database gives you 8 full AMCAS applications that got accepted to top schools like UCLA and UCI. See what competitive really looks like so you can create your own acceptance-worthy application.

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Get your free resource here.

MCAT Score Range & What It Means

The MCAT is scored from 472 to 528, and what that actually means can get confusing. It’s not like a 100-point test in school. It’s scaled. Curved. 

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So let’s break it down simply.

The Four Sections (and How They Add Up)

The MCAT has four sections:

1. Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (Chem/Phys)
   
   
2. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)
   
   
3. Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (Bio/Biochem)
   
   
4. Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (Psych/Soc)
   
   

Each section is scored from 118 to 132, with a median around 125. Add all four together, and you get a total score ranging from 472 (lowest) to 528 (perfect). The national average tends to sit right around 500.

What Do 500, 510, and 520 Actually Mean?

• 500: You’re at the 50th percentile. Think of this as "average." You did better than half the test-takers and worse than the other half. If you’re aiming for mid-tier schools, this might keep you in the conversation, especially if the rest of your app is solid. But for most med schools, 500 is a risky number to apply with.
  
  
• 510: Now we’re talking. This is typically around the 80th percentile. You're starting to stand out. It signals to AdComs that you're capable of handling the academic rigor of med school. This is a competitive score at many schools.
  
  
• 520: You’re in the 98th+ percentile range. This is elite. Top 5% of all test takers. This kind of score can open doors to top-20 schools and helps shift the burden off the rest of your application (though nothing can carry a weak app completely).

Why Scaled Scoring Matters (and Why Raw Scores Don’t)

You’ll never know exactly how many questions you got right or wrong. That’s by design. The AAMC uses scaled scoring, meaning your raw score (how many you got right) is converted into a scaled score that accounts for slight differences in test difficulty across versions. Two people might both get a 510, but on different versions of the test, they could have answered a different number of questions correctly.

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This evens the playing field and prevents one version of the test from being unfairly harder or easier than another. It also means obsessing over your raw number is pointless. What matters is your final scaled score and how it compares to other applicants.

National Averages Are Lying to You

Let’s clear up one of the biggest lies you’ll hear as a premed:
“The average MCAT score is 501, so aim for that.”
No.

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Yes, 501 is the average score among test takers. But here’s what no one tells you: most test takers do not get into med school.

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What actually matters is the average score of matriculants. That number is closer to 511–512, depending on the year. That’s a full 10-point difference. A 501 might make you feel average, but in the admissions world, it’s below the bar.

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This is the trap: You study for the MCAT, thinking a 500+ is "safe" because you heard it was average. Then you apply to 25 schools with a 502 and get 25 rejections. The numbers were never lying. They just weren’t the numbers that mattered.

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But even that isn’t the full picture. Some students get in with a 506. Others get rejected with a 519. Because while MCAT matters, it’s not the only thing. Your MCAT score doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It sits next to your GPA, your story, your mission, and your grit.

How MCAT Interacts with Everything Else

Your MCAT score tells med schools how well you think, how disciplined you are, and how ready you are for the academic grind of med school. But it only works if it aligns with everything else in your app. 

The Role of Holistic Review

Here’s the part a lot of people misunderstand: med schools don’t accept numbers. They accept people. That’s where holistic review comes in. Yes, your MCAT matters. But it only carries weight when it lines up with everything else in your application: your GPA, your extracurriculars, your research, your essays, and the kind of future physician you’re showing up as.

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Think of it like a puzzle. The MCAT is one piece. A 517 doesn’t mean much if your GPA is shaky, you’ve barely touched clinical work, and your personal statement reads like ChatGPT wrote it. 

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That kind of applicant? Still gets rejected. All the time.

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Let’s talk examples:

• Case A: 506 MCAT, 3.7 GPA, first-gen college student who built a health initiative for undocumented families in their city, worked part-time to support their family, and had LORs that made AdComs cry. Result? Multiple MD acceptances.
  
  
• Case B: 519 MCAT, 3.9 GPA, no shadowing, two clubs, research assistant with no publication, and essays that felt like résumé padding. Result? Rejected from every MD school.

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One had heart, depth, and trajectory. The other had stats and silence.

Breaking It Down by School Tier

• 510–512: This range is solidly competitive for mid-tier MD programs. Think state schools and less selective private programs. If your GPA and activities are solid, you’ve got a real shot.
  
  
• 513–515: Now you’re in the sweet spot for most MD programs, and competitive for top 30 schools. This score says, “I’m serious, I’m smart, and I’m ready.”
  
  
• 516–518: These scores put you into upper-tier competitiveness. You’ll catch the eye of schools like Vanderbilt, Emory, and Mayo. Pair this with a compelling story and strong GPA, and you’re on very strong footing.
  
  
• 519–522+: You’re now in Ivy League and ultra-selective territory. Harvard, Stanford, Columbia. Their average MCAT scores are hovering right here. But here’s the key: a 520 doesn’t guarantee you anything. These schools want more than just stats. They want a story, a mission, a future leader.

The 75th Percentile Rule

Want to reverse-engineer your MCAT target? Look at the 75th percentile MCAT score for the schools you’re aiming for. That’s the score where most accepted applicants exceed the average. If you can hit or beat that number, you’ve drastically improved your odds.

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For example, if your dream school has an average MCAT of 515 and a 75th percentile score of 518, then 518 should be your goal. Not 515. Because you’re not applying to be average. You’re applying to be admitted.

When a 520 Isn’t Enough

Let’s talk about lopsided scores. A 520 overall is impressive. But if you got a 132 in Psych/Soc and a 124 in CARS, AdComs will notice. Especially if you’re applying to research-heavy or Ivy-tier schools where CARS is seen as a proxy for critical thinking.

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Balance matters. Schools want to know you can handle all parts of the curriculum. A big gap between sections can raise red flags.

How Your Identity Changes the Math

Who you are, where you're from, and the path you’ve taken all shape how your score is interpreted. 

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Here’s how identity may reshape the equation:

State Residency: The In-State Bias Is Real

If you’re applying to your home state’s public med schools, you have an edge. Period. These schools are funded to serve their own communities, and they give preference to in-state residents. That means they’re often more forgiving with MCAT scores if the rest of your app is strong.

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Example? A 507 might be competitive at a Texas or Louisiana MD program if you’re from there. If you’re applying out of state with the same score, you might not even get a second look. 

Ethnicity and Underrepresented Groups

If you come from an underrepresented group in medicine (Black, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander), then you aren’t just a stat, you’re part of the solution to a massive gap in healthcare equity. Med schools know this. They value it.

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This doesn’t mean the bar is lower. It means context matters. If you’re a 510 scorer who grew up navigating systemic challenges and still managed to build something impactful, then that story hits differently. Schools committed to diversity and equity will weigh your story with the nuance it deserves.

Non-Traditional Paths and Comeback Stories

Let’s say you didn’t take the traditional premed path. Maybe you changed careers. Maybe you flunked early in college, regrouped, and came back strong. That grit? It counts.

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AdComs are human. They know a perfect 4.0 and a 522 from someone who’s never been punched in the mouth by life isn’t the same as a 510 from someone who fell, failed, and rebuilt themselves. Comeback stories resonate if they’re real, and if you own them.

Should You Retake? Let’s Get Real

Retaking the MCAT isn’t just about wanting a better score. It’s about knowing you can earn one. There’s a difference between a smart retake and a panic retake.

The Three MCAT Profiles

Most retake decisions come down to which of these three categories you fall into:

• The Learner: You prepped wrong the first time. Maybe you rushed content, skipped practice, or didn’t realize how hard CARS would hit you. But now? You know what went wrong, and you’re ready to train smarter. A retake for you can pay off if you give it time.
  
  
• The Creeper: You scored near your full potential, and you know it. You hit your peak in practice, and your actual test mirrored that. Retaking might move you up 1–2 points max, and that won’t change your app’s fate. Don’t retake just to chase some dream number if everything else in your app is strong.
  
  
• The Outlier: You were scoring 514s consistently, and test day handed you a 506. Something went wrong, like sleep, anxiety, section timing, who knows. But you’ve got a track record of doing better. In this case, a retake isn’t just smart. It might be necessary to be competitive.

When a Retake Makes Sense

Retaking the MCAT can be a smart move if:

• You know what went wrong
  
  
• You’ve identified how your prep will change
  
  
• Your score is below the median for your target schools
  
  
• You can commit at least 3 months to real prep, not just short review sessions between shifts
  
  

What’s not a good reason? Panic. Peer pressure. “Everyone else is retaking.” That energy leads to burnout, not breakthroughs.

The Three-Month Rule

This isn’t a casual quiz. The MCAT is a marathon, and recovery + retraining takes time. The bare minimum between attempts is three months. That’s enough time to rebuild your base, master your weak spots, and reset your mindset.

Strategic Targeting: Match Your Score to Your Schools

One of the most avoidable reasons people don’t get into med school? They aimed too high or way too low with their school list. A 505 is not a 512. A 518 is not a golden ticket. If you don’t match your score to the right set of schools, even a strong app can go nowhere.

Sample School Lists (Ballpark Examples)

• 505 Score Band: Touro COM, NOVA DO, VCOM, your in-state MD if they accept lower MCATs (e.g. LSU, UNM), HBCU MDs like Howard or Meharry
  
  
• 509 Score Band: Quinnipiac, Drexel, Tulane, Eastern Virginia, DOs with higher averages like PCOM or CUSOM
  
  
• 512 Score Band: UC Davis, Loyola, Wake Forest, Vermont, NYMC, MCW
  
  
• 518 Score Band: Northwestern, Emory, Mount Sinai, Michigan, Mayo, Einstein, Columbia (reach)
  
  

How to Use the MSAR (Without Drowning)

The MSAR (Medical School Admission Requirements) is your best friend if you know how to use it.

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Here’s how:

• Look at the median AND 10th percentile MCAT scores for each school. That shows you the score range they’re working with.
  
  
• Pay close attention to the in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rates.
  
  
• Don’t just sort by MCAT. Sort by mission, primary care focus, diversity values, and things that align with you.
  
  
• Build a list with ~15-25 schools, and include:
  
  
  
  • 3–5 reach schools (above your range)
    
    
  • 5–10 target schools (right in your range)
    
    
  • 5–7 safety schools (slightly below your range or DOs)

You Beyond the Numbers. See Real Successful Apps.

If you’re still asking, “Is my score good enough?”, here’s the truth: a number alone won’t answer that. Because the MCAT is just one piece of the app. What really matters is how that number fits into your full story.

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A 512 with a compelling narrative can crush it. A 519 with no direction can fall flat. And until you see what a full, successful application actually looks like, you’re just guessing.

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That’s why we built the Application Database. You’ll get free access to 8 full, accepted AMCAS applications from real students who got into top schools like UCLA, UCI, and more. See their activities, their personal statements, and how it all came together to earn a yes.

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Get your free resource here.