MCAT Scoring: How It Works and What It Means for Your Medical School Chances

When you take the MCAT, the Medical College Admission Test used by medical schools in the U.S. and Canada to assess readiness for medical education. Also known as Medical College Admission Test, it's not just another exam—it's the single biggest factor in your medical school application. Unlike your high school tests, the MCAT doesn’t give you a percentage. It gives you a score between 472 and 528, broken into four sections. Each section is scored from 118 to 132. Your total score is the sum of those four. A 500 is average. A 510+ puts you in the top 25%. A 520+? That’s competitive for top-tier schools.

But here’s what most students miss: MCAT scoring, the system used to convert raw answers into scaled scores, accounting for test difficulty across different versions. Also known as scaled scoring, it means two people can answer a different number of questions correctly and still get the same score. The test adjusts for difficulty. So if your version was harder, you might need fewer correct answers to hit a 129 in CARS than someone who got an easier version. That’s why your MCAT percentile, the percentage of test-takers you scored higher than, which matters more than the raw number. Also known as percentile rank, it tells medical schools exactly where you stand against your peers. A 515 might be the 90th percentile one year and the 88th the next. Percentiles don’t lie. Scores do.

Medical schools don’t just look at your total score. They dig into each section. A 130 in Chemical and Physical Foundations? Great. But a 120 in Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills? That’s a red flag. CARS is the killer. Top schools want balanced scores. If you’re weak in one section, you need to compensate elsewhere—and explain it in your application. Your MCAT score breakdown, the individual section scores that reveal your strengths and weaknesses across biology, chemistry, physics, and critical reasoning. Also known as section scores, they’re the real story behind the total. Schools compare your profile to others with similar scores. They want to see you can handle the workload. A high science score with a low CARS score says you can memorize facts but might struggle with complex patient cases.

And don’t fall for the myth that you need a 520 to get in. Many schools accept students with scores in the 505–510 range—especially if they have strong GPAs, research, volunteering, or unique life experiences. The MCAT is important, but it’s not the whole story. What matters more is how you use your score. Did you study smart? Did you improve from your first try? Did you take time to fix your weaknesses? Admissions committees notice that.

Below, you’ll find real advice from people who’ve been through it—how to interpret your score, when to retake, and what scores actually get you interviews. No fluff. Just what works.