Does the MCAT penalize guessing?

There is no additional penalty for wrong answers, so even if you are unsure of the correct answer to a question, you should make your best guess. The number correct score for each section is converted to a scaled score ranging from 118 (lowest) to 132 (highest).

Is it better to guess on the MCAT?

1 | Guess and Move on If You Get Stuck

This is a key way to manage your timing. An incorrect answer won't derail your MCAT score, but if you spend too much time on one question or on one passage, it will take away from the time you can spend on the remaining questions and passages.

How many questions can you miss on the MCAT to get a 128?

There are 9 passages on each MCAT CARS exam. If you miss one question for 6 passages and then 2 on the other three, you are looking at a solid 127 or possibly even a 128. I think that's really do-able, especially on the new MCAT CARS section. As you miss more than 13, you gradually go towards the other scores.

How many questions can you get wrong on MCAT for 528?

Another advantage of the scaled score is that you don't need to get every single question correct to score a 528. Some estimates suggest you could get up to eight questions wrong and still score a 528. The MCAT does not penalize you for wrong or unanswered questions, rather you gain points for every correct question.

Why is 472 the lowest MCAT score?

The lowest score on the MCAT is set at 472 due to the normal distribution of test results and the diminishing number of test-takers below this threshold. A score of 472 serves as an indicator for test-takers to reassess their preparation and readiness for medical school.

Medical Student GUESSES on the MCAT (SCORE REVEAL)

How bad is a 490 MCAT score?

Earning a 490 MCAT score is significantly below the national average and can present difficulties in gaining admission to medical school. If you received a 490 on the MCAT, you should consider retaking the exam or applying to medical schools known to accept applicants with lower MCAT scores.

What score is 80% correct on MCAT?

Note: A score of 80% correct for each of the 4 exam subsections translates to an MCAT scaled score of 127, which further underlines the fact that the relationship between percent correct and scaled scores is not straightforward and the changes are not consistent across exam sections (there is a correlation, but they ...

Should I retake a 505 MCAT?

Should I Retake The MCAT If My Score Is 505? If you want to maximize your chances of achieving medical school acceptance, and if your overall application is not strong, we recommend you retake the MCAT if your score is 505.

Should I retake a 515 MCAT?

While going from 515 to 517 looks good, going from 498 to 501 looks great. So statistically speaking, unless you're already in the very highest tier of test takers, chances are that retaking the MCAT will result in a better score and will ultimately benefit your application.

Should I retake MCAT with 506?

Seeing how a 506 on the MCAT is very close to the average MCAT score, it will be in your best interest to improve your score, as most medical schools seek students with above-average credentials.

Is the actual MCAT curved?

There is no curve associated with the MCAT^® exam. Instead, the MCAT exam is scaled and equated so that scores have the same meaning, no matter when you test.

Does it look bad if you take the MCAT more than once?

Retaking the MCAT isn't a red flag, and even three attempts may not impact your admissions decision, although we recommend performing your best on the first two tests.

What is the most heavily tested subject on the MCAT?

This data should help you understand the relative importance of specific topics on the MCAT. As we can see, Biology is an extremely important subject on the MCAT, with 45 out of 230 questions dedicated to Biology alone, and Biology questions appearing in each of the science sections.

Is 95% MCAT good?

If you want to attend a top medical school, you should aim for the 95th percentile or higher. Remember that if you take the MCAT more than once, the schools you apply to will be able to see your current and past scores.

Is a 90% on the MCAT good?

As mentioned previously, the highest possible total score – 'the perfect score' – for the MCAT exam is 528. However, anything above the 90th percentile would be considered outstanding for the MCAT exam.

Is a 517 MCAT too low?

To get an excellent MCAT score means to score in the overall 90th percentile or higher, which currently means a score of 515 or greater. With an MCAT score of 515 or above, you have a significantly better chance of getting accepted. Anything above the score of 517 is considered outstanding.

Does a bad first MCAT affect chances?

Medical schools will see all scores -- As you will see from the above, most medical schools will have access to all your scores. They will take each into consideration, so even if your second or third score is better than your first, there's a chance that one bad score can still ruin your chances of getting accepted.

What is the lowest MCAT score accepted into medical school?

Medical institutions in the U.S. and Canada that necessitate the MCAT typically accept scores ranging from 490-495 at the minimum. Scores below 490 are rarely if ever, accepted. Interestingly, a vast majority of individuals score above this range. Recent data suggests that the average score hovers around 506.5.

Is 510 MCAT too low?

Considering that a 510 is quite close to the average MCAT score of a 501, it's not very competitive for med-school admission. With a 510, you might make some med-school score cutoffs, but the rest of your application needs to be very competitive to make you a viable candidate for most med-schools.

Is it OK to fail the MCAT?

First there is no passing score for the MCAT it's just one of many things medical schools look at for acceptance but obviously getting a higher score is better and schools like Harvard will want a high score even for someone who did other amazing things.

Is 493 a bad MCAT score?

A score of 493 corresponds to the 29th percentile, meaning that you performed better than 29% of test-takers. While this might not seem terrible at first glance, it's essential to understand that medical schools typically seek applicants with higher percentile scores.

Has anyone gotten a 528 on the MCAT?

Since this method is not perfect, we'll leave you with a range; between 30 and 70 students every year achieve a perfect 528 MCAT.

What score is 100% on MCAT?

What is the highest MCAT score? 528 is the highest possible MCAT score, which corresponds to the 100th percentile. Anything above a 524 is also a 100th percentile score, and a 522 or 523 is a 99th percentile score.