What is a failed MCAT score?

irst, the good news: You can't actually fail the MCAT. You might have received a very low score, but the MCAT score report does not include a “pass/fail” designation. Still, one of the most helpless feelings a student applying to medical school can experience is bombing the MCAT—there's no doubt about that.

What is considered failing the MCAT?

There is no definitive pass or fail score for the MCAT; rather, each medical school sets its own criteria for acceptable scores.

What is a bad score on the MCAT?

So, technically speaking, a bad MCAT score would be anything below 500. However, in order to be a competitive applicant, you should aim to score much higher than 500. A good MCAT score largely depends on the schools you are applying to.

What is the lowest passing MCAT score?

The lowest MCAT score accepted by medical school is challenging to nail down because it varies greatly between institutions. For example, a more competitive school may not accept anyone with an MCAT lower than 512, while a less competitive one may have a minimum acceptable score of 472.

What is a passing score on the MCAT?

A good MCAT score is generally considered to be 511 or higher, with no section score below 127.

I failed... my 2nd year of Medical School...

Is 493 a bad MCAT score?

Attaining a score of 493 on the MCAT means you performed in the 29% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.

Should I retake the MCAT with a 508?

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 508.

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.

Can I get into med-school with a 502 MCAT?

Considering that a 502 is the average MCAT score, it's not competitive for med-school admission. With a 502, 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.

Can I get into med-school with a 494 MCAT?

Based on the average accepted MCAT scores and minimum required MCAT scores at medical schools in the US and medical schools in Canada, you'll need a minimum score in the 490-495 range to be accepted into any medical school that requires the MCAT. Anything lower than 490 is very unlikely to be acceptable.

Do most people fail the MCAT?

While the exam is challenging, the short answer to that question is “no.” Each and every year, plenty of our students do well on the MCAT, making them even stronger candidates for medical school.

What is the average MCAT score on the first attempt?

Average MCAT Scores

MCAT scores range from 472-528. Between 2016-2017 and 2023-2024, the average MCAT score jumped over 1.5 points, from 499.6 to 501.3. The average appears to be increasing overall, with 2022-2023 holding the record-high score of 501.6.

Is it worse to retake the MCAT?

Adcoms will see your two scores and wonder which one is the fluke. Similarly, it's common to retake the MCAT and receive either the same score or only a minimal increase—say one or two points higher. While this won't necessarily come across negatively, it still may not be worth the second attempt.

What is a good MCAT score 2023?

A "good" MCAT score is one that puts you near or above the average percentile for matriculants at your target medical schools. For comparison, the average MCAT score for students admitted to an MD program in the United States in 2022–2023 is between 511 and 512, with an average GPA of 3.75.

Why am I scoring so low on MCAT?

Not doing enough analysis is the another common mistake students make during MCAT prep. As a rule of thumb, you should spend 2-3 times the amount of time you spend going over your questions as you spend actually doing them. Analyze why you got the question wrong and if you got it right, analyze why you got it right.

Should I retake a 511 MCAT?

Is 511 a Bad MCAT Score? According to recent AAMC stats, a 511 on the MCAT is not a bad score because it's an above-average MCAT score, and it is competitive for med-school admission: A 511 is 82 percentile rank on the MCAT. *

Should I retake a 513 MCAT?

Was your actual MCAT score reflective of your ability? If you were averaging 510-512s on your practice AAMC exam but scored much lower on test day, this is a good reason to retake the MCAT. The lower score is more likely due to nerves, pressure, lack of sleep, or sickness than lack of knowledge and ability.

Is a 2.8 GPA bad for med-school?

Getting into med school with a low GPA is certainly possible, but striving for a competitive score is always in your best interest. That said, anything below a 3.5 is considered a low GPA for med school.

Has anyone taken the MCAT 7 times?

As someone who took the MCAT seven times, whose medical school application was rejected 129 times before finally earning an acceptance, I know firsthand how hard the road is to becoming a doctor. But through the difficult and frustrating times, I ask candidates to have faith in themselves.

How often do people fail MCAT?

No one “fails” the MCAT. The MCAT score is an important part of a medical school application but there is no passing score. About 70,000 new MCAT-takers take the test every year. Roughly 20,000 get into medical school (MD or DO).

Does taking the MCAT 3 times look bad?

The more attempts you have on your application, the worse it will look to admissions committees, especially if you are not making significant progress in increasing your score. Failing to achieve an adequate MCAT score after three attempts calls into question a potential applicant's test-taking abilities.

Is GPA or MCAT more important?

While MCAT scores are important, admissions committees also consider other factors, such as GPA, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and interviews, when evaluating applicants.

What percentage of students retake the MCAT?

On average, 38 percent of all MCAT test takers retake the MCAT. It should be noted that there is no shame in retaking the MCAT. There are thousands of doctors who took the MCAT two and even three times.

Is 504 a bad MCAT score?

A 504 on the MCAT is an above-average MCAT score. According to recent AAMC stats: A 504 is 60 percentile rank on the MCAT.