Average MCAT Scores – Top Schools in the USA (2023)

The MCAT (which stands for Medical College Admission Test) is a standardized test for checking the suitability for studying medicine abroad. It has been used to select prospective medical students in the United States and Canada for over 80 years. The MCAT is carried out by the test provider Prometric on behalf of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), to which most medical schools at US and Canadian universities are affiliated.

Why MCAT?

While in Germany you can start studying medicine right after school, in the USA and Canada it is not possible to apply to a medical school right after high school. Instead, a bachelor’s degree is required. This is followed by the mostly four-year medical degree that leads to an MD (Medical Doctor).

Many U.S. and Canadian students choose a major in the natural sciences for their bachelor’s degree or even take a so-called pre-med program, which is intended to prepare them for later medical studies. In principle, however, applications to the Medical School are open to bachelor graduates from all disciplines.

Against this background, it is understandable that the medical schools use a test like the MCAT to select their applicants. It is an important criterion in order to be able to better compare the suitability and abilities of applicants with their sometimes very different professional backgrounds. For this reason, both local and international applicants must take the test.

MCAT Scores

MCAT Score Range

Each of the four parts of the exam is rated on a scale from 118 (lowest) to 132 (highest). The total score is the sum of these four individual points. Therefore, your total MCAT score ranges from 472 to 528. In other words, the highest MCAT score is 528 while the lowest is 472. Note: The optional Trial Section is not assessed, but the test participants themselves receive feedback on their performance in this area if they work seriously on the tasks.

MCAT Good Score

There is no so called “Good MCAT Score“. Whether your MCAT score is good depends on which medical schools you are applying to. According to AAMC – the test maker, the average MCAT score for admitted students in past three years is between 510 and 512.

Average MCAT Scores for U.S. Medical Schools

MCAT Score Percentiles

On your MCAT score report, you will see a three-digit number(from 472 to 528) and a percentile rank.Here are the latest MCAT percentiles from AAMC.

Repetition of the MCAT

It is possible to repeat the MCAT to improve the number of points achieved. However, the test can only be taken up to three times within a 12 month period. Anyone who immediately feels after the MCAT that it did not go well can have the test deleted immediately. It is not evaluated at all and is therefore not included in the maximum number of tests possible annually.

Preparation for the Medical College Admission Test

A thorough and long-term preparation on the MCAT is essential. Many local students begin early in the course of their bachelor’s degree to prepare for the MCAT in a targeted and intensive manner. Admission to medical schools in the USA and Canada is hotly contested. The competition is therefore fierce, especially since only a small proportion of the study places at the medical schools are given to international applicants each year.

But it is not only the preparation of the content that is important. In the unfamiliar test situation you should also know as exactly as possible what to expect. For this reason, participants should also deal with the test structure and assessment methods in advance.

The AAMC offers various learning aids to prepare for the MCAT. The topics that are examined in the MCAT can also be viewed free of charge on the MCAT website. On the other hand, you can purchase the Official Guide or the Official MCAT Self-Assessment Package on the same page for a fee.