How many times can you fail the MCAT?
Asked by: Amya Runte | Last update: January 13, 2026Score: 4.1/5 (44 votes)
An examinee cannot take the exam more than seven times in their lifetime. Not showing up for an exam counts as an attempt toward the lifetime limit. Voided scores count as an attempt toward the lifetime limit. Students can appeal for special permission to exceed the limits.
How many MCAT attempts are too many?
Although you can take the MCAT up to seven times in your lifetime, that number certainly doesn't reflect how many times you should be taking the MCAT. Taking the MCAT twice is fine; even three times shouldn't impact your admissions too much. However, any more tries can begin to damage your application.
What happens if you don't pass the MCAT?
If your MCAT score is significantly below average for the schools you're applying to, you may need to reconsider when you apply to medical school. Retaking the MCAT will take time, as you must assess your situation, change your study tactics in order to improve, and find an available test date.
Is taking the MCAT three times a red flag?
Taking the MCAT a third time with marked improvement will absolutely not hurt their chances, especially when they haven't even gone through an application cycle. Most schools I looked at applying only considered your latest score, and only considered past scores of you scored lower on your latest (red flag).
Should I retake the MCAT if I scored 512?
Retaking a 512 is only suggested if you can get your new score to be significantly higher (so 516+) and it's more balanced. Getting a lower score on retake is a huge red flag. A 124 is a tricky situation that will likely have to be explained if asked on interviews.
★★ How many times can I take the MCAT? ★★ TopTestPrep.com answers
Is 480 a bad MCAT score?
Is 480 a Bad MCAT Score? A 480 on the MCAT is a below-average score. According to recent AAMC stats: A 480 is 3 percentile rank on the MCAT.
Is a 502 MCAT score bad?
Is 502 a Bad MCAT Score? A 502 on the MCAT is an above-average MCAT score. According to recent AAMC stats: A 502 is 53 percentile rank on the MCAT.
Is a 503 MCAT good?
Considering that a 503 is quite close to the average MCAT score of a 501, it's not very competitive for med-school admission. With a 503, 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.
What's the lowest MCAT score?
Total Score: Scores for the four sections are combined to create a total score. The total score ranges from 472 to 528. The midpoint is 500.
Is 518 a good MCAT score?
According to recent AAMC stats, a 518 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 518 is 96 percentile rank on the MCAT.
Why do so many people do poorly on the MCAT?
This is often due to lack of time, dislike for a certain subject, or assumed mastery of a particular content area. I typically recommend that whatever resource a student chooses for the MCAT, they go through all sections of it, no matter how comfortable they feel with the material.
Can med schools see MCAT attempts?
Bryan adds that when it comes to the MCAT, all of your scores are reported to the med schools. This means every single time you've taken the MCAT except if you void your score. Voiding is not reported to med schools. So all of your scores are reported.
Can I get into med school with a 500 MCAT?
The lowest MCAT score accepted by most medical schools in the U.S. and Canada is typically in the range of 490-495. Scores below 490 are rarely, if ever, accepted. It's important to note that while 490-495 is the minimum score accepted, the vast majority of applicants score well above this range.
Do med schools care if you retake the MCAT?
If you're able to show an appreciable score jump from one test to the next, the majority of medical schools won't see having retaken the MCAT as an issue. (Note: This answer also applies to the question, “Do medical schools care if you take the MCAT twice?”)
Should I retake a 515 MCAT?
Should I Retake The MCAT If My Score Is 515? Generally, we recommend retaking the MCAT if the MCAT score is not balanced among the four sections of the MCAT or your target med-school has a higher cut-off.
Does cancelling a MCAT count as an attempt?
It won't be an attempt if you successfully reschedule your MCAT exam. However, it will count as an attempt if you fail to reschedule and don't show up.
How rare is a 528 MCAT?
0.021% of 273,860 students brings us to our final answer: 58 students. 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. This is out of the nearly three hundred thousand students who take the exam.
How bad is a 490 MCAT score?
A 490 on the MCAT is a below-average score. According to recent AAMC stats: A 490 is 17 percentile rank on the MCAT.
What is a bad score for MCAT?
A great score is 515 to 528 (the maximum possible score), while an average score is 502 to 508. In contrast, a poor score is 501 and below. This guide will go over what a good MCAT score is and how medical schools use your score to make their decision.
Can I get into med-school with a 493 MCAT?
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.
Should I retake a 504 MCAT?
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 504.
What 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 ...
What is a realistic MCAT score?
A good MCAT score is generally considered to be 511 or higher, with no section score below 127. The MCAT, also known as the Medical College Admission Test, is a computer-based standardized exam designed to assess your potential as a medical student and doctor.