Is 517 a bad MCAT score?
Asked by: Eliseo Wisozk | Last update: October 13, 2025Score: 5/5 (66 votes)
According to recent AAMC stats, a 517 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 517 is 94
How good is a 517 on the MCAT?
The answer depends on several factors including what type of medical school (MD vs DO vs Canadian) you're interested in, and most importantly, your individual section scores. Attaining a score of 517 on the MCAT means you performed in the 96% percentile.
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.
What is a respectable 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.
Can I get into an MD with a 507 MCAT?
MCAT scores of 509 or below are generally considered low and not competitive for allopathic medical school admissions. There are exceptions, however, to this rule. An MCAT score of 518 or above is considered exceptional.
How Important Are MCAT Scores at the Top 50 Medical Schools?
Can I get into medical school with a 517 MCAT?
If you've been scoring below 501 on the MCAT, and have scored a 517 with a balanced distribution among the 4 sections, congratulations, you are now officially a competitive applicant for most med schools in North America!
What is considered a bad MCAT score?
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 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.
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. This is out of the nearly three hundred thousand students who take the exam. Thus, achieving a perfect MCAT score is quite difficult, but it is not impossible.
Is a 500 a bad MCAT score?
What Is a Bad MCAT Score? The majority of medical schools in the US recommend that students score a minimum of 500 on the MCAT, which means scoring 125 in each of the four sections. So, technically speaking, a bad MCAT score would be anything below 500.
What is the most common MCAT score?
Your MCAT total score will range between 472 and 528, with 501.5 marking the mean, or 50th percentile. Each of the four MCAT sections is scored between 118 and 132, with the 50th percentile coming in around 125 for each section, though it does vary slightly from section to section.
Which med-school is easiest to get into?
- University of Mississippi School of Medicine. ...
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. ...
- University of Missouri Kansas School of Medicine. ...
- University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. ...
- Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine.
Should I retake a 515 MCAT score?
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.
What was the old MCAT score range?
The old MCAT was scored on a scale from 3-45 with an average MCAT score of 25.2. On each section you could earn 1 to 15 points. The new MCAT is scored on a scale from 472-528 with a mean score of 500. On each section you can earn 118 to 132 points.
What is the average MCAT score for admitted students?
Based on the data as well as our experience with countless students we've helped get into medical school, the average MCAT Score required for most medical schools is at least 508-513 (25th percentile). However, depending on the school this can vary quite a bit.
Should I retake the MCAT if I got a 500?
You should probably retest.
As data from the AAMC shows, a score below 498 corresponds to a 28.5% chance of acceptance, even with a fantastic GPA of 3.79 or higher. If your GPA is below that threshold, your chances nearly halve down to 11%.
What MCAT score should I not apply with?
According to the latest statistics, students with a score of less than 506 have even less of a chance of getting into medical school. And students with scores around 501 and lower should really consider retaking the test.
Will a 515 MCAT get me into med-school?
Generally, MCAT scores above 511 are considered competitive for most schools. However, if you want to be above average, a score of 515 or above will put you in the 90th percentile, which will look great on your application!
Can you get into Harvard with a 517 MCAT?
Harvard Medical School obviously has the luxury of selecting students from an outstanding pool of applicants. If your MCAT and GPA are excellent (517 and 3.8 or higher) or there are other extenuating circumstances about your background that distinguish you, try applying.
What is the hardest med-school to get into?
With an astonishingly low acceptance rate of about 1.4%, Stanford is the country's hardest medical school to get into. They admit students who not only boast impressive academic records but also showcase a deep passion for leadership, community involvement, and pushing the boundaries of medical knowledge.
Is 507 a bad MCAT score?
Considering that a 507 is quite close to the average MCAT score of a 501, it's not very competitive for med-school admission. With a 507, 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 is a failed MCAT score?
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 low MCAT score?
Any MCAT score below the 50th percentile is considered low and not as competitive. This means an MCAT score below 502 is generally a low score at even the easiest medical schools to get into.