Is MCAT harder than practice?
Asked by: Dr. Omer Lynch II | Last update: November 12, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (28 votes)
Some students find the AAMC practice exams to be more difficult than the actual MCAT, while others find them to be a good predictor of what they will see on the test day. There are a few things to keep in mind when considering this question.
Is the MCAT harder than med school?
The difficulty level of the MCAT will not come close to a fraction of how hard medical school is. The latter is an arduous process that doesn't just involve a lot of studying. Its practice comes with a very heavy pressure that makes students ultimately scared of making a mistake.
What is 90% correct on MCAT?
This score will put you right in line with the average MCAT score of students who have been accepted into medical school. However, if you're looking to be above average, a score of 515 or above will put you in the 90th percentile, which will look great on your application!
Has anyone ever 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 490 a good MCAT score?
A 490 signals gross content gaps or very poor understanding of the material. If you studied for 18 months and couldn't break a 490 by yourself, you definitely need to go back to school and re-learn the material from some experts. This is why most high scorers take the MCAT right after learning the material.
Why your real MCAT score is lower than your practice tests?
Is 475 a bad MCAT score?
There are 2 answers to this question. Answer #1: in most recent medical school application cycles, a score of 510-511 and above would be considered a good MCAT score. A good MCAT score would not have any section scores below 127. Anything above 520 is exceptional.
How rare is a 525 MCAT?
525 MCAT Score
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 525 on the MCAT means you performed in the 100% percentile.
What's the lowest MCAT score accepted?
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.
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.
Does the MCAT get curved?
Is the MCAT exam graded on a curve? One of the most important things to note about the scoring process is that the MCAT exam is NOT graded on a curve. Instead, the MCAT exam is scaled and equated so that scores have the same meaning no matter when you take your exam.
What is an elite MCAT score?
528 is the highest MCAT score possible, 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.
Is 512 MCAT too low?
According to recent AAMC stats, a 512 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 512 is 85 percentile rank on the MCAT. * The current average MCAT score is at the 501 mark, and a 512 is 11 points ahead of that score.
What's harder, NCLEX or MCAT?
Is the NCLEX Harder Than the MCAT? No, the NCLEX isn't harder than the MCAT.
What is the hardest exam to become a doctor?
The USMLE Step exams are one of the most important and anxiety-inducing aspects of medical training. Step 1 is an exam that most medical students take in their second or third year of school, which tests basic science knowledge relevant to the practice of medicine.
What time of year is the MCAT the easiest?
There's no magical time period where the MCAT is easier. It's a challenging exam no matter the month you choose. Some feel prepared to take the MCAT after their sophomore year, while others decide to wait until their senior year of undergrad.
What is the lowest score on the MCAT?
The AAMC converts the number of correct questions you answered into scaled scores for each of the four sections. The AAMC adds the scaled scores from each section to calculate your total scaled MCAT score, ranging from 472 (lowest) to 528 (highest).
Is MCAT all multiple choice?
The MCAT is completely multiple choice. The score range of each of the 4 MCAT sections is 118-132, for a total perfect score of 528. The lowest possible score is 472. Each of the 4 sections is worth 25% of your final score.
Can I get into med-school with a 495 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.
What is the Harvard MCAT score?
The top schools will have high average MCAT scores: for example, Harvard and Stanford have average scores of 520 and 518, respectively. A high MCAT score certainly does not guarantee an acceptance letter at the most competitive medical schools.
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.
What is a respectable MCAT score?
A good MCAT score is typically considered to be 128 out of 132 in any one of the four sections, or a total of 511 out of 528 for all four sections combined. The latter represents the average score of students admitted to medical schools across the nation during the 2021 admissions cycle.
Should I retake a 508 MCAT?
Should I Retake The MCAT If My Score Is 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 GPA or MCAT more important?
But, the easy answer is: MCAT. Some med schools believe that GPA is a better indicator of future success because it measures your work ethic and determination. However, your MCAT score is the only factor that is completely objective. It is the only factor that can compare all students evenly.
What is a failing MCAT score?
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.