What is the hardest section to improve MCAT?
Asked by: Jean Leannon II | Last update: December 25, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (46 votes)
While the MCAT CARS is often considered the toughest MCAT section, the hardest MCAT subject will vary. One test-taker might find the biology subjects to be harder than chemistry, because of the huge amount of information covered. Or you might struggle more with physics and math than biology subjects.
Is Chem Phys the hardest MCAT section?
Did you know that students rate Chem/Phys and the CARS section as the hardest on the MCAT?
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!
What is the easiest section on the MCAT?
What Is the Easiest Section on the MCAT? The CARS section on the MCAT is often considered the easiest section.
Which MCAT section is most important?
On the MCAT, biology (at 65% of the Bio/Biochem MCAT section) will be by far the most important of the four “classic” MCAT subjects, followed in importance by general chemistry (30% of the Chem/Phys MCAT section); physics (25% of the Chem/Phys MCAT section); and finally organic chemistry (15% of the Chem/Phys MCAT ...
The 7 Step Strategy To Answering The Hardest Part of the MCAT Exam
Which MCAT section is the hardest?
While the MCAT CARS is often considered the toughest MCAT section, the hardest MCAT subject will vary. One test-taker might find the biology subjects to be harder than chemistry, because of the huge amount of information covered. Or you might struggle more with physics and math than biology subjects.
What is top 90% MCAT?
To score in the 90th percentile of any given MCAT section, you'll need at least a 125-126, depending on the section. To have scored in the 75th percentile, you must have scored greater than 508. To have an MCAT score in the 50th percentile, you must have scored greater than 500.
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.
What is the most heavily tested subject on the MCAT?
Biochemistry: This subject is heavily emphasized on the MCAT, reflecting its importance in medical education and practice. Topics in biochemistry, including amino acids, proteins, and enzyme kinetics, are integral parts of the exam, especially in the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section.
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.
Is 517 a bad MCAT score?
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 percentile rank on the MCAT.
How many questions can I miss on the MCAT to get a 520?
However, generally speaking, missing around five to seven questions out of the total number of questions on the MCAT would typically result in a score of 520.
Is physics 1 enough for MCAT?
Technically, Physics 1 is enough for the MCAT. Physics 1 will introduce you to foundational concepts and essential units in physics, which are tested on the MCAT. While physics covers a significant portion of the test, you will also be tested on other subjects.
What is the most competitive MCAT score?
Our experts suggest aiming for a total score of 511 or higher on the MCAT. This score puts you in the top 8% according to AAMC. The maximum MCAT score possible is 528, and the minimum MCAT score is 472. The average MCAT score for entering MD students in the US is 500, so your score should not be lower than the average.
How math heavy is the MCAT?
The MCAT requires you to solve math problems based on knowledge of chemistry, physics, and statistical reasoning, among other things. Although the current MCAT has very few heavy calculations, there are many questions that require you to demonstrate your ability to manipulate some math.
Is the MCAT mostly memorization?
You do, of course, need to memorize some things for the MCAT, but by and large, the MCAT is about recall and association: drawing the connections between subjects. This format actually mirrors how memories are organized in the brain: in semantic networks.
How many questions wrong is a 128 on MCAT?
In the CARS section with 53 questions, you can usually get: 5 wrong answers (90% accuracy) and score 130 (top 5%) 10 wrong answers (83% accuracy) and score 127-128 (top 25%) 15 wrong answers (72% accuracy) and score 125 (top 50%)
Is genetics high yield on MCAT?
Knowledge of genetics and related MCAT subjects, such as DNA structure and function, gene expression, genetic disorders, inheritance patterns, and genetic variation, is examined on the MCAT. So, in order to do well on the MCAT, your MCAT study schedule must include this high-yield MCAT topic.
What is the lowest score someone has gotten 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).
What is a 491 MCAT score?
If you scored a 491 on the MCAT, this means you performed in the 20 percentile according to most recent AAMC statistics, and are 20 points away from a competitive 511.
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.
What is 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.
Is the MCAT 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's a good MCAT score in 2024?
An MCAT of 512 or above makes you a competitive applicant for both allopathic and osteopathic medical schools assuming other aspects of your candidacy are also strong. An MCAT of 515, which will place you in the 90th percentile of all test takers, or above will make you a much more competitive applicant.