For the purposes of this article, "med school" refers to a US allopathic (MD-granting) medical school.
Here's a shocking statement: you won't get into med school with a low MCAT score.
"Holy crap!" you're thinking, "I've never heard this before!" Your sarcasm is duly noted.
But the key question is why. Why won't med schools let you in with a low MCAT score?
Well, most med schools say that MCAT scores predict whether you will graduate medical school and pass the USMLE. The higher your MCAT score, the more likely you are to pass, and the easier your path to becoming a doctor will be. Conversely, if you can't pass or don't graduate, you can't become a doctor. It's that simple.
But here's the interesting thing: how low can your MCAT score be and still become a doctor?
First, we need some reference. When most people talk about good MCAT scores, the conversation usually centers around getting a 127 in each section (so a 508, or a 30 on the old MCAT). Scores that are competitive for top tier medical schools are in the 128-130 range (512-520 overall, or 33-39 on the old MCAT).
But the scores that show whether you will, say, graduate from medical school are completely different from a score that will get you in.
Here's some data put out by the AAMC that correlate your overall MCAT score with the percentage of students who are able to successfully complete key obstacles in their medical education.
(Note: this data is from 2006-2009, so we have added the new MCAT Equivalent for comparison)
So, as long as you score between a 488-491 on your MCAT (which would put you in the bottom tenth percentile of all test-takers), you are unlikely to drop out, you're likely to graduate (admittedly in 5 years, but you will graduate), and you're even likely to pass the USMLE step 1 on your first attempt.
Holy crap!
Before you get excited, though, your low MCAT score probably won't get you into medical school.
Think about it from an admissions officer's perspective: if I'm a med school admissions officer, I want students who are at a very low risk of dropping out. The lower the risk, the better, so I would want only to take students with the lowest possible risk of dropping out.
But there's a huge difference between the scores required to get in and the scores required to do well in med school. To guarantee success in med school, all you need is a 504. There is no meaningful difference in success rates (both in graduation and at the USMLE) of applicants scoring between a 504 MCAT and a 528. Graduation rates, USMLE passage rates, and drop out rates are either the exact same or awfully close.
By contrast, A 504 puts you in just the top 40th percentile of all test-takers (not bad, but certainly not great). In other words, just proving that you are good enough to make it through medical school is NOT enough to get accepted.
In reality, then, there are two questions we must ask:
Question 1 - How low is too low to succeed in medical school? (answer: below a 504 will be a tough - though not impossible - sell at most medical schools.
Question 2 - How low is too low to get in to medical school? That is a much different question, and it must mean that there's something else going on with why medical schools have preferences for scores higher than a 504.
Check back for next week’s article to find the answer for question 2.
A poor MCAT score is any score that doesn't get you into a medical school, but statistically this would be a score below the overall mean or average, so a score of 505 or less. A poor MCAT score could also be considered anything below the 50th percentile for recent test-takers, which is approximately 501.
So, what exactly is the lowest possible score to get accepted into med school? There are few medical schools who accept students with an MCAT of lower than 490. If your MCAT score is dangerously low, you may be better off retaking the test or applying to no-MCAT medical schools.
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. Interestingly, a vast majority of individuals score above this range. Recent data suggests that the average score hovers around 506.5.
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%)
The typical MCAT score one needs to be competitive for medical school admission to allopathic medical schools in the United States is a 511. 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.
A poor MCAT score is any score that doesn't get you into a medical school, but statistically this would be a score below the overall mean or average, so a score of 505 or less. A poor MCAT score could also be considered anything below the 50th percentile for recent test-takers, which is approximately 501.
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.
So, naturally, a high score on your first attempt is ideal. However, it doesn't always work out that way. While it's true that you can take the MCAT three times in the same year and seven times in a lifetime, medical schools can see how you scored on each attempt.
Considering that a 506 is quite close to the average MCAT score of a 501, it's not very competitive for med-school admission. With a 506, 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.
Does retaking the MCAT look bad? Like reapplying to medical school, retaking the MCAT does not inherently look bad. That said, you should strive to take the MCAT as few times as possible.
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. If you're struggling to acquire your intended score on the exam, book a one-on-one tutoring session with one of our consultants.
What can outweigh a low MCAT? The most traditional strategy for offsetting a low MCAT is having a very high GPA. These two application elements are often considered in relation to each other. So, having a high GPA can truly save a lower MCAT score!
Yes, there are many DO schools and some MD medical schools that accept low MCAT scores. Some Caribbean medical schools also accept below average MCAT scores. 2.
Should I Retake The MCAT If My Score Is 513? You should retake a 513 MCAT score if your score is not balanced among the 4 sections, or if your target med-school(s) require a higher score for you to be competitive.
Medical schools have different minimum score requirements for students based on being in-state, out-of-state, in particular programs, socioeconomic backgrounds, and more. Considering that a 517 is far ahead of the average MCAT score of a 501, it's very competitive for med-school admission.
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.
Is 499 a bad MCAT score? in, and most importantly, your individual section scores. Attaining a score of 499 on the MCAT means you performed in the 49% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.
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