What MCAT Score Should You Aim For in 2027?

A good MCAT score is not one specific number. It depends on the medical schools you are targeting, whether you are applying to MD or DO programs, and the strength of the rest of your application.

For U.S. MD programs, recent data provide a useful benchmark. According to the AAMC, students who matriculated into U.S. MD-granting medical schools in 2025 had a mean MCAT score of 512.1, compared with 506.3 among all applicants.

That makes a score around 511 to 513 a reasonable target for applicants seeking to be competitive across a broad range of MD schools. More selective schools often have considerably higher entering-class averages.

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MCAT Score Range Explained

The MCAT is scored from 472 to 528.

It contains four sections, each scored from 118 to 132:

• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior

Your four section scores are combined to create your total MCAT score.

What Is a Good MCAT Score in 2027?

A simple way to think about MCAT scores is:

These are general benchmarks, not admissions cutoffs.

Medical schools evaluate applicants holistically, and individual schools have very different MCAT distributions and requirements.

MCAT Percentiles for 2026-2027

MCAT percentiles show how your score compares with other test-takers.

The AAMC updates percentile ranks every May using results from the previous three testing years. The current percentiles are effective from May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027. (AAMC MCAT percentile ranks)

Some useful score benchmarks include:

Percentiles can shift slightly each year, which is why applicants should use the latest AAMC tables rather than older MCAT charts.

What MCAT Score Do MD Students Typically Have?

For the 2025 entering class, the AAMC reported:

• Average MD applicant MCAT: 506.3
• Average MD matriculant MCAT: 512.1
• Average applicant GPA: 3.67
• Average matriculant GPA: 3.81

The AAMC also reported a median undergraduate GPA of 3.87 among 2025-26 matriculants.

The difference between applicant and matriculant averages shows why your MCAT should be considered alongside your GPA rather than in isolation.

Is 510 a Good MCAT Score?

A 510 is a strong score, but whether it is competitive depends on your school list.

It sits below the current average of 512.1 for students matriculating into U.S. MD programs, but applicants with scores around this level are admitted every year.

Your chances will also depend on:

• Undergraduate GPA
• Science GPA
• Clinical experience
• Community service
• Research
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement
• School selection

A 510 paired with a strong overall application may be more competitive at some schools than at institutions where the typical matriculant MCAT is above 518.

Is 515 a Good MCAT Score?

A 515 is an excellent MCAT score and places a student roughly around the top tenth of test-takers.

It can make you academically competitive at many U.S. medical schools, although highly selective programs may have entering-class medians around 518 to 522.

Again, being above a school's median does not guarantee admission.

Is 520 a Good MCAT Score?

A 520 is an exceptionally strong MCAT score, placing you around the 97th percentile.

At this level, your MCAT is unlikely to be the weak point of your application at most medical schools. However, elite medical schools reject many applicants with outstanding MCAT scores because admissions committees consider much more than academics.

What Is the Highest Possible MCAT Score?

The highest possible MCAT score is 528.

That requires a score of 132 on each of the four sections.

A perfect score is extremely rare and unnecessary for admission to medical school. The better goal is to earn a score that makes you competitive for your target programs while building a strong overall application.

MCAT Score vs GPA: Which Matters More?

Medical schools consider both.

A strong MCAT can demonstrate academic readiness, particularly when evaluated alongside your undergraduate performance. However, it does not erase every weakness elsewhere in an application.

AAMC data allow applicants to examine how combinations of MCAT scores and GPAs relate to medical student outcomes.

Rather than asking whether your MCAT alone is "good enough," compare both your GPA and MCAT with the profiles of students at the schools you plan to apply to.

Clinical Experience Still Matters

Your MCAT is only one part of becoming a competitive medical school applicant.

Admissions committees also want evidence that you understand healthcare and have seriously explored medicine as a career.

Clinical exposure may include:

• Hospital volunteering
• Physician shadowing
• Healthcare employment
• Community health work
• Clinical internships

Students looking for additional supervised clinical exposure before medical school can explore Go-Elective's Pre-Health and Pre-Med Internships.

The goal of clinical experience should be to better understand patient care, healthcare systems, teamwork, and your own reasons for pursuing medicine, not simply to accumulate hours.

Should You Retake the MCAT?

Consider a retake if your current score is significantly below the ranges of your target schools and you have a realistic plan for improving.

The AAMC allows you to take the MCAT:

• Up to three times in one calendar year
• Up to four times across two consecutive testing years
• Up to seven times in your lifetime

Before retaking, identify exactly what will change in your preparation. Retaking without addressing weaknesses in content knowledge, timing, strategy, or practice performance may produce a similar result.

Final Thoughts

For 2027 applicants, a score around 511 to 513 or higher can be considered a strong general target for many U.S. MD programs, especially given the current MD matriculant average of 512.1.

But there is no universal "good MCAT score."

A 508 may be competitive at one medical school and well below the typical range at another. A 520 may strengthen your academic profile but still cannot guarantee admission.

The best target is the score that places you competitively within the range of your chosen schools while complementing a strong GPA, meaningful clinical experiences, service, and a well-developed application.

FAQs About MCAT Scores

1. What is considered a good MCAT score?

For many MD applicants, a score around 511 to 513 or above is a useful benchmark. The current average among U.S. MD matriculants is 512.1.

2. Is 500 a good MCAT score?

A 500 is around the middle of the MCAT score distribution. It may be competitive for some programs, but it is below the current average for U.S. MD applicants and matriculants.

3. Is 510 enough for medical school?

It can be. A 510 is below the current MD matriculant average but can still be competitive depending on your GPA, experiences, school list, and the rest of your application.

4. What MCAT score is considered excellent?

Scores of around 515 or higher are generally considered excellent. A 518 is approximately around the 95th percentile, while a 520 is around the 97th percentile under recent percentile tables.

5. What is a perfect MCAT score?

A perfect MCAT score is 528, which means earning 132 in each of the four sections.

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , MCAT/MSAR/USMLE, Pre-health,

Author: Tatina Himes

Date Published: Sep 2, 2026