DO schools accept low MCAT scores?

Asked by: Mrs. Larissa Gislason  |  Last update: July 6, 2022
Score: 4.3/5 (19 votes)

It is possible to get into medical school with a low MCAT score if you have a stellar GPA. Schools understand that students have bad days. Your GPA shows that you're able to handle the curriculum and have a good grasp of the material. So, they may be willing to accept a lower MCAT score.

What is the lowest acceptable MCAT score?

This means that the lowest possible MCAT score you can get is 472 and the highest is 528. The conversion is administered to ensure scoring fairness to all students taking the MCAT. There are several different test forms in a given year.

What if my MCAT score is low?

If your scores are simply too low to be competitive at American allopathic med schools, you might pursue osteopathic medicine, which evaluates applications more holistically and considers lower MCAT scores than allopathic schools. You might also investigate foreign medical schools, including Caribbean programs.

Is 493 a good MCAT score?

Attaining a score of 493 on the MCAT means you performed in the 29% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred. For example: 123 (C/P) 124 (CARS) 123 (B/B) 123 (P/S).

Can I get into medical school with a 500 MCAT score?

Shirag Shemmassian, founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and a medical school admissions expert, says that if you receive an MCAT score below 500, "it is highly likely that you will not be accepted to any MD program, unless you happen to live in a state with a public medical school that accepts in-state students ...

HOW I GOT ACCEPTED INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL WITH LOW MCAT SCORE

21 related questions found

Is 510 a good MCAT score?

A "good" MCAT score is one that puts you near or above the average percentile for matriculants at your target medical schools. For comparison, the average MCAT score for students admitted to an MD program in the United States in 2017–2018 is between 510 and 511, with an average GPA of 3.71.

Can I get into med school with a 505?

511+: 100% MD programs; 0% DO programs. 506–510: 75% MD programs, 25% DO programs. 500–505: 25–50% MD programs; 50–75% DO programs. Below 500: 0–25% MD programs; 75–100% DO programs.

Should I retake a 508 MCAT?

If their scores are below the average of their safety schools, they should usually retake the test. The average MCAT score matriculants in the most recent application cycle was about 510 to 511. Generally, Ken would recommend students who got lower than 508 to retake the test.

Can you get into med school with a 486?

Given a low enough MCAT score, no GPA can make up for it in gaining admission to medical school. That is, looking at the bottom red line, where MCAT is between 486 and 489, a GPA of 2.5 vs 3.9 gives the same admit rate of around 3%.

Can I get into med school with a 495?

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 495 on the MCAT means you performed in the 35% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.

Can I get into med school with a 506?

With a score of 504-506 or lower, you are not going to be a very competitive candidate. But this score range is not absolutely out of the race! A score of 501 or lower is typically considered too low to be competitive, so you might want to retake the exam or apply to medical schools that do not require the MCAT.

Can I get into med school with a 487 MCAT?

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.

Is 484 a good MCAT score?

Attaining a score of 484 on the MCAT means you performed in the 8% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.

Should I retake a 512 MCAT?

If you were averaging 510-512s on your practice AAMC exam but scored much lower on test day, this is a good reason to retake the MCAT. The lower score is more likely due to nerves, pressure, lack of sleep, or sickness than lack of knowledge and ability.

Is 518 a good MCAT score?

Scoring a 518 on your MCAT is quite good. In fact, it puts you in the 97th percentile. To put it into perspective, a perfect score on the MCAT is a 528. That's the highest that you can get.

Is 486 a good MCAT score?

Attaining a score of 486 on the MCAT means you performed in the 12% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.

Is 491 a good MCAT score?

Attaining a score of 491 on the MCAT means you performed in the 23% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.

Is 488 a good 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 488 on the MCAT means you performed in the 16% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.

Is 502 a good MCAT score?

So, for students who are doing about average or a little above average on the MCAT, in the 502-505 range, that's good enough to get a look and probably good enough to get an interview—although you would have to knock it out of the park on everything else—it could get you an acceptance.

Is a 509 MCAT good?

Attaining a score of 509 on the MCAT means you performed in the 82% percentile. An even distribution for the section scores is preferred.

Is 127 a good MCAT score?

What is a Good MCAT Score? A good MCAT score is 127 out of 132 in any one section, or 508 out of 528 for all 4 sections. The latter represents the average score of students admitted to medical schools nationwide in the 2019 admissions cycle.

What MCAT score do I need Canada?

MCAT score with a minimum of 124 in each section; out-of-province applicants must score 128+ in CARS.

Should I retake a 509 MCAT?

So, a 509 MCAT score will put you a good place to get accepted in one of those schools. Retaking the MCAT likely wouldn't benefit you in this situation. The same goes for other medical school-heavy states, such as California or Texas.

Should I retake a 514 MCAT?

If you've scored a 514 or above you should probably not retest. If your score is in the middle of these two extremes, your GPA may be the deciding factor. As the table shows, a score below 498 corresponds to an 18% chance of acceptance, even with a fantastic GPA of 3.79 or higher.

Is a 520 MCAT good?

The total maximum score you can get on the MCAT is 528. So, a score of 520 is a very strong score! It puts you in the top 98th percentile of all MCAT test-takers. To put the score into perspective, the median MCAT score for matriculants in the 2019-2020 academic year was 511.5.