Yes, you can get into medical school with a wide range of MCAT scores, but your probability of acceptance depends on where you apply and what else is in your application. A 520 makes you a top candidate for Ivy League schools, while a 505 is competitive for many state schools and Osteopathic (DO) programs. The MCAT is a filter, not a final decision, meaning a high score opens doors but a low score requires a stronger GPA and more clinical experience to compensate.
Medical schools receive thousands of applications for a limited number of seats. To manage this, many schools use the MCAT as an initial screen. If a school has a hard cutoff at 500, any application with a 499 is automatically rejected regardless of the student's GPA or volunteer work. This is the most rigid part of the process.
Once you pass the initial screen, the score becomes a data point in a larger profile. Admissions committees look for evidence that you can handle the academic rigor of medical school. Since the MCAT tests the same foundational sciences taught in the first two years of med school, a high score suggests you are less likely to fail out of the program.
A score of 515 or higher puts you in the top percentiles of all test takers. At this level, you are academically qualified for almost any medical school in the United States. You will likely get interviews from both state and private institutions. However, a 520 does not guarantee admission. You still need a professional personal statement and a decent GPA.
This is where the majority of successful applicants sit. A score in this range is perfectly acceptable for most state MD schools and the vast majority of DO schools. In this bracket, the rest of your application carries more weight. If you have a 508 but a 3.9 GPA and 1,000 hours of clinical shadowing, you are a very strong candidate.
Students in this range should be strategic about their school list. Applying only to top-tier research universities is risky. Instead, focusing on schools where your score aligns with their median (usually found in the MSAR database) increases your odds of success.
Scores below 505 make the MD path difficult. While not impossible, you will face more automatic rejections. Many students in this range pivot toward DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) schools, which often have slightly lower MCAT medians and a heavier focus on primary care and holistic health.
If your score is in this range, you have two choices. You can apply to a wide net of lower-tier schools and DO programs, or you can retake the exam. Retaking is only a good idea if you believe you can jump your score by 5 to 10 points. A small increase (like 2 or 3 points) rarely changes the admissions outcome.
"I was stuck at a 502 on my practice exams and felt like I would never get into med school. I started using StudyCards AI to turn my Kaplan PDFs into Anki decks, which saved me hours of manual typing. I jumped to a 511 and got into my state school."
- Sarah, Pre-Med Student
Holistic review is the process where admissions committees look at the whole person instead of just numbers. If your MCAT is lower than the average, you can balance the scale with other strengths. Schools want to see that you have the emotional maturity and experience to be a doctor.
Nothing replaces direct patient contact. If you have a 506 MCAT but have spent two years working as an EMT or a Scribe, you demonstrate that you know what the job actually entails. This is often more valuable to a committee than a 520 score from a student who has never stepped foot in a clinic.
Your GPA is the other half of the academic equation. A high GPA (3.8+) can often "save" a mediocre MCAT score. It shows consistency over four years. Conversely, a high MCAT can sometimes mask a lower GPA, suggesting that you are smarter than your grades reflect but perhaps lacked focus in early college.
Admissions committees also look for an upward trend. If you had a 2.5 GPA freshman year but a 4.0 senior year, they care more about the recent success. This trend, combined with a solid MCAT, tells a story of growth and maturity.
Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) degrees are both fully licensed physicians. The main difference is the philosophy of training and the specific requirements for entry. DO schools generally have lower average MCAT scores than MD schools.
If your score is between 495 and 505, your chances of getting into a DO program are significantly higher than getting into an MD program. DO schools place a high value on the "person" and their desire to serve underserved communities. If your application reflects a commitment to primary care, a slightly lower score is less of a barrier.
Deciding to retake the exam is a risk. Some schools do not like to see multiple attempts, while others do not care as long as the score improved. You should consider a retake if you meet these criteria:
If you scored a 507 and the average for your target schools is 510, do not retake it. A 3 point difference is usually within the margin of error and will not significantly change your admission odds. In that case, spend your time improving your personal statement or getting more clinical hours.
Most students fail to raise their scores because they spend too much time reading and not enough time recalling. Reading a textbook is passive. To move from a 500 to a 515, you must shift to active recall and spaced repetition.
The gold standard for this is Anki. However, making cards manually is a slow process. You can spend 10 hours a week just typing cards instead of actually studying them. This is where StudyCards AI changes the workflow. By uploading your PDFs or lecture notes, the tool generates flashcards automatically and exports them to Anki.
This allows you to focus on the two things that actually move the needle: doing practice problems and reviewing your mistakes. When you miss a question on a practice exam, you can find the relevant section in your PDF, run it through StudyCards AI, and have a new set of targeted flashcards in seconds. This creates a tight feedback loop that accelerates learning.
Whether you are aiming for a 520 or just trying to hit the 505 mark, the most efficient way to memorize the vast MCAT syllabus is through AI-powered flashcards.
Generally, a score below 498 is considered low for MD programs. However, "bad" is relative to the schools you are targeting. For top-tier schools, a 510 might be considered low.
Yes, but it is challenging for MD programs. You would need a very high GPA and exceptional clinical experience. Your best chances would be with DO programs or schools with a strong mission to serve rural areas.
Most schools value both, but they serve different purposes. GPA shows long-term discipline and consistency. The MCAT shows your ability to handle standardized, high-pressure testing and foundational knowledge.
The AAMC has strict limits on how many times you can take the test in a year and over your lifetime. Most students should not take it more than twice, as a third attempt can be a red flag to admissions committees.
Yes, most medical schools only accept MCAT scores that are 2 to 3 years old. Check the specific requirements of the schools on your list.
Generate Anki flashcards free