What is the lowest MCAT score accepted into Harvard?

Harvard Medical School (HMS) doesn't set a minimum MCAT score, but admitted students typically score very high, with averages around 520-521, placing them in the top percentiles (83rd percentile or higher for scores like 512). While some students get in with scores like 515, scores below the 510s are generally not competitive due to extreme selectivity, though exceptional experiences can sometimes compensate.

What is the lowest MCAT score accepted for Harvard?

While Harvard Medical School (HMS) doesn't publish a minimum MCAT score, accepted students typically have scores in the low 500s or higher, with averages around 520, but exceptional extracurriculars, research, and personal narratives can allow admission with lower scores, like a 515, especially with a high GPA, though even lower scores (like the 511 range for MD-PhD) are seen but are rare for MD-only. 

Is a 499 a bad MCAT score?

Bottom line: If you scored 498 or below, I definitely recommend retaking the MCAT. If you scored 499-505 your first time, you should probably retake the MCAT. If you scored 506-511, you may not need to retake, but you could if you know you'd score much higher — especially if you're applying to Ivy League schools.

How rare is a 524 MCAT?

A 524 MCAT score is extremely rare, placing you in the 100th percentile, meaning you scored as well as or better than virtually all other test-takers, making it an exceptional score for medical school admissions, far above the average and highly competitive for even the most selective programs.
 

Should you retake a 520 MCAT?

Assuming a strong GPA and extracurricular profile, scoring a 518 or above will help you be competitive for the highest-tier schools, even if their average matriculant MCAT score is a 520 or 521. With scores at this level, an MCAT retake is not necessary because schools will consider you to be academically elite.

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What is a top 1% MCAT score?

A top 1% MCAT score generally falls around the 515-520+ range, though the exact score shifts slightly with each testing year's percentiles, with scores like 475-477 often representing the 1st percentile on the total score chart, but a 99th percentile is closer to 520+, requiring near-perfect section scores (131-132) for the highest ranks, with 528 being perfect. 

What is the MCAT score for Yale?

Median GPA: 3.92. Median MCAT: 522. Median MCAT: 521 (class of 2028)

What is the easiest medical school to get into?

There are no truly "easy" medical schools, but some have higher acceptance rates or lower average GPA/MCAT scores, often focusing on regional needs or specific missions, like University of Mississippi, East Carolina University (Brody), University of North Dakota, Mercer University, Meharry Medical College, University of North Dakota, and University of New Mexico. Osteopathic (DO) schools like William Carey, Arkansas COM, Pikeville KYCOM, and Lincoln Memorial are also frequently listed as having higher acceptance rates than top MD programs. 

What is the MCAT score for John Hopkins University?

Johns Hopkins Medical School MCAT Requirements

Similar to the average GPA for Johns Hopkins, the average MCAT is very high at 521. In our experience, students should have an MCAT of 516 or higher to be competitive for an interview invitation.

Can I get into med-school with a 495 MCAT?

Scores between 490–500 fall on the lower end for both MD and DO schools. Below 490 is unlikely to be competitive at accredited U.S. or Canadian schools.

How hard is it to get a 520 MCAT?

An MCAT score of 520 is very strong and puts you in the 97th percentile of all MCAT test takers.

Is taking the MCAT 3 times bad?

How Many MCAT Retakes Are Too Many? Retaking the MCAT three or more times can raise questions for certain admissions committees. Ideally, you should aim to demonstrate significant score improvement with each retake.

What is the lowest MCAT score for UCLA?

UCLA DGSOM does not have a minimum MCAT score requirement. UCLA DGSOM's median MCAT score of 515 for the 2024 entering class falls in the 91st percentile of all test-takers in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

What is the lowest MCAT score for Dartmouth?

MCAT Requirements

Dartmouth requires students to have an MCAT score of at least 503 to be eligible for consideration. However, the average MCAT of admitted students is 515.8.

What is an Ivy League MCAT score?

Dedicate enough time to preparing for the MCAT: Though your MCAT score isn't the only stat considered, the average MCAT score of Ivy League med school matriculants is 519 or higher.

What is the easiest doctor to become in the USA?

The 7 Easiest Types of Doctor to Become & How to Get There

• Anesthesiology.
• Emergency Medicine.
• Family Medicine.
• Internal Medicine.
• Pediatrics.
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
• Psychiatry.

Which school sends most to medical school?

According to AAMC data, some of the top feeder schools for medical students in the U.S. include:

• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
• University of Michigan.
• University of Florida.
• University of Texas at Austin.
• Harvard University.

What's the hardest class in medical school?

The hardest class in med school varies by student, but Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroanatomy are consistently cited as the most challenging due to massive memorization, complex concepts, spatial reasoning, and integrating vast amounts of information across disciplines. While some find abstract concepts hard (Biochem, Immunology), others struggle with detailed spatial memorization (Anatomy, Neuroanatomy) or the encyclopedic scope of disease (Pathology). 

What is the hardest med school to get into in the US?

The hardest US medical schools to get into are consistently top-ranked institutions like NYU Grossman, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Stanford, UPenn, Columbia, UCSF, Mayo Clinic Alix, and Washington University (WashU), known for extremely low acceptance rates (often under 3-4%) and very high average MCAT scores (around 520-523) and GPAs (around 3.9+). These schools attract vast applicant pools, making selectivity incredibly high, with some schools even seeing acceptance rates below 2% or 1%.
 

What is the average MCAT score for Princeton?

Princeton premed acceptance rate and admissions statistics

That's substantially higher than the roughly 36 percent national average. Among those accepted, the average cumulative GPA was 3.64 and the average MCAT was 517.

Does Harvard look at all MCAT scores?

HMS considers all valid MCAT exam scores during the application review process.

What's the hardest section of the MCAT?

The hardest MCAT section is subjective, but many test-takers find CARS (Critical Analysis and Reading Skills) the most difficult due to its non-scientific, logic-based nature and need for rapid comprehension, while others struggle with the dense content and complex problem-solving in the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (Chem/Phys) section, especially physics and organic chemistry concepts, and some find the Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (Psych/Soc) section's nuanced theories challenging.
 

What is a realistic MCAT score?

The average MCAT score for all applicants is currently between a 506 and 507. The average MCAT score for matriculants (those who've been accepted and have registered to attend a med school) is between a 511 and a 512.

Is the MCAT harder than the SAT?

Yes, the MCAT is widely considered significantly harder than the SAT, as it's much longer (nearly 8 hours vs. ~3 hours), requires extensive, specialized science knowledge (biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, psychology, sociology), and tests advanced critical thinking in complex, passage-based scientific contexts, unlike the SAT's high school-level content. The MCAT demands hundreds of hours of dedicated study, making it a formidable challenge even for high-achievers who did well on the SAT.