MCAT
MCAT percentile ranks
AAMC
The share of test takers at or below each MCAT total and section score, in effect May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027.
Open the percentile table
All resources
MCAT & DAT scores
Read your score, then decide on a retake
What MCAT and DAT scores mean, planning targets for MD, DO and dental schools, the official attempt limits and when a retake is worth it.
Your next three steps
- 01
Find your score’s percentile and set it against each school’s published class profile.
- 02
Before a retake, check your remaining attempts and whether your practice scores already sit at your target.
- 03
Confirm each school’s accepted test dates and how it reads multiple attempts.
MCAT: what your score means
The percentile is the share of test takers who scored at or below you. AAMC table in effect May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. The full table is on the admissions page.
- Sections
- Four, each scored 118 to 132 Source
- Total score
- 472 to 528, centred at 500 Source
- National mean
- 500.6 across 2023 to 2025 testing Source
- Who sees your scores
- Schools see every scored exam you have taken Source
- How far back schools accept
- Generally two or three years; each school sets its own window Source
500
48th percentile
505
64th percentile
510
79th percentile
514
89th percentile
515
91st percentile
520
97th percentile
528
100th percentile
Ranks are rounded, so a 100th percentile does not mean no one scored higher. AAMC percentile table
MCAT planning targets
MedStride advising benchmarks, anchored to the AAMC percentiles and published class averages. Schools admit students outside every band.
Strong for many MD schools
510 to 514MCAT
The 79th to 89th percentile, around the published MD matriculant mean of 512.1. Your GPA, experiences and school fit still carry the application. Source
Very competitive, including selective MD programs
515 to 520 and aboveMCAT
The 91st to 97th percentile. Selective and research-intensive programs weigh research, service and fit alongside it. Source
DO school planning
500 to 510 and aboveMCAT
Spans the national mean and the published DO entering mean of 502.95. Read each DO school's own class profile. Source
Who enrols
MCAT: when a retake is worth it
A retake pays off when something in your preparation changes. Use the attempts you have where they count.
| Where you are | What to do |
|---|---|
| Your score sits below your realistic school list | Retake when a focused study plan can address what caused the score. |
| You are near your target with one clearly weak section | Retake only if that section affects eligibility or competitiveness at your schools and you have a credible plan to raise it. |
| Your practice exams ran well above your official score | Look at test-day anxiety, timing, illness or fatigue. Fix the cause, then retake. |
| Your score meets your target and school list | Keep it and put your energy into the rest of the application, unless a specific school gives you a strong reason to retest. |
| Nothing about your preparation has changed | Change the study strategy first. A repeat with the same preparation tends to bring the same result. |
The AAMC limits
- One testing year
- Up to 3 attempts Source
- Two consecutive testing years
- Up to 4 attempts Source
- Lifetime
- Up to 7 attempts, counted from April 2015 Source
- Appointments
- You can hold one MCAT appointment at a time Source
- Voids and no-shows
- Both count toward your limits Source
- Appeals
- The AAMC may consider an appeal of the limits, at its discretion Source
Retake readiness checklist
- Read your official score report and find the weakest content areas and section patterns.
- Take full-length practice exams under realistic timing and conditions.
- Keep an error log that separates content gaps, reasoning errors, timing and careless mistakes.
- Do targeted content review, passage practice and timed section work.
- Book the retake once recent full-length scores sit consistently at or above your target, not after one unusually high result.
- Leave time for score release before your application deadlines, using the current AAMC calendar.
DAT: what your score means
The DAT moved to a three-digit scale on March 1, 2025. Percentiles below are the ADA's national norms for the Academic Average on that scale.
- Scale
- 200 to 600 in 10-point steps, in use since March 1, 2025, replacing the former 1 to 30 scale Source
- Academic Average
- Summarises your academic sections; schools also read each section score Source
- Passing score
- None; each dental school decides what it accepts Source
- Older scores
- Scores from before March 2025 are converted to the new scale when reported to ADEA AADSAS Source
- Exam fee
- $580 per attempt in 2026 Source
370
32nd
380
39th
390
47th
400
54th
410
62nd
420
69th
430
75th
440
81st
450
85th
460
88th
470
91st
480
94th
490
96th
500
97th
On the ADA's concordance, a former Academic Average of 18 is about 390 on the new scale, 20 is about 420 and 22 is about 460. ADA score scale guide
DAT planning targets
MedStride advising benchmarks for the Academic Average, read from the ADA percentiles. Some schools also look closely at section scores.
Baseline
400 to 420AA
The 54th to 69th percentile, at or above the national middle. Check each school's section expectations too. Source
Strong
430 to 450AA
The 75th to 85th percentile. GPA, science GPA, experiences and school fit still matter. Source
Very competitive
460 and aboveAA
The 88th percentile and above. A high score opens doors; interviews and offers depend on the whole application. Source
DAT: when a retake is worth it
| Where you are | What to do |
|---|---|
| Your Academic Average is below the range for your intended schools | Retake after finding the weak science or non-science sections and confirming your schools accept a later score. |
| One or more sections are clearly weaker | Check whether your schools look at section scores, then lift the weak area while keeping the others sharp. |
| Timed practice shows a realistic path to a meaningful increase | A retake can be worthwhile once that improvement holds across several timed practice tests. |
| Your score is already competitive for your school list | Put the time into GPA, shadowing, service, letters, the personal statement and interviews. |
| You are not yet ready to improve | Wait. A rushed repeat adds cost and another line of score history without solving the underlying problem. |
The ADA retest rules
- Waiting period
- 60 days between attempts Source
- Any 12-month period
- Up to 4 attempts; after 4, the next waits until 12 months after the first of those four Source
- Three or more attempts
- Apply to the ADA for permission to test again, with proof of a recent dental school application, such as a submitted ADEA AADSAS application, a school's decision letter or a letter from an admissions officer or college advisor Source
- After the fifth attempt
- Once per 12-month period Source
- What counts as an attempt
- Being seated at a test-centre computer and agreeing to the confidentiality statement; each attempt needs a new application and fee Source
- Appeals
- The DAT retest rules are not open to appeal Source
Retake readiness checklist
- Review your Academic Average and every section score; find the weakest areas.
- Use timed practice sets and full-length tests to build pacing and endurance.
- Practise the Perceptual Ability tasks regularly; for the sciences, use active recall and cumulative review.
- For Reading Comprehension and Quantitative Reasoning, work on passage strategy, accuracy and time.
- Retest once recent practice shows a realistic improvement and the new score can arrive before your deadlines.
- Check each dental school's policy on multiple attempts and how it reads score history.
MCAT and DAT side by side
| MCAT AAMC | DAT ADA | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | MD and DO admissions | Dental school admissions |
| Scale | 472 to 528; four sections of 118 to 132 | 200 to 600 in 10-point steps |
| Percentiles | AAMC, updated each May | ADA national norms for the new scale |
| Waiting between attempts | No fixed interval; one appointment at a time | 60 days |
| Attempt limits | 3 a testing year, 4 over two, 7 lifetime | 4 in any 12 months; permission after 3; once a year after the fifth |
| Score history | Schools see every scored exam | Testing history is reported when you have more than one attempt |
MD, DO or dental: reading scores for your schools
MD schools
- Read each school's MCAT median and range in the MSAR, alongside its GPA and mission.
- Plan around 510 to 514 for a broad list and 515 to 520 and above for selective programs.
- Check how far back each school accepts scores before you schedule a retake.
DO schools
- The published DO entering mean is 502.95; individual schools range above and below it.
- Plan around 500 to 510 and above, then read each school's class profile.
- DO schools also value osteopathic exposure and, at many schools, a DO letter.
Dental schools
- Plan around 430 to 450 for a strong application and 460 and above to be very competitive.
- Schools read the Academic Average and individual sections, including Perceptual Ability.
- Dental schools are moving between scales: published class averages may still use the former 1 to 30 scale.
Working through a score decision with an advisor
How a MedStride advisor works through a test plan or a retake with you.
- 01
Confirm the destination
MD, DO or dentistry. Take both exams only if your plans genuinely need both.
- 02
Build the school list
Record each school's published score expectations, accepted test dates and policy on multiple attempts.
- 03
Compare like with like
Set your official score and section breakdown against your school list rather than a national benchmark.
- 04
Document a retake decision
The reason, the score objective, what changes in your preparation, practice-test evidence, the deadline and your remaining attempts.
- 05
Recheck the rules
Confirm the current AAMC or ADA policies, dates and fees before registering.
- 06
Reassess after the final score
Revisit the school list and strengthen the rest of the application; the score is one part of it.
These score bands are MedStride planning guidance, not admission cutoffs or guarantees. Schools evaluate the whole application and set their own expectations. Confirm current rules with the AAMC or ADA and each school before you register or retake. Figures checked November 9, 2026.
MCAT
MCAT testing attempt limits
AAMC
Three attempts in a testing year, four over two consecutive years and seven in a lifetime, with the rules on appointments and appeals.
Read the limitsMCAT
How long MCAT scores are valid
AAMC
Schools generally accept scores from the last two or three years. Check each school before you plan a retake.
Check score windowsDAT
2026 DAT Candidate Guide
ADA
Eligibility, fees, the 60-day wait, the four-attempt limit and how to request permission after three attempts.
Open the guideDAT
The new DAT score scale
ADA
How the 200 to 600 scale works, national percentiles for the Academic Average and how former scores convert.
Read the scale guideDental
Dental applicants and enrollees
ADEA
Published GPA and DAT averages for US dental school applicants and first-year enrollees.
See the class data