MCAT Scoring You Won't Believe the National Average

MCAT scoring is critical, so knowing the basics of the Medical College Admissions Test or the average MCAT score is something you should know ahead of time. This will help you in your test preparation to know whether you will be a competitive applicant for medical school admission.

The Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Biological Sciences sections are each graded from a low of 1 to a high of 15 based on your ability in answering the multiple-choice questions found in each section.

These numbers are then totaled to provide you with your combined MCAT score, where the highest scroe possible is a 45.

To get into medical school you really only need a combined score of 31 or better which is considered the average MCAT score of accepted medical school students.

Writing on the MCAT

If you did not realize this, but you will be required to write two essays. Each of your essays will be read by two different readers and given a number between 1 and 6. This number is then converted into an alphabetic scale ranging from J (lowest) to T (highest).

Perhaps too much information, butÂ…

The MCAT is offered several times from January thru September which means the difficulty level between exams may vary. To limit the effects of this your raw score is converted into a scaled score ensuring fairness for all test-takers no matter when they take the exam.

Guessing To Boost Your MCAT Score

There is no penalty for guessing. If you are running out of time and have a lot of unmarked boxes, go ahead and fill-in the answers at random because you can only improve your score (besides you might even be lucky and fill-in the correct answer).

MCAT Score Release

After taking the test I am sure you will want to know how well you did so AAMC and the MCAT Program Office will do everything within reason to make MCAT scores available approximately 30 days after the test date.

Scores become available online through the MCAT Testing History (THx) System where you can view your most recent score at no charge (I've had to check my score a year later without incurring any fees).

At no charge you may send THx score reports online to several application services, as well as podiatry, veterinary, and public health programs. Lastly, you have the option of printing an Official Score Report and sending it to whomever you wish.

Who Views Your MCAT Score

When you register for the MCAT you are authorizing the release of your MCAT score to the AAMC and their affiliated institutions for research purposes.

You do not have a say in this because the “Yes” box must be checked in-order for you to take the MCAT exam. If you’'re upset, remain calm. Your scores will remain confidential and will remain anonymous unless you grant permission otherwise.

Did you know thereÂ’'s a secondary release?

Pay attention to the secondary release because your MCAT scores are being sent to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) allowing you to automatically receive your score results.

There are three optional score releases:

Health Professions Advisor: grants the AAMC permission to include your scores and demographic information to undergraduate health professions advisors, who find this information useful when advising students.

Med-MAR: gives the AAMC permission to include your scores and biographical information in the Medical Minority Applicant Registry, a service designed to give your information to admission offices of AAMC members who wish to increase opportunities for economically disadvantaged students and those from under-represented groups.

MCAT Recruiting Service: this release gives the AAMC permission to include your contact information and exam score in reports produced by the MCAT Recruiting Service. Accredited U.S. and Canadian schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, and veterinary medicine, along with scholarship programs of the U.S. government (including U.S. military), may request this information and send you material as part of their recruiting efforts.