Is 501 a Good MCAT Score?
501
52nd
percentile
A 501 is near the test-taker average.
A 501 meets or exceeds the published MCAT class-profile score at 8 of 150 schools with comparable data: 0 US MD programs, 8 US DO programs, and 0 Canadian programs. These figures describe classes or accepted applicants, not admission requirements or your chance of acceptance.
Approximate distribution, smoothed from rounded AAMC percentile ranks. Percentiles use the published AAMC table.
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How a 501 splits across the four sections
A 501 is at the 52nd percentile on the current AAMC table. A percentile is the share of test takers who scored the same or lower, so it compares you with other test takers, not with the students a school admits.
A 500 is four 125s, the midpoint of every section, and an even 505 is three 126s and a 127. At 500, those 125s range from the 44th percentile in Psych/Soc to the 62nd in CARS, so the same number ranks differently by section. Check any section at 125 first: it meets Toronto's and Queen's 125 but misses Western's 126 outside designated pathways, and a CARS score below 128 misses the Alberta and Calgary rule for non-Alberta applicants. As a next step, compare each section's percentile rank, not just its score, to find your real weak spot.
All MCAT results from the 2023, 2024 and 2025 testing years (N = 305,494). In effect May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. AAMC, Summary of MCAT Total and Section ScoresUse plus and minus to move a point from one section to another. The total stays at 501.
Balanced
1 point between your lowest and highest section
An even 501 splits about 126 / 125 / 125 / 125 across Chem/Phys, CARS, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc. On the current AAMC table, those sections range from the 44th to the 67th percentile.
CARS, Bio/Biochem and Psych/Soc are 1 point below your highest section, at the 62nd, 53rd and 44th percentiles.
Does an uneven score hurt you?- More on CARS 125
CARS 125 is the scale midpoint, yet it sits at the 62nd percentile because CARS has the lowest section mean, 124.6. It meets the 125 that Toronto, Queen's, and Western's designated pathways list, but not Western's 126 outside those pathways, and it is 3 points below the CARS 128 that Alberta and Calgary ask of non-Alberta applicants. A 125 usually means steady comprehension with a few misses on the hardest passages.
- More on Bio/Biochem 125
Bio/Biochem 125 is the scale midpoint and at the 53rd percentile, almost exactly the section mean of 125.1. It meets the 125 at Toronto, Queen's, and Western's designated pathways, but not Western's 126 outside those pathways for 2025-26. The same 125 is at the 62nd percentile in CARS and the 44th in Psych/Soc. A 125 usually reflects a solid base in biology with room to gain on biochemistry passages and data questions.
- More on Psych/Soc 125
Psych/Soc 125 is the scale midpoint but only the 44th percentile, because this section's mean, 125.9, is the highest of the four. It meets the 125 that Toronto, Queen's, and Western's designated pathways list, but not Western's 126 outside those pathways in 2025-26. A 125 usually means the content is familiar and the remaining points are in careful reading of study designs and results.
- More on Chem/Phys 126
Chem/Phys 126 is at the 67th percentile, about a point above the section mean. It meets every section minimum in our school data that applies to Chem/Phys, up to Western's 126 outside designated pathways; the only higher rule, a 128, applies to CARS alone. A 126 usually reflects solid content and steady timing, with the remaining misses in harder reasoning questions rather than recall.
In this split, CARS is 125, at the 62nd percentile; CARS needs no outside science knowledge, and WizePrep posts a free practice passage each week. Try this week's free CARS passage
Your CARS score of 125 is at or above 6 of the 9 published Canadian CARS minimums in our data. Several apply only to some applicants, such as the 128 Alberta and Calgary ask of non-Alberta applicants.
Sourced thresholds to review (1)
Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
Your CARS score is below the sourced threshold of 126. Check the linked requirements and applicant conditions. Your Bio/Biochem score is below the sourced threshold of 126. Check the linked requirements and applicant conditions. Your Psych/Soc score is below the sourced threshold of 126. Check the linked requirements and applicant conditions.
Source
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Compare a 501 with medical school MCAT profiles
Compare 501 with each school’s published MCAT profile. Your score meets or exceeds that figure at 8 schools, is up to three points below it at 19, and is further below it at 123. Schools without a published figure are excluded from these counts.
- Published class score at or below yours
- School score is higher than yours
- My list
Up to 3 points below the published class score
2Mercer University School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.69
- Mean MCAT
- 503
- Class size
- Not published
University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.81
- Mean MCAT
- 503
- Class size
- Not published
More than 3 points below the published class score
105Howard University College of Medicine
- GPA
- Not published
- Mean MCAT
- 505
- Published Class size
- 130
No published comparable 4.0-scale GPA available. Check the school’s grading and applicant rules.
Morehouse School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.64
- Mean MCAT
- 505.6
- Published Class size
- 110
University of Mississippi School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.80
- Mean MCAT
- 506
- Class size
- Not published
All applicants: section minimums Chem/Phys 121, CARS 121, Bio/Biochem 121, Psych/Soc 121, total MCAT 496.
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.77
- Mean MCAT
- 506
- Class size
- Not published
Current New Mexico residents may apply through the Early Decision Program, and WICHE applicants must apply through it.
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.81
- Mean MCAT
- 506
- Class size
- Not published
Rosalind Franklin University Chicago Medical School
- Published GPA
- 3.69
- Published MCAT
- 508
- Published Class size
- 203
What to do with a 501
Should you retake a 501?
Consider preparing for a retake if this score is below the requirements or academic profiles of your target schools. Use several realistic practice exams to judge whether improvement is likely and whether the timing fits your application.
Pair your 501 with your GPA
Your GPA adds another academic comparison. Enter it in the calculator to compare both measures, filter programs, and build your school list.
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Nearby scores
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