Is 517 a Good MCAT Score?
517
94th
percentile
A 517 is a high score relative to test takers.
A 517 meets or exceeds the published MCAT class-profile score at 134 of 150 schools with comparable data: 91 US MD programs, 39 US DO programs, and 4 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 517 splits across the four sections
A 517 is at the 94th 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.
An even 514 is two 128s and two 129s, and an even 517 is three 129s and a 130, so balanced sections here run from 128 to 130. That covers the 76th percentile (Psych/Soc 128) to the 98th (CARS 130), and every section at 128 or higher meets every section minimum in our school data. At this range a single low section is the main thing to check: a 516 with CARS at 123 means the other three average 131. As a next step, read your score profile for one section that sits well below the others.
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 517.
Balanced
1 point between your lowest and highest section
An even 517 splits about 130 / 129 / 129 / 129 across Chem/Phys, CARS, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc. On the current AAMC table, those sections range from the 85th to the 96th percentile.
CARS, Bio/Biochem and Psych/Soc are 1 point below your highest section, at the 95th, 90th and 85th percentiles.
Does an uneven score hurt you?- More on CARS 129
CARS 129 is at the 95th percentile, so 5 percent of test takers scored higher. It clears every section minimum in our school data, with a point to spare over the highest, the CARS 128 for non-Alberta applicants at Alberta and Calgary. At this score all three CARS skills are working together: comprehension, reasoning within the text, and reasoning beyond it.
- More on Bio/Biochem 129
Bio/Biochem 129 is at the 90th percentile, so 10 percent of test takers scored higher. It is 3.9 points above the 125.1 mean and meets every section minimum in our school data. At this score you usually hold the full range of content, from biomolecules to organ systems, and use it quickly inside passages. The next point, 130, would move you to the 96th percentile.
- More on Psych/Soc 129
Psych/Soc 129 is at the 85th percentile, so 15 percent of test takers scored higher, and it sits 3.1 points above the section mean. It meets every section minimum in our school data. Because Psych/Soc has the highest mean, it takes a 129 here to rank about where a 128 does in Chem/Phys (85th) or Bio/Biochem (84th). It reflects strong command of all five AAMC foundational concepts in this section.
- More on Chem/Phys 130
Chem/Phys 130 is at the 96th percentile, so 4 percent of test takers scored higher and 1 percent scored above 131. It sits 5.1 points above the 124.9 mean and clears every section minimum in our school data by a wide margin. At this score Chem/Phys is a clear strength, and extra study time here usually adds less than the same time spent on your lowest section.
In this split, CARS is 129, at the 95th 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 129 is at or above 9 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.
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Compare a 517 with medical school MCAT profiles
Compare 517 with each school’s published MCAT profile. Your score meets or exceeds that figure at 134 schools, is up to three points below it at 10, and is further below it at 6. 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
At or above the published score
91Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.84
- Median MCAT
- 517
- Class size
- Not published
University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
- Mean GPA
- 3.80
- Mean MCAT
- 517
- Class size
- Not published
The school has no preference for New York State residents and considers geographical diversity important.
University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
- Mean GPA
- 3.93
- Mean MCAT
- 517
- Published Class size
- 50
In-state share 98%.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Mean GPA
- 3.93
- Mean MCAT
- 517
- Class size
- Not published
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
- Mean GPA
- 3.78
- Mean MCAT
- 516
- Class size
- Not published
University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.87
- Median MCAT
- 516
- Published Class size
- 125
Up to 3 points below the published class score
10Stanford University School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.94
- Median MCAT
- 518
- Published Class size
- 90
Weill Cornell Medical College
- Median GPA
- 3.90
- Median MCAT
- 518
- Published Class size
- 106
Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
- Median GPA
- 3.85
- Median MCAT
- 518
- Class size
- Not published
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.87
- Mean MCAT
- 518
- Class size
- Not published
Baylor College of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.90
- Mean MCAT
- 518
- Published Class size
- 224
Legal residents of Texas receive the same tuition rate as state-supported medical schools.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Median GPA
- 3.94
- Median MCAT
- 519
- Class size
- Not published
More than 3 points below the published class score
6Harvard Medical School
- Mean GPA
- 3.90
- Mean MCAT
- 520.42
- Class size
- Not published
University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.98
- Median MCAT
- 521
- Published Class size
- 140
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.97
- Median MCAT
- 521
- Published Class size
- 94
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.98
- Median MCAT
- 522
- Published Class size
- 129
Yale School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.94
- Median MCAT
- 523
- Published Class size
- 104
Acceptance rate 4.4%.
New York University Grossman School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.98
- Median MCAT
- 523
- Class size
- Not published
What to do with a 517
Should you retake a 517?
Compare your total and section scores with your target schools before deciding. A retake may help if it addresses a specific requirement or a consistent gap from practice results. Consider preparation time, score validity, and the possibility of a lower result; a higher total alone does not guarantee admission.
Pair your 517 with your GPA
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