Is 520 a Good MCAT Score?
520
97th
percentile
A 520 is among the highest MCAT scores.
A 520 meets or exceeds the published MCAT class-profile score at 144 of 150 schools with comparable data: 101 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 520 splits across the four sections
A 520 is at the 97th 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 518 is two 129s and two 130s, and an even 522 is two 130s and two 131s, so balanced sections here run from 129 to 131. Those scores sit from the 85th percentile (Psych/Soc 129) to the 99th (CARS 131), and all of them meet every section minimum in our school data. With sections this high, each one has only 1 to 3 points left before the maximum of 132. Check your lowest section and its confidence band, and if all four clear your target schools' rules, put your time into the rest of your application.
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 520.
Balanced
0 points between your lowest and highest section
An even 520 splits about 130 / 130 / 130 / 130 across Chem/Phys, CARS, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc. On the current AAMC table, those sections range from the 92nd to the 98th percentile.
All four of your sections are 130.
Does an uneven score hurt you?- 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.
- More on CARS 130
A 130 in CARS is at the 98th percentile, 5.4 points above the section mean and 2 points above the highest CARS rule in our school data. Because CARS has the lowest mean of the four sections, a 130 here ranks higher than a 130 in Bio/Biochem (96th) or Psych/Soc (92nd). It reflects fast, accurate reading of unfamiliar arguments from the humanities and social sciences.
- More on Bio/Biochem 130
A Bio/Biochem 130 is at the 96th percentile, 4.9 points above the mean. It meets every section minimum in our school data with room to spare. Because the Bio/Biochem mean is higher than the CARS mean, a 130 here is at the 96th percentile while a CARS 130 is at the 98th, so the same number ranks a little differently across sections.
- More on Psych/Soc 130
A Psych/Soc 130 is at the 92nd percentile, 4.1 points above the mean, and it clears every section minimum in our school data. Here 8 percent of test takers scored higher, compared with 2 percent for a CARS 130, which shows how the high Psych/Soc mean shifts its percentiles. It signals precise knowledge of terms and fast reading of study data.
In this split, CARS is 130, at the 98th 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 130 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 520 with medical school MCAT profiles
Compare 520 with each school’s published MCAT profile. Your score meets or exceeds that figure at 144 schools, is up to three points below it at 6, and is further below it at 0. 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
101Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.95
- Median MCAT
- 520
- Published Class size
- 141
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.94
- Mean MCAT
- 520
- Published Class size
- 120
Washington University School of Medicine
- Mean GPA
- 3.92
- Mean MCAT
- 520
- Published Class size
- 93
University of Virginia School of Medicine
- Published GPA
- 3.91
- Mean MCAT
- 520
- Published Class size
- 155
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Median GPA
- 3.94
- Median MCAT
- 519
- Class size
- Not published
Stanford University School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.94
- Median MCAT
- 518
- Published Class size
- 90
Up to 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 520
Should you retake a 520?
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 520 with your GPA
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Nearby scores
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