Is 523 a Good MCAT Score?
523
99th
percentile
A 523 is an exceptional MCAT score.
A 523 meets or exceeds the published MCAT class-profile score at 150 of 150 schools with comparable data: 107 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 523 splits across the four sections
A 523 is at the 99th 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 523 is a 130 and three 131s, and 528 is four 132s, the maximum in every section. Section scores here run from 130 to 132, which sits from the 92nd percentile (Psych/Soc 130) to the 100th, and every one meets every section minimum in our school data. On the total, 523 and 524 are at the 99th percentile and 525 to 528 at the 100th. Check that no single section trails the rest by more than a point or two, then keep a copy of your score report for your applications.
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 523.
Balanced
1 point between your lowest and highest section
An even 523 splits about 131 / 130 / 131 / 131 across Chem/Phys, CARS, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc. On the current AAMC table, those sections range from the 97th to the 99th percentile.
CARS is 1 point below your highest section, at the 98th percentile.
Does an uneven score hurt you?- 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 Chem/Phys 131
A 131 in Chem/Phys is at the 99th percentile, one point from the top of the scale. It is 6.1 points above the section mean of 124.9, and every section minimum in our school data sits well below it. A score like this reflects precise content knowledge plus fast, accurate calculation and reasoning across all 59 questions in 95 minutes.
- More on Bio/Biochem 131
Bio/Biochem 131 is at the 98th percentile, one point below the top of the scale and just under the 99th that a 131 earns in Chem/Phys and CARS. It is 5.9 points above the 125.1 mean and well clear of every section minimum in our school data. A 131 reflects near-complete recall of the biology and biochemistry AAMC tests, plus accurate reading of experimental data.
- More on Psych/Soc 131
Psych/Soc 131 is at the 97th percentile, one point from the top, so 3 percent of test takers scored higher. It is 5.1 points above the section mean and meets every section minimum in our school data. A 131 reflects near-complete command of the psychology and sociology AAMC tests and careful reading of every study. Psych/Soc is the only section where a 131 falls below the 98th percentile.
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 523 with medical school MCAT profiles
Compare 523 with each school’s published MCAT profile. Your score meets or exceeds that figure at 150 schools, is up to three points below it at 0, 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
107Yale 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
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
- Median GPA
- 3.98
- Median MCAT
- 522
- Published Class size
- 129
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
Harvard Medical School
- Mean GPA
- 3.90
- Mean MCAT
- 520.42
- Class size
- Not published
What to do with a 523
Should you retake a 523?
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 523 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
Checking a different result? Every score from 472 to 528 has its own page.