Is 526 a Good MCAT Score?
526
100th
percentile
A 526 is an exceptional MCAT score.
A 526 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 526 splits across the four sections
A 526 is at the 100th 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 526.
Balanced
1 point between your lowest and highest section
An even 526 splits about 132 / 131 / 132 / 131 across Chem/Phys, CARS, Bio/Biochem, and Psych/Soc. On the current AAMC table, those sections range from the 97th to the 100th percentile.
CARS and Psych/Soc are 1 point below your highest section, at the 99th and 97th percentiles.
Does an uneven score hurt you?- More on CARS 131
CARS 131 is at the 99th percentile, one point from the top of the scale. It is 6.4 points above the 124.6 mean and meets every section minimum in our school data. A score this high shows that you can follow a dense 500 to 600 word argument, see what it assumes, and apply it to a new case with very few errors.
- 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.
- More on Chem/Phys 132
132 is the highest possible Chem/Phys score and sits at the 100th percentile on the current AAMC table. It is 7.1 points above the 124.9 mean and meets every section minimum in our school data. Only a 132 reaches the 100th percentile in Chem/Phys; a 131 is at the 99th. It shows complete command, on test day, of the general chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and organic chemistry this section draws on.
- More on Bio/Biochem 132
132 is the top Bio/Biochem score, at the 100th percentile on the current AAMC table. It is 6.9 points above the section mean and meets every section minimum in our school data. It shows full command of the three foundational concepts AAMC tests here: biomolecules, the assemblies of cells and organs, and the organ systems that keep the body stable.
In this split, CARS is 131, at the 99th 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 131 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 526 with medical school MCAT profiles
Compare 526 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 526
Should you retake a 526?
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 526 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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