Most applicants to medical school in the United States and Canada take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT®), with many of them scoring in the middle of the average MCAT® range. While the mean score for each section varies from year to year, the average MCAT® scores for the composite score and each of the three multiple choice sections, which include verbal reasoning, biological sciences, and physical sciences, are generally around 24 to 25. When grading the MCAT® writing section, the average score is an O on a scale of J to T, with J being the weakest and T being the strongest.
The average MCAT® scores achieved test takers are not the same as the average MCAT® scores achieved medical students who are accepted into medical school. Each medical school will have its own statistics, and some matriculating classes will have scores that are close to the national average while others will have scores that are significantly higher. Students who scored a 35 or higher on the MCAT® are admitted to some of the most competitive medical schools. The average MCAT® score for accepted US applicants is around 30 composite and Q for the writing portion, according to a large sample of medical schools.
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published data on the range of scores obtained that year in 2008. The mean score on the verbal reasoning section was 8.0, with a standard deviation of 2.5, indicating that 68 percent of students got a 5.5 to a 10.5 on this section. The average MCAT® scores in biological and physical sciences were 8.7 and 8.2, respectively, with 2.5 and 2.4 standard deviations. The 50th percentile for the writing sample was an O, the 25th percentile was an M, and the 75th percentile was a Q.
When considering average MCAT® scores, it’s important to keep in mind a few things, including the fact that scores are frequently given in percentile ranges. Both the total composite score and the individual section scores are given equal weight. A student who received a 30 composite and a 10 in each section, for example, would be viewed differently than a student who received a 30 composite and section scores of 15, 15, and 0. When determining statistics about average medical school applicants, the MCAT® scores are frequently used in conjunction with grade point average (GPA).