What is on the MCAT score report?

Deciphering the information on your MCAT Score Report will help you decide whether to apply to your target medical schools or start prepping for another shot at the MCAT. While scaled total score dominates most conversations about MCAT scores, the Score Report includes other data points that are highly relevant to this decision.

Your Score Report will include your performance in each test section and the test as a whole reported in the form of:

• Scaled scores
• Confidence bands
• Percentile ranks

You will receive five scaled scores: one for each section (118-132) and one combined total score (472-528). In addition to ensuring your total score is competitive, it’s important to verify that your section scores are reasonably balanced (no red flags!) and all surpass the minimums for consideration, if any, at your target medical schools.

Confidence bands show what the test developers describe as the best estimate of your “true scores” – that is, the range of scores you would achieve if you took the exam again and again with the same level of preparation. Total scores are reported with a confidence band of plus or minus two points. Section scores are reported with confidence bands of plus or minus one point. The figure below shows a total score of 501 and its confidence band from 499 to 503.

The AAMC encourages admissions committees to consider the overlap between confidence bands when comparing scores from different applicants. The greater the overlap in confidence bands, the less meaning should be attributed to the difference between scores.

Percentile ranks show the percentage of test-takers who scored equal to or lower than your scores – that is, how you stack up against the competition. Percentile ranks are updated annually. The average MCAT score of accepted students has been incrementally going up in recent years – 510.4 in 2017-18 to 511.5 in 2020-21 – so comparing your percentile ranks to accepted students may shed more light on your competitiveness than relying solely on scores.

The Score Report also includes a Score Profile which displays your section scores – but not the test as a whole – in confidence bands and provides a concise depiction of patterns among your section scores.