Is My MCAT Score Good Enough for Med School? (Including CARS)

"Good enough" is program-specific, not a single number.: In the 2025–2026 cycle, MD program matriculants averaged 511.8 on the MCAT against an applicant pool average of 506.4 — a 5.4-point gap that represents the difference between the average person who applied and the average person who enrolled. DO program matriculants averaged approximately 504.8. But averages mask wide variation across program tiers: top-20 MD programs typically see medians of 517–520+, while competitive DO programs cluster in the 500–506 range. The only reliable benchmark is your score compared to the percentile distributions at your specific target schools using the MSAR or Choose DO Explorer.

CARS is evaluated independently of your total MCAT score at many programs.: CARS — Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills — is the one MCAT section that tests reading comprehension and analytical reasoning rather than scientific content. It is scored on a scale of 118 to 132, with a national average of approximately 125. Several programs screen on CARS independently: Canadian programs including the University of Toronto and McMaster publish explicit minimums of 127 or 128 and will not review applications below that threshold regardless of total score. A low CARS subscore can close doors even when the overall MCAT is competitive.

A score below the program median is a headwind, not a wall.: Medical school admissions committees evaluate the MCAT through holistic review — a score below the median increases the weight every other application component must carry, but it does not automatically disqualify an applicant. An applicant whose score falls below the 25th percentile for most target schools faces a meaningful obstacle that warrants either a retake evaluation or a list recalibration using the MSAR.

The MSAR and Choose DO Explorer are the right tools for this decision.: National averages tell you where the population sits. The MSAR publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile MCAT distributions for every AMCAS program. The Choose DO Explorer provides equivalent data for AACOMAS programs. Comparing your score against program-specific distributions — not national averages — is the only way to accurately assess where you stand.

A retake is only warranted if two conditions are both true.: First: the underlying issue that produced the current score has been genuinely addressed — different materials, a structured schedule, timed practice. A retake without a changed preparation approach produces a different score in only a minority of cases, and admissions committees can see every attempt. Second: a higher score would realistically change which programs you can competitively pursue. If the gap between your current score and your target program medians is small, the marginal return on a retake is limited. If the gap is significant, a retake with a changed approach is the right call.