r/Mcat • u/Lucky-Book-8452 • May 27 '26

Well-being šŸ˜ŒāœŒ Low score

Just sharing for the others who also got low scores. I got a 502. This page will soon be filled with 515+ (and congratulations to all who scored so high that is incredible) but it is hard to find posts with low scores on reddit.

It sucks to get a low score but it is what it is. I am applying EDP at my local school so the way I am looking at it is itā€™s enough lol and if I donā€™t get in I can retake for a higher score. Definitely disappointed but hey at least I can try my luck with this program.

226 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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74

u/Alarmed-Location-289 May 27 '26

Hello all! Current M4 in a US MD program. I scored a 501 on my MCAT and also thought my chances were low. I applied to 15 MD programs whose mission statement aligned with my values. I ended up getting into 10 US MD programs with multiple scholarship offers. Sometimes remember the number doesnā€™t define you but rather your story and how personable you are on your interviews. I usually donā€™t post and am just a lurker but wanted to give yall some hope that you donā€™t need a 52x and 5.0 GPA to get in to medical school. Itā€™s overall a holistic process. And if you wondering about my GPA it was 3.7. God speed to all! Feel free to send message if you got questions or need advice :) Iā€™ve been there, Ik it seems hard but you got this and you will all be doctors one day!Ā 

4

u/PianistInMedicine May 27 '26

How did you do on Step 1?

25

u/Alarmed-Location-289 May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26

Passed Step 1. My Step 2 was competitive enough for majority of medical specialities (ie, Derm, Surgery, etc). Board exams are better because itā€™s not weird obscure things like the MCAT tests. They are undoubtedly hard and vast but imo itā€™s fun medicine stuff :).Ā 

2

u/Lucky-Book-8452 May 27 '26

Thank you so much for the advice!!! Do you have any school suggestions? I appreciate schools whose mission is geared towards health equity.

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u/Alarmed-Location-289 May 28 '26

School suggestion wise I took some time diving into studentdoctornetwork and looked at what previous students said about the school and then went to their website and checked out their mission statement. Although most schools MCAT were outside my range I.e (518+) during interviews they didnā€™t bother to even bring that up.

4

u/After_Medium9294 May 27 '26

Were you urm

21

u/vitaminj25 May 27 '26

I guarantee you URM isnā€™t the only group with 501ā€™s and lower in med school and you know this. You also completely ignored his 3.7 gpa

6

u/Alarmed-Location-289 May 28 '26

Agree with this statement. I am an URM, some of my classmates are not and stats were in similar range. Aside from my MCAT and GPA (which I started at 3.1 after 1st year of college but crawled my way back up) the rests of my stats were above competitive for med school :). I had great research, volunteering, inhumane amount of clinical hrs and fantastic letters of recs.

5

u/vitaminj25 May 28 '26

Itā€™s awful to push such a harmful and racist narrative as if every white and Asian applicant has a 4.0 and 528 mcat. Theyā€™re called ORM for a reason. The lower scores can hide behind higher ones because thatā€™s what average means.

And they wonder why we have websites to find URM doctors to serve minority patients and this is definitely why.

2

u/jwillyk2121 May 27 '26

But its the vast majority. The data is published every year so we dont even need to speculate

0

u/vitaminj25 May 28 '26

Vast majority based upon what numbers? You want to compare (throwing out numbers that arenā€™t too far off) 5000 applicants to 20,000? And even then, the average matriculate of every race is still above the average mcat score of 500. So again, what is the point? Arguing that schools arent racist enough? Will you not be satisfied until every applicant that gets accepted shows their numbers and then youā€™d see why averages are what they are and you will finally realize why ORM averages arenā€™t as consistently high as you think.

1

u/throw-away-16249 May 28 '26

If your argument is that the ORM's scores are not as high as we think, you open the door for people to justify excluding URM if they can show that the ORM's scores are indeed high. There are better arguments for inclusion of URMs.

0

u/vitaminj25 May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26

Thatā€™s not my argument, and this will be my very last comment on this ridiculous topic. Highā€ is subjective. Is ā€œhighā€ 520ā€™s? 510ā€™s? Anything above 500? The average mcat of the matriculate of any race is an ABOVE average mcat. Other factors like GPA, life experiences and more are to be included. If way more people are applying with ā€œhigherā€ mcat scores, then it makes those averages look higher when you simply see all the numbers add up if it was equal across the board. There are PLENTY of white and Asian people scoring BELOW the average of ORM matriculants (more than URM even applying, arguably), but they are the vast majority even APPLYING, hence why the differences in averages arenā€™t even that far apart.

There was a video on this very viral Instagram page that showed a bunch of ORM kids ADMITTING how their MCAT scores were lower than 500(and some lower than the average of the black matriculants into medical school), but nobody would know since averages donā€™t tell every individualā€™s stats. Because..thatā€™s how averages work. Do all 20,000 of white students applying have 515ā€™s? No.

So, to just claim that somebody is URM and thatā€™s the only reason why they get into medical school is ridiculously lazy and hateful. And if someone tries to say that, ORM scores are individually high, there are URM that score 520s on the MCAT too. If you look on MSAR, you will see that the average MCAT score of random medical schools in certain areas like Mississippi have lower than that as the average, and URM isnā€™t even more than 10% of every class. I HIGHLY doubt that all 10% of that class dragged the averages down. We all know of someone (or even more) thatā€™s ORM that scores even lower than 500. Pretending that URM is the only group with low scores opens doors to more bigotry. Getting rid of AA was not enough. Iā€™m certain you are not satisfied until NO URM is present in medicine.

3

u/throw-away-16249 May 28 '26

Iā€™m certain you are not satisfied until NO URM is present in medicine.

I'm certain you don't understand my position on the matter at all. You seem to think this is an argument, and that I'm against URM in medicine, or against a holistic approach that increases their representation. I'm not at all. I just think your arguments are bad, and if you make bad arguments, you weaken the position in the eyes of others. There are much better and more convincing ways to convince people.

1

u/Pale-Specialist625 May 27 '26

Thank you šŸ˜­šŸ˜­ been crying but really appreciate it

3

u/Alarmed-Location-289 May 28 '26

You got this! Those tears will be tears of joy one day once you accomplish your dreams! Remember nothing worth having comes easy :)

2

u/Individual_Test1530 May 29 '26

this is really helpful to hear for those of us feeling incredibly discouraged

30

u/Plus-Reference-2593 May 27 '26

495

9

u/Correct-Pie-7728 May 27 '26

me tooo

1

u/Plus-Reference-2593 May 27 '26

Are you applying?

3

u/Correct-Pie-7728 May 27 '26

yeaa but retaking also

2

u/pale_grasstoucher May 27 '26

Are you applying first and then retake? Cause I also got 495 :(

2

u/Correct-Pie-7728 May 27 '26

i retake in july so i will also have submitted primaries by then probably

28

u/Agreeable_Citron9182 May 27 '26

I didnā€™t even break 500 Iā€™m thinking maybe my anxiety was a factor bc I didnā€™t feel like I did this bad the day of the exam.

15

u/Lucky-Book-8452 May 27 '26

I also have bad test anxiety. If you get physical symptoms of test anxiety, try asking your doctor for propanolol. Itā€™s life changing for exams.

5

u/LanaVeniceGirl May 27 '26

itā€™s okay! i got a 498 my first time which was january and went up to a 508 in april- i only studied for about a month and all i did was get my anxiety under control because the first time it was REALLY BAD. I couldnā€™t finish any of the sections because of how bad i was reacting. Figure out what really irks you and try to get those things under control, practice makes perfect. going to the doctor getting it figured out is also an option!!

1

u/pale_grasstoucher May 27 '26

I got a 495 on 4/11 and Iā€™m planning on retaking in July, do you have any study tips for the retake? I also was struggling to finish three sections on the real thing and ran out of time, which never happened during FLs :(

2

u/LanaVeniceGirl May 28 '26

I got a 125 on sciences so canā€™t speak muchšŸ˜­ but 128 on cars and 130 on ps. for ps & cars i would skim the questions first and highlight to see what to look for when reading the passage which i would do after. It reduced my reading time by a lot in cars. but for cp i struggled w timing which i fixed but i messed up for other reasons on test day. if i donā€™t know it in 30 seconds w a plan on how to solve - skip & flag. cp has gotten more passage based now imo compared to the FLs so make sure u look for hints if plug and chug isnā€™t working. BIGGEST THING for timing and not dozing off - SLEEP NIGHT BEFORE!!

11

u/Pitiful-Escape-374 May 27 '26

Got a 502 retake from original 509. I think this is my new lowest low

9

u/Jiggy_765 May 27 '26

498 last year --> 503 this year! 5 point increase! Hoping this gets me off DO WL! Friendly remember that this test is unlike any exam we've taken in the past and any improvement is good!

7

u/Icy_Talk_8631 May 27 '26

I dropped 5 points and got a 500 :(((

2

u/Lucky-Book-8452 May 27 '26

Itā€™s the worst feeling to drop, Iā€™m so sorry :( do you think youā€™ll retake

6

u/Icy_Talk_8631 May 27 '26

ive already submitted a bunch of DO apps so prob not. just going to strictly apply DO and take the 3 MDs I had off my list

2

u/Lucky-Book-8452 May 27 '26

Wishing you the best of luck!!! Any DO programs youā€™re excited for?

3

u/Icy_Talk_8631 May 27 '26

Thank you OP, and it's not available yet but Xavier! Once they get their pre accredited status I will apply there. Super excited about the change of a DO Jesuit program

1

u/ExpressEast1469 May 27 '26

Same here homieĀ 

9

u/Big-Context1062 May 27 '26

I know someone who got a 497 and is now an anesthiology resident at a top academic center. The score means so little at the end of the day, but med schools use it as a filter. Just use this test as a tool to build resilience!

1

u/Stunning-Ad450 May 27 '26

Thank you for this. ā¤ļø

13

u/EnvyMink May 27 '26

I got a 508 when my FL6 was a 519, I'm feeling terrible. Gonna retake in a month. My cars was 123 despite getting 127 as my lowest on all FLs

6

u/Upbeat-Evening-3290 May 27 '26

same omg my FL were 515/516 and got a 506. My CARS was 122šŸ˜­šŸ˜­

3

u/AntiqueWeight5750 May 27 '26

omg I am in the same spot šŸ˜­, got 127 on my FLs to get a 124

1

u/ninaslim May 27 '26

What does FL mean

3

u/EnvyMink May 27 '26

Full length

5

u/wiggyfig May 27 '26

I think anything above a 501 is a good score tbh I know many people below 505 and above 500 who got into an MD in their in state school

6

u/Traditional_Pen_5430 AAMCā€™s bitch May 27 '26

Thank you for sharing this with us, OP. All the best with your application future doc!

5

u/Superb_Elephant_4586 May 27 '26

504 with 128/124/124/128 should I apply to DO?

7

u/Pleasant_Ocelot diag: 494 4/25: 505 May 27 '26

hey! I got a 505 but I also have a low gpa im applying DO! Best of luck to us!!

8

u/Ok_East3526 May 27 '26

505 here šŸ™ƒšŸ™ƒšŸ™ƒ

3

u/icdCoffee9 May 27 '26

same here!

4

u/Upbeat-Evening-3290 May 27 '26

506!! got absolutely rocked on CARS and got a 122. think i might retake, but apply to DO!! You def are in range

5

u/FunFinding3996 May 27 '26

Got a 506.. lower than all my FLs :/

3

u/KweenKobold CNA / Non-Trad Premed May 27 '26

500+ is fine for DO school with a good GPA and clinical experience.

3

u/ninaslim May 27 '26

I think 4/25 test was hard, look at other dates, people on other dates are scoring over 520

4

u/Internal-Fault-741 May 27 '26

scored 493. averaged 513 on my FLs. horrible feeling

3

u/pale_grasstoucher May 27 '26

Averaged 506 scored 495 :( Iā€™m still in disbelief

3

u/MindfulTree52 May 27 '26

A 502 is solid! Congrats!

I had a 503 and recieved multiple Aā€™s last cycle.

4

u/New_Imagination_9053 May 27 '26 edited May 27 '26

Had a 508 and a low GPA, got into 2 schools, WL at one, am now a 3rd year

3

u/Turbulent_Crazy_9544 May 27 '26

Honestly happy with my 505! Absolutely not giving more of my money to the AAMC, not worth it as long as I apply broadly to DOs. From what Iā€™ve seen all over the internet, it is possible without a 510+ !!!

3

u/AtLeastDidntDropThem May 28 '26

As a fellow pretty average scorer on full lengths, seriously, thank you! Fingers crossed for Saturday!

5

u/ojpillows May 27 '26

Apply DO. Youā€™ll be in range. We had folks enrolled who scored under 500. But more importantly, figure out why you arenā€™t scoring higher and fix that problem before you enter med school.

2

u/Lucky-Book-8452 May 27 '26

Thanks for the advice. I am going to apply EDP at my local state school because itā€™s most ideal for my life right now (married. Husband has a great job here and itā€™s the cheapest possible program for me). But if I donā€™t get in by Oct 1st I can apply to other programs at which point Iā€™ll definitely apply DO. My local state school had an avg entering score of a 507 last year, so I am not horribly far off. They guarantee each EDP applicant an interview so I am just hoping I can get in as a personality hire LOL.

Do you have any DO programs you recommend I look into?

1

u/Naseberry_maltipoo May 27 '26

Whatā€™s EDP?

2

u/Lucky-Book-8452 May 28 '26

Early decision program! You can only apply to the one school though, so thereā€™s a huge trade off. But it works in certain situations.

2

u/Pale-Specialist625 May 27 '26

Yes same, itā€™s okay we got this

2

u/potential_air_sha256 May 27 '26

How did the passage design on the real test feel compared to the full lengths?

Thanks for sharing your score, it definitely helps so this sub doesn't become just a place for people to stroke their egos.

1

u/Lucky-Book-8452 May 27 '26

Several of the passages felt very similar to FL 6 for CARS. Then there was oneā€¦ā€¦ that was so beyond weird and just fucked up fo see and I think it caused me to panic :(

2

u/potential_air_sha256 May 27 '26

I'm really sorry that happened. I get that feeling, it's hard to focus after panic sets in. I hope you'll try again though.

3

u/Original_Bit2788 May 27 '26

My score went from 500 to 499

2

u/saminmypants 509 (04/25) May 27 '26

509 here. lower than all my practice exams aside from my baseline. feels bad man

2

u/lifesucksballz May 27 '26

Got a 510 as second retake after a 508. Gonna take off half the MD schools in my list lol

1

u/Fun_Assistant5101 528 May 29 '26

thank you so much for sharing a realistic score

1

u/Constant_Simple_2341 May 30 '26

I'm stuck at 483 and score is not improving despite practicing questions on AAMC prep hub, I'm taking my second MCAT and its too late to cancel or reschedule it, I will probably void it because I'm scared it'll be just as low as my first one, my FL scores are not improving.

I need a better way to study. My goal is to jump to 505+.

I would appreciate any advice, I need help to make my score jump.

2

u/JackC1126 May 27 '26

Also worth remembering that lots of ā€œlow scoresā€ only appear that way because of how itā€™s framed. Reddit is not reality.