A 525 sits in the 100th percentile on the official AAMC percentile table, which is the top of the scale. This is an exceptional result.
Percentile ranks come from the official AAMC percentile table in effect May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, based on all MCAT results from the 2023, 2024, and 2025 testing years combined (N = 305,494).
What a 525 means
The national mean is 500.6, and the total scale tops out at 528. A 525 is 24 points above the mean, in the territory where scores stop being a question mark on an application and start being a strength.
At this level the MCAT has done its job for you. The score is not the thing standing between you and your goals.
Do people retake from here?
Very rarely, and we will be straightforward: for nearly everyone at this level, a retake is not the highest-leverage use of your time. The realistic upside is small, the downside of a lower score is real, and admissions attention shifts to everything else in your file.
If you landed on this page while deciding whether your 525 is "enough," the honest answer is that it almost certainly is. Put your energy into the parts of your application that are still in motion.
If you know someone mid-retake
Plenty of visitors to this page are here for a friend, a sibling, or their own earlier self. If someone you know is working back toward test day, the most useful gift is calm structure: a plan, a sustainable pace, and a way to actually learn from missed questions instead of just counting them.
Common questions about a 525
Is a 525 MCAT score good?
A 525 sits in the 100th percentile on the official AAMC percentile table, meaning 100% of MCAT scores were equal to or lower. Whether it is "good" depends on your goals, your target programs, and the rest of your application.
What percentile is a 525 MCAT score?
On the AAMC percentile table in effect May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, a total score of 525 is in the 100th percentile. That means 100% of scores were equal to or lower than 525.
Should I retake the MCAT with a 525?
Almost certainly not. A 525 is at the 100th percentile, and for nearly all applicants a score at this level is a strength, not an obstacle. The realistic upside of a retake is small and the risk of a lower score is real.
Explore nearby scores and next steps
Score context changes quickly on this part of the scale. Compare: is a 523 good? · is a 524 good? · is a 526 good? · is a 527 good?
For a personalized read on your situation, the free Retaker Calculator is the place to start, and The Retaker Course is the full system when you are ready to build the plan.