What a Competitive GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT Score Looks Like by Program Tier

What a published median tells you

Law, medical, and MBA programs post an entering class median for the LSAT, MCAT, or GMAT on their admissions site, usually alongside median GPA. That number is not a cutoff. Roughly half the admitted class scored above it and half scored below it, so a score under the median does not disqualify you, especially with a strong GPA, essays, or work experience.

Selective programs also publish a 25th to 75th percentile range instead of a single figure. A wide range signals the committee weighs more than the test score. A narrow range clustered high signals the score carries more weight in that program's review.

MBA programs and the GMAT

Top MBA programs recruit from the upper end of the GMAT Focus Edition's 205 to 805 scale. Wharton's incoming MBA Class of 2026 averaged a 732 GMAT, and the program states there is no minimum GMAT or GRE score, meaning even a top-tier program evaluates the full application rather than screening on the number alone, according to Wharton's published class profile .

Mid-tier and regional MBA programs publish medians well below that mark, and a growing number accept the GRE as an alternative or waive the test entirely for applicants with strong quantitative coursework or several years of work experience. Check each school's own class profile page on mba.com or the program's website for its current median, since GMAT medians move by several points most admissions cycles.

Law schools and the LSAT

The LSAT runs from 120 to 180, and ABA-accredited law schools publish their entering class's median LSAT and GPA in required disclosures every year. The most selective schools draw medians near the top of the scale. Mid-tier and regional law schools publish medians well below that, often with wide 25th to 75th percentile bands, and many put real weight on GPA trend, work experience, and personal statements alongside the score.

Because law school medians change with each incoming class and directly affect a school's rankings, look up the current cycle's numbers on the school's own admissions page or in its ABA-required disclosures rather than relying on a number from a prior year.

Medical schools and the MCAT

The MCAT runs from 472 to 528 across 4 sections. Highly selective MD and DO programs draw matriculants who score well above the national average, while access-oriented and mission-driven programs, including many state schools with in-state preference and programs built around primary care or underserved communities, admit strong candidates with lower scores when GPA trend, clinical experience, and fit are strong.

The AAMC's Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) tool lets you filter by matriculant MCAT and GPA for every MD program, and it is the most current source since individual school pages do not always update every cycle. DO programs report their own data through AACOMAS-participating schools.

How to use these numbers

Treat any published median as a snapshot of last year's class, not a fixed bar. Build a target range using the program's own current class profile or disclosure filing, aim to land at or above the median for programs you consider a stretch, and remember that a score below median is normal for roughly half of every admitted class. GPA, experience, and writing carry real weight at every tier, and that weight increases as you move away from the most test-score-driven top programs.

Why rankings push medians higher at the top

Widely used ranking systems, including US News graduate program rankings, treat entering class median LSAT, GMAT, or MCAT as one input in how a program is ranked. That gives the most ranking-conscious programs a direct incentive to recruit high scorers for every open seat, which pushes their published medians up over time and widens the gap between top-tier and mid-tier programs. A program lower in the rankings that competes on cost, location, or a specific specialty has less pressure to chase the same numbers, and its published range tends to sit lower and wider as a result.

How programs treat multiple test attempts

If you sit a test more than once, how a program uses your scores depends on that program's own policy, not a universal rule. Some MBA programs consider only your highest GMAT sitting. Some law schools average multiple LSAT attempts or take your most recent score, per LSAC's own reporting rules to schools. Medical schools receive every MCAT attempt in your file through AMCAS, and reviewers vary in how much weight they place on an upward trend versus a single best score. Check each program's own testing policy page before deciding whether a retake is worth the fee and the added test date on your timeline.

GRE as an alternative to the LSAT or GMAT

A growing number of law schools accept the GRE instead of the LSAT, and most MBA programs now accept the GRE alongside the GMAT. If your strongest subject scores land on the GRE rather than the program's traditional test, check the program's admissions page for which exams it accepts before you commit to a single test's prep track.