How to Score 170+ in MDCAT 2026 (Topper Strategy)

A score of 170 out of 180 means getting roughly 94 percent of the paper right, so it leaves little room for weak areas. The plan below shows you how to close those gaps.

Is scoring 170+ realistic?

Yes, it is realistic for a student who prepares with discipline, though it is demanding and not guaranteed for anyone. The students who reach the top are not necessarily the most naturally gifted, they are the ones who practised the most quality MCQs and reviewed their mistakes most carefully. If you commit to the method and stay consistent, a high score is within reach. Treat it as a target to organise your effort, not a promise.

Where the 170 marks come from

Work backwards from the paper. To reach 170, you cannot afford to be weak anywhere, but the biggest blocks decide most of it. Aim to secure almost all of Biology, since it is 81 marks, and most of Chemistry at 45 marks. Then push Physics, where the 36 marks are very winnable with formula drilling, and collect nearly all of the easy English and Logical Reasoning marks. Use the aggregate calculator to see how each block feeds your aggregate.

Master Biology to near-perfection

Biology is where a high score is won or lost. Drill every high-yield chapter, cell biology, biomolecules, bioenergetics, genetics, human physiology and biotechnology, in the Biology Question Bank until your accuracy is consistently high. Use the high-yield Biology topics guide, and give the heaviest chapters at least two revision passes. A student who is near-perfect in Biology is already most of the way to a top score.

Build Chemistry and Physics

In Chemistry, balance the physical chapters, which mix concept and calculation, with the organic chapters, which reward understanding reactions and patterns. Drill them in the Chemistry Question Bank. In Physics, build a clean formula sheet for each chapter and solve numericals in the Physics Question Bank until applying a formula is automatic. Do not fear Physics, the marks are very gettable with practice.

Collect every easy mark

Top scorers never throw away easy marks. Secure the 9 English and 9 Logical Reasoning marks with short, regular sessions in English and Logical Reasoning. And because there is no negative marking, attempt every single question, using elimination on the ones you are unsure of. Leaving blanks is how students quietly lose the marks that separate a good score from a great one.

Practise, review, repeat

The engine of a high score is the practice loop: learn a concept, drill its MCQs, review every mistake, and revisit it later. Your wrong answers are the cheapest marks available, so treat mistake review as the most important part of your day. Keep a notebook of the rules and questions you keep getting wrong, and clear it before each mock.

Use full mocks to close the gap

Take a full-length revision test every week. Mocks build the stamina and timing a 180-MCQ paper demands, and they reveal the weak chapters that stand between you and a top score. After each mock, review every wrong answer and drill those chapters before the next one. Watch your score climb week to week, which is the clearest sign your method is working.

The mindset of a high scorer

A top score also needs a steady mind. Work in focused sessions, sleep well, and measure progress by your rising mock scores rather than hours sat. Do not panic over one bad test, since the point of testing is to find and fix weaknesses. Stay consistent, trust the process, and let the daily practice compound. For the full plan, see our complete MDCAT preparation guide.

Frequently asked questions