In adaptive modulation and coding scheme (MCS) selection for directional antenna systems, at least one table is defined that maps different ranges of signal quality values to different sets of MCS parameters. In some implementations, each range corresponds to a separate table (e.g., a given table will include the MCS and other information for that range of signal quality values). In the event an abrupt change in signal quality is detected (e.g., a change in received signal strength greater than or equal to a defined threshold), instead of using a conventional rate selection algorithm, a new MCS is selected through the use of the ranges from the table(s). In this way, a relatively large change in MCS may be accommodated, if warranted by the change in signal quality.