More courses or MCAT prep?

[XWolfX]

I am in my senior year, and I am 5 credit hours away from graduation with all of the prerequisites for my state school. I have a 3.86 GPA with a 3.89 science GPA. I am pretty confident in my test-taking abilities, but I plan to take the Kaplan MCAT prep course. The medical school at my university does not require statistics or physics labs, so I have not taken these classes.

I am trying to decide whether I should take the light course load while doing the MCAT prep or if I should take the full course load and wait until the summer for the MCAT prep course. I would take the extra courses to increase the number of schools whose requirements I meet. I worry that if I am studying for the MCAT over the summer I won't have the time I would like for shadowing. If I take the full course load I will also have to work half time, so the likelihood of having time for shadowing is pretty low.

I go to the University of New Mexico, which has the least expensive medical school in the country, so attendance there makes the most financial sense. I also don't want to sell myself if I have the ability to get into a better school.

I would just like some guidance of what is the wisest course of action in my situation.

Thank you

Edit: The statistics as well as the physics labs would be in addition to the courses I need to graduate. I require an upper division biology, calculus II, and an O chem II lab. If I add the extra classes that will be a total of 3 labs as well as two math classes and a biology class.

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[Optimist Prime]

Personally I would take statistics and whatever other classes you haven't taken that most med schools require. Your GPA is good so I wouldn't go above and beyond by taking more than whats required. So if I was you I would do the light course load and really focus on that mcat.

 

[XWolfX]

Oh sorry, I guess it did not make it super clear. The statistics as well as the physics labs would be in addition to the courses I need to graduate. I require an upper division biology, calculus II, and an O chem II lab. If I add the extra classes that will be a total of 3 labs as well as two math classes.

 

[Optimist Prime]

Hmmmm that's much harder. Do you want to apply this upcoming cycle?

 

[XWolfX]

Hmmmm that's much harder. Do you want to apply this upcoming cycle?

Yes, I would like to. I will already be taking a gap year, so I don't really want to take another one. I could hypothetically take them as a non-degree student in the fall, but I'm not sure that will do me any favors in the application process.

 

[Optimist Prime]

IDK if I can tell you the best thing for you. I would take the full course load and study for the MCAT and shadow and just have zero life honestly. The problem with your situation is it would help a lot to have statistics and physics lab so you can apply to more schools. At the same time you definitely need shadowing, but you also don't want to be taking the mcat at the end of summer if you want to apply this cycle as that is getting pretty late. I personally wouldn't recommend taking the mcat any later than may for the upcoming cycle, maybe June, but since it takes a month or so to process you don't want to be stuck getting your mcat score back late and having a late application.