Out of classes to take -> light senior course load. How will it look?

[deleted826437]

Hi,

I have 4 lab sciences left until graduation (16CR). I'm definitely not going to take them all at once, so my plan was to spread them out over the spring and summer semester. I'll take classes to get up to full time (12 credits), but taking a full 15 will likely require me to take non-degree applicable courses, for which, I would incur a fine.

I intend to apply to MSTP programs after graduation. Will having my final two semesters maxing out at 12 credits raise concerns for adcoms about my ability to handle rigorous course loads?

Here is my planned schedule:
4 Credits - Physiology + Lab
4 Credits - Physics II + Lab
3 Credits - Nanomedicine (upper level bio elective - already met this requirement)
1 Credit research (gets me to 12 hours) OR 3 Credit online Fluff class (gets me to 14 hours)

***I plan to graduate in the summer and take:
4 Credits - Ecology + Lab
4 Credits - Microbial + Lab
1 Credit - Senior seminar / research practicum
+ ????? If I need to add courses to make it look better.


I will be graduating 2 semesters early which will allow me to get a full year of full time research under my belt before I apply. I figured this would be more valuable to me and adcoms than me postponing my graduation to the fall/spring and missing out on this opportunity.

Thoughts? Thank you!

**Does Pass/Fail for credit research look like an obvious credit filler class?

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[Fluorescentboy]

Someone else may have more experience but as an applicant I had a semester or two with only two classes and it was never brought up.

I don’t think it would come up in your interview and if so I think you’re explanation would be fine, the extra year of full time research will be valuable provided you have some autonomy.

 

[ClimbsRox]

You're overthinking this way too much. This will not matter at all.