I’m an incoming freshman who is interested in going pre-med. I have 37 credits from high school and will not have to retake any of those courses for my major. People have told me graduating in 3 is impossible because of how the MCAT is set up. I’m assuming they’re correct but that leaves me with only 3 years worth of credits to get in 4 years. I also need to take at least 12 hours per semester to keep a scholarship. I’m assuming others have been in a similar situation or would know some options my counselors wouldn’t advise. Any advise would be awesome! Thanks 
What is it that you are really asking?
Talk to an academic advisor when you get to campus.
Check with the admission pages of any medical schools you’re interested in or check MSAR to see how these school handle AP credits. Some medical schools will not allow applicants to use AP credits to fulfill admission requirements; others require or strongly recommend (read: require) all AP credits be supplemented with an equal number of additional UL credits in the same dept as the AP credits to fulfill admission requirements.
What’s your intended major? Would you consider adding a minor or second major?
Do you have any strong hobby-type interests that you could take for classes for enjoyment in college? Art? Dance? Music? Foreign language? Viniculture? (I know a young physician who took wine-making classes in college and did a semester abroad studying wine making in Italy.)
Have you thought about your Plan B?
Since 70-75% of freshmen pre-meds don’t ever apply to med schools, and of those who do apply, only 40% get an acceptance, every pre-med needs a Plan B career. Think about what kinds of courses that might benefit you in finding post-graduation employment if you don’t get accepted into med school. (Hint: basic computer programming or scripting is always useful. Also software packages like statistical analysis, Photoshop, Access, Excel, etc.)
You can take the MCAT any time you feel you’re ready to do so, but you really, really need to have completed biochem before you sit the exam. (Biochem makes up 40% of the questions in the bio section.)
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This could get real tricky. My S has a scholarship and all 12 need to be in his STEM major (Math) or a degree requirement (minors don’t count). He had so many AP credits, there are no more electives that count, so it is a problem. .
His solution was to declare a new STEM major (CompSci) that will absorb required credits and then switch back to his original major in the 2nd half of senior year so he won’t lose the scholarship. Lots of high performing students are in the same situation in his school with that scholarship. His advisor came up with that idea. They call it a shadow major.
You might be able to complete a masters in the 4th year. It really depends on which classes you need for your degree and for your med school application.
Meet with an adviser early in your freshman year (or even orientation) to plan out what is needed and the order you can take them. Things that might throw you off are study abroad, pre-reqs needed, too many labs in one semester, illness, co-ops.
My son had 45 AP credits but still went 4 years. His 4th year was easy…courses for interest and continued research