MD Projecting my chances (Two transfers, low GPA)

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BigST

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Hello everyone,

I hope this doesn't bend the rules of this forum too much - I'm writing this post to get a sense of possible directions for my application cycle next year. Some of these stats (MCAT, Volunteer Hours, Clinical Hours) are not yet solidified, what has been posted in the recommended format are the values that I will most likely be applying with. Thank you all for your time and advice, I greatly appreciate the varied perspectives this forum offers.
  1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS: AMCAS cGPA = 3.27, AMCAS sGPA = 3.15 with a strong upward trend since the beginning of my five years in undergrad. My GPA during my last three years was a 3.4, 3.4, and 3.75. My low GPA is primarily motivated by institutions that I transferred from. I attended 3 undergraduate schools with a 3.0 for one year, a 2.62 for one year, and a 3.50 for three years at the school I graduated from.
  2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown: Nextsteptestprep FL1 = 509, balanced. Currently 3 weeks into dedicated prep with two months left of prep time. I'd like to score quite high, and am confident I can push my score at least to a 515 before test day.
  3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US): IL
  4. Ethnicity and/or race: White
  5. Undergraduate institution or category: Higher ranked private LAC
  6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer): About 300 hours via paid scribing, 200 hours clinical volunteering over just less than a year period leading up to the cycle
  7. Research experience and productivity: Completion of a 320 hour project by the end of Summer 2017, potentially published and presented before the end of 2017.
  8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented: 30 hours currently, aiming for 100 by June 2018. Current specialties represented include Oncology, Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, and GenSurg.
  9. Non-clinical volunteering: No non-clinical volunteering aside from a 10 day trip to Haiti in 2018 planned before the cycle drops, probably about 100 hours from the Haiti trip in total
  10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc): Organic Chemistry TA for a year, Calculus TA for a semester, Residential Assistant for 2 years, Economics tutor for a semester, campus dialogue moderator for 2 years
  11. Relevant honors or awards: Multiple Dean's List awards
  12. Anything else not listed you think might be important: I feel that I will be able to submit a compelling personal statement that elaborates on my experience as a low-income, rural, first generation student during the pursuit of an education. This feeling is motivated by feedback from Physicians (DO and MD) that I have discussed the structure of my essay with. My LAC's department is also renowned for writing outstanding LOR to Professional and Graduate programs.
I am not sure where I stand, and what directions I should take. My GPA is a glaring weakpoint, and makes me worry that despite my potentially great MCAT I will still be circling the drain in an MD cycle. I would strongly prefer to not apply DO due to uncertainties surrounding the coming merger. Furthermore, I am not sure that a Post-Bacc is feasible due to economic considerations on my end: I took on an >80k student debt burden (Thankfully all public loans) to finance my undergraduate education. What do y'all think? I greatly appreciate your input.
 
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