Stay in my binding BSMD program or take the yr off and apply next cycle (3.9/520/mid ECs/ORM)
Throwaway bc people in my life know my longtime account username, and I wanna stay private.
I'm a sophomore in a 7 yr BSMD program, meaning I'm applying now. My program binds applicants so I can't both apply to it and also apply out. Its a midtier state school (near the bottom of T50 back when US News was ranking school numerically).
The problem is that I have 80 clinical hours, so I don't think I've got a shot at getting into other schools this year. Further, while I have I've got 200 leadership and 300 nonclinical volunteer hours, an extra year would give me time to build out my application better. However, I still kind of feel like my EC's will be generic and cookie cutter.
As the title indicates, I have a 3.9, got a 520, and am ORM.
I have no idea what I want to do post med school tbh. I've seen ENT, GI, Oncology, and Nephro and thought all of it was cool. I know surgical subspecialties like ENT are brutal, so I want to make sure I'm well positioned to match into a more selective specialty if possible. However, I also don't think it's worth it to take a year off and apply elsewhere either unless my stats make a T20 acceptance likely.
I guess my question is whether my stats make an acceptance of that tier likely and if its worth it to take a year off to chase that, or if I should just stick with my current program.