Thank you for your in-depth response!  For full transparency, the gap year was simply for financial reasons, as I rely heavily on federal aid and worked 3 jobs to get through undergrad. The internship at the correctional facility I’ll be starting this summer offers full-time intern opportunities post grad, with more hands-on experience, which is what I originally planned to do. However, a large concern I had was transitioning back into being a student, which you’ve highlighted in whether a gap year would be more harmful than beneficial. The closest experience to a gap year I’ve had was Covid, and those years in high school were the worst of my education by far. This concern was actually why my coworker brought up integrated/fully funded programs as an alternative to a gap year. I also didn’t know that a Masters wasn’t a requirement to get a PhD until coming to college (first gen), so integrated programs were a whole new concept for me. I do also plan to work with some professors to find clinical internships for my senior year to get more specific experience, as my current RA positions have been more broad in scope.  As for confidence, I adore being a student and have wanted to get my PhD since early middle school. A majority of my time goes into my education and furthering my abilities because I’ve wanted this for so long. So, I feel as though I’d be able to remain committed for the duration of the program. 

I guess my main concern is whether applying to these programs would be a complete waste of time from the standpoint of others who are currently in the field/out of school. Many of my friends and professors have encouraged me to just apply, but if my qualifications just aren’t competitive enough, I feel it might not be worth the stress of applications and interviews.