@iusedtobesmart – Seems to me you are very good at choosing your own path. Someone who has strongly committed to apply to particular schools (and bats away advice about alternatives) should be able to make a decision about repeating 9th grade. This deeply personal decision has to be made by you and your family, with input from the school once you are accepted – not by strangers on the internet.
I am not sure what else anyone here can offer you. You already know the pros and cons. Good luck, though! Hope it all works out for you as you want it to.