angela638x

I was just accepted to a full-time Masters in Clinical Social Work program at Simmons College in Boston, MA. There is NO WAY I can work full-time (as I do now) and do this program, as it is three days of field work and 2 of classes. I make below $30,000 a year right now, but still, it pays my rent/life. I have no means of paying for school besides loans. I will apply for FAFSA on 1/1/13, but what do I do about living expenses like rent and food and general well-being? Is this where gradplus comes in? If so, how do I figure out what I need and what I'll actually get? Does the money go right to the school and they give me what's leftover after tuition? I am totally new to this process as I was lucky enough to have parents who paid my whole undergrad in full.So PLEASE, can someone un-confuse me, at least just a little?

Hi there, My name is Angela and I graduated from Northeastern University with a BS in Psychology in 2010. I have been gainfully employed in the field for years - this is the only path I've ever really explored ever since I was about 17 years old. I am now 24. Recently I thought I wanted to be an RN so I could make more money in the field, but now I'm realizing I'm really not that passionate about psychology/medicine anymore. It doesn't excite me; it feels burdensome. I am NOT good at science/math and my transcript reflects it. My strong suits are writing/English (I have never gotten less than an A- in any related course and test above average in them) and my true interest lies in history (specifically Tudor England); I read and write voraciously and have done so on this topic for years. I even took a course at Oxford on Elizabeth I just because I could. I dream of being able to study this area of history and make a career out of it, but I don't know how. I have NO connections in this world so when it comes to references for graduate school? I have none. I don't even know if a place would take me because my undergrad/work experience is vastly different from history. I'm also aware that the careers in these types of fields are hard to come by but I'm not willing to let go of the dream just yet. Has anyone ever done anything even remotely similar to this? Or have any advice as to what I should do? Please!! Thank you so much in advance.