I’ll try to make this short and sweet…I have a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from a “very good” (not Ivy League) university. I am currently in a “very good” job as well. So what? I don’t want to be. While receiving my undergrad, I studied independently under a philosophy professor at my university, because I discovered that it’s my true love. My old professor has since passed away and I am realizing that i should have been a college professor instead of a damn Mechanical Engineer. What the hell can I do? I have looked at many of the Master’s/Doctorate Programs in the Northeast, but most want an undergrad in similar fields along with Greek and Hebrew literacy. Ideally I would like a Master’s in Biblical Studies with a focus on New Testament Christianity to a terminal Doctorate in Philosophy. I continue my education independently to this very day, but want to start publishing my writings and teaching others. This is what I’m good at; some people never find that one thing that just comes easy to them, and I know that I did. Where do I go from here? While alive, my professor gave me an exam that he gave to his graduate students at Columbia and I aced it. - I’m not a wanna be.
I have no idea how the US system works, but this is the advice I would give to a British person:
If money is the problem, work for a couple of years, continue your personal education and learn Ancient Greek (will take you 2.5 years at ‘normal’ pace), save up enough money to put you through a masters philosophy and then get a teaching research position to pay for your PhD.