As long as you don't have a felony conviction or a drug conviction, financial aid is relatively easy to get. You can expect upwards and above $16,000/ year available to you depending on your situation (are you receiving and assistantship, does that cover tuition, etc.) and all you need to do is file a fafsa with the financial aid dept. (and you have to have filed your taxes to do that...don't ask, it was stupid).

That said, depending on where you choose to go to school grad school can be very affordable or not at all affordable. I looked at school in Rutgers and here at VA Tech... at each I would have the same assistanship stipend (and restrictions...can't get a job while they're paying the measly amount they do) .... and because I chose the small town I have a huge apartment (two bedrooms, large living and kitchen rooms for $500) the money to keep two dogs, and plenty left over for good food, dining out and hitting the bars occasionally.

I LOVE small town life. So such a decision was easy for me. I also don't have any dependants (dogs excluded, they're relatively cheap) I have to worry about supporting or uprooting. But I never understood my friends who wanted the arts and excitement of big city life ... 'cause how were they going to afford it?

One thing to know before you take the plunge...and I hear this all the time... if you're coming from a real job back to school, you CAN'T save enough money before you come back. Seriously, no matter what you manage to put aside to help you out, it won't be enough because you've forgotten what living like this is like. I went straight through from BS to MS to PhD and I've managed much better than my friends who took time off to work. Not to say at all that it can't be done or that it shouldn't be done...just saying to get yourself ready for the shock of being poor again ;)

If you want more specifics on assistantships or financial aid, let me know...I check back regularly and am more than happy to send you some links or tell you about my personal experiences. :D