Chris if you can get PT then that would be a great opportunity. Otherwise then I'd go with plan 2 so you can still go to school full-time. The older you get the less you wnat to go to school. I work with a bunh of people who always planned on going back to school for their masters degrees but never did because the motivation wasn't there. While you have the motivation to go and finish school, I say go for it and get it done.