<p>Yes, Masters programs are significantly easier to get into than PhD programs. It is likely you’ll find some top school more than happy to take your money. Sometimes after you’ve been there for a year or semester you can get a Teaching Assistantship or Research Assistantship to fund you. Also, it is pretty common for a Masters studetn to be accepted into a PhD program once they start working with a professor and get along with him/her. You will have a much better edge for acceptance if you state on the application that you are willing to pay for you Masters degree also.</p>
<p>Usually, you’ll need three letters. Ideally, they would be professors that you’ve done research with in school…they don’t have to be this…especially if you’ve worked in industry for a while.</p>