... am considering a career in public interest, but I am not ... than an actual career in public interest. At this point in ... you typically hear about in public interest.
Sounds good, guys :) @DumbHollywoodActor and/or I can help with administration once you get closer to start. Another note--consider starting in April and building in some breaks (July 4th, Memorial Day, etc)
I visit school events that are open to the public -- usually because I am really interested in the event but those are great ways to begin to assess fit, motivate/inspire the self, etc.
When I was finishing up my UG, I met plenty of students in their late 30s, early 40s, who were JUST starting their Masters program. Trust me, you're nowhere near "behind."
That's an incredible improvement! Congrats. You still have some time before the June test to prepare, and plenty of time before the September administration.