I know you went to a very good city school and I heard that you wanted to stay there for graduate school. The truth in my experience is, the next step towards graduate school is to get into another school and meet new people. This can only help you and not hurt you. Your present friends will always be around for you if they are real friends. Expanding your colleagues and scope of people and the experience they can bring is priceless.
When choosing your graduate school, find one that has an even higher rank than your current school; you will need to bond with others when you climb the corporate ladder. The better/popular your school, the more others will want to talk about it.
If by chance you cannot get into a school that you think is acceptible, or you would like to get into one that has more requirements than on your current CV, take some time off and get yourself noticed in research. Pick someone that is of top ranks of the field you want to go in to do research with. Most researchers would love free (child) labor. Do what you need to get noticed and eventually an excellent reference from the main researcher and his/her underlings.
If you want to break from the educational system, find a job or an internship in the best large company that you can get into. They are also very happy to take free labor. Be prepared to go through more rigorous screening than the school research can. This will give you exposure to the working world and could elude to what you may want to concentrate or stay away from in the future.
Lastly, I know it’s difficult and I am here to listen and advise when you want. Things are shifting in all directions but you need to understand that your needs have to primarily come first. Situations may manifest and take you away from your road, but get back on it as soon as you can because you only have “one life to live” – your happiness is all what you make of it.
