If you are not ready to jump to grad school right after graduation, its not a bad idea to go on OPT for a year. Within that one year time frame, you can make some money by finding a job and also really think about where you would like to head in the future. While you are still in school, its hard to get a fresh perspective coz all you have been doing is studying. Why do you think you wont get funding for masters? I think you are discouraging yourself by assuming that there is no funding. You wont know about it until you explore the universities and programs. I had no problem finding funding and I went from undergrad to grad without working in between. Like Lilo said, you can join a Ph.D. program and quit after masters if you dont feel that you are cut out for academic career. But I wouldnt advise that coz I find it morally wrong to make others (advisors, profs, school) believe you are committed to something just to get money..when you have no intention of actually getting your Ph.D. Its entirely up to you though. Dont let your assumptions run your life, get out there and explore.