Hi JamesDarden13,

Your question can be broken down into 2 pieces:

1) What "path" do most Test Takers follow on the way to their MBA?
2) What kind of work experience do most MBA programs expect from applicants?

A sizeable percentage of MBA applicants are in their mid-to-late 20s, but the pool also includes plenty of applicants in their 30s and 40s. Certain programs (e.g. executive MBA) are clearly geared towards older applicants with far more work (and higher level) experience. This means that some of the applicants who you will be in competition with will have more work experience than you, but that's not necessarily a big deal.

Most MBA programs expect 2-5 years of work experience from their applicants, although there are always exceptions. Some applicants "get the GMAT out of the way" early on, with the plan to go off and work for a few years, build up their resumes and then apply later (before the 5 year date passes).

There really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to go about ordering your steps, although there's something to be said for focusing on one piece of the application at a time. Your current plan/timeline is fine. Focus on the GMAT now, nail it, then you'll be free and clear to work on the other aspects of your application when decide to apply.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich