Dear tennis07,

Work experience before business school is viewed as important because of how you learn in the program. Much of what happens in class is discussion of business cases and theories, so there is richness to those discussions from students giving their perspective and sharing their experiences. It is not always a requirement, but the professional experience of the students adds value to the learning of all students. Additionally, students with work experience are more mature and handle both the workload and team issues more effectively.

As for switching industries and starting at a lower level, that is not necessarily a negative thing. You will just want to directly address your reason(s) for the job change in your interview and your essays.

Good luck,
Lisa