There are some grad school paths where a bit of work experience is extremely meaningful. This includes MBA programs and some PhD programs. For PhD programs, working as a research assistant before applying to grad school is called a “pre-doc”. Depending on the department and school, pre-docs are strongly favored as opposed to direct undergrads. This can also vary depending on how much research you did while in undergrad.
For master programs, it’s not uncommon for undergrads to apply directly without any formal work experience. One thing to consider is that working might give you more insight into whether an advanced degree is the right choice for you.
