Off-cycle Consulting Recruiting with Résumé Gap

Hi all!

Last year I graduated from a top target school (HYPS) and for ~6 months worked at a well-known life sciences strategy consulting firm in the Northeast. Unfortunately, I had to leave early to attend to some family matters, including tending to a parent with a sudden cancer diagnosis, and have been out of the workforce for around 2 months (I didn't yet qualify for Family and Medical Leave). I understand résumé gaps don't look good, and in hindsight this may have been a poor decision, but at this point it is what it is.

In addition to reaching out to this same company again on the off chance they'll take me back, for somebody in my position, I was wondering what off-cycle recruiting outlook might look like for MBB, T2 or other similar boutiques for entry level positions. I have some university contacts at these places, so I was thinking I could reach out to them for referrals, but outside that are there any other pieces of advice you all could offer (for instance, at places where I don't know people)?

Thanks!