What effects does graduating in the fall have on recruiting?

Does graduating in the fall put you at a significant disadvantage as opposed to graduating in the spring? Could having an extra summer to use be beneficial?

I could either massively overload my schedule and graduate in the spring (and take a GPA hit) or wait until the fall. I also wasn't able to get an SA offer this summer so I could potentially have another summer to try to get one.

Thanks

9 Comments
 

I'm graduating in the fall and it gave me an opportunity at a BB this summer that I would not have had otherwise. For me it worked out better than graduating in the Spring

 

Delaying graduation usually won't hurt. But some schools may have restrictions that prevent you from applying for SA positions. Check and make sure that you can still apply for all on-campus internship positions.

And, while GPA is always important, the summer experience on your resume gives you much more credibility. Better to take a slight GPA hit if you can gain some solid work experience.

 
Best Response

"it depends. what would your gpa be if you graduate this spring?"

I'd be graduating spring '12 so I don't really know but I'd estimate maybe a 3.1-3.3 since I'd have to take like 20 or so credits the next two semesters. If I stay an extra semester I'd guess a bit higher since I'd have a much more manageable workload each semester (maybe a 3.3-3.5 or higher). Plus I'd have an extra summer to try to get an SA position.

"I'm graduating in the fall and it gave me an opportunity at a BB this summer that I would not have had otherwise. For me it worked out better than graduating in the Spring"

That's good to hear. Do you anticipate running into any problems for FT recruiting because of that?

"And, while GPA is always important, the summer experience on your resume gives you much more credibility. Better to take a slight GPA hit if you can gain some solid work experience."

Yeah this is what I've heard. An extra semester would both boost GPA and give me an extra chance at a summer opportunity. Hmm I guess the choice is looking pretty clear unless there would be any big complications for FT recruiting.

 

Omnis quas ut consequatur eaque eum. Quo eaque reiciendis aut excepturi fugit eveniet quia. Doloribus impedit velit labore. Est rerum quibusdam cupiditate quia. Cupiditate reiciendis sapiente ab vero vel aliquam aut aut.

Nihil voluptas et nihil placeat eos itaque consequuntur. Enim exercitationem eveniet rerum et possimus laborum ut. Amet modi saepe ipsa aspernatur nihil.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”