I have a decently low UW GPA (3.5) and am wondering the proper way to address this in my “additional information” section. Essentially what I am trying to say is focusing on my intense piano studies (practicing 5/6 hours a day throughout high school) hindered me from getting good grades. I am planning on listing accomplishments and link to website to for validity. How should I address my low grades? Should I sound pleading/imploring, or confident and just point out my strengths? Thank you much.
I don’t think you need to explain a 3.5 away. If you are taking a rigorous course load and have time consuming activities it’s pretty self explanatory. It’s not like you were burdened with piano study - it was a choice, like playing a varsity sport. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing the arts over perfect grades.
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that makes sense. All the same I think its good to take accountability and prove that I want to be there. Also it gives me the opportunity to stress just how strenuous piano is.
Neither.
If you really feel the need to explain this - and I don’t think you do - then you just state the facts. Or you get your guidance counselor to mention it in their letter. However, your EC list will already note the time commitment of your piano practice so repeating this in the additional info section would be redundant.
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I see your point, but am worried AOs will not believe me. I want to stress the validity of my statements through a list of accomplishments and an explanation of the intensity of a performing pianist.
This goes into to awards (if you won awards) and activities. There is no need to repeat this in additional information. Many accomplished musicians apply to college every year - AOs are quite familiar with this.
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Maybe talk about your commitment to piano and what it means to you, but I wouldn’t talk about it in relation to your grades. That sounds like an excuse. I dance 15+ hours per week and participate in theater and I’m a cheerleader. I like to think if I did less I would have a 4.0. Maybe, but who knows, maybe I would waste the extra time scrolling on TikTok. I think it’s better to sound proud of who you are and your accomplishments instead of explaining why you aren’t someone else.
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Unless I am mistaken, I think the activities section only gives you 150 character explanation. This only allowed me to list like 3 things.
Thats a good idea, and solid advice. Thank you.
Yes, but there are slots for 10 activities. Plus extra characters for the name of the activity and the position you held for it. Choose “power words”. You don’t need complete sentences. Use the space wisely.
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Ultimately, I want to say something AOs dont see alot. I want to talk about my extensive knowledge of finance and music, and ask that they look not at my failures but at my successes. Would you advise against this?
That makes sense, thanks
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You can list these in your activities section; you can also write about them in your essay(s).
Lots of very accomplished musicians apply to college, so that in itself may not meet your need to be something that the AOs don’t see a lot of. But that does mean that they are aware of how much work goes into being an accomplished musician!
Got it, thank you!
This is unnecessary because doesn’t literally every applicant want AOs to look at their successes and not their failures? You’re asking the obvious.
AOs see this sort of thing ALL THE TIME.
If you feel this is something that makes you unique and is an important part of who you are as an applicant and a person, then perhaps consider it for a personal statement.
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Yeah that makes sense, but to be completely honest, I think my musical accomplishments are more impressive than they typically see, and I want them to understand just how successful I have been. Sorry I know that probably sounds prideful, but I am simply trying to find ways to stand out in the crowd, as I know there will be a multitude of people like me applying. I wrote my personal essay on music and finance.
A 3.5 is not low - unless you are on the CC.
And the fact that you have an extra curricular, no matter how intense, is not a justification for your grades.
You are assuming you’d have done better school wise or that having a very good GPA should be excused.
That is your GPA - own it. But you also have a great extra curricular.
So - you don’t address your “low” grades…you will do yourself a disservice by mentioning it at all.
If you want to highlight your accomplishments, then discuss in an essay…but do not make excuses or even try to justify grades. And submit a music supplement where allowed.
It’s a horrible look and you have no proof one is tied to the other. Making excuses is never a good thing.
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Typically, an "explanation " of bad grades (which yours are not) comes from your GC and will highlight extenuating circumstances, such as death of a parent, serious illness, etc.
Your situation reflects the way you balanced your priorities and is likely to continue. Explaining grades will make you sound whiny. It sounds like you don’t own your choices and ate making excuses. Overall, a bad look!
Why not write your personal essay about your love of music and how you gave it as much time as you could? How that felt, what you were dreaming of at the time?
Every applicant who has done anything at a highly committed level has made these trade-offs. AOs understand.
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One of my kids had intense commitment to music during high school. This did not affect grades but did affect the rigor of course choices. They still got into a top school (Harvard).
Are you applying to BM programs? (Conservatory or School of Music). Then the audition is the main criteria and academic requirements like GPA may be more lenient anyway, depending. A 3.5 is not a bad GPA.
If applying to BA or BS programs, which generally do not involve auditions for admission, it is helpful to submit a music supplement with a recording/video (can be one piece, cued, but ask the schools; maybe samples of different aesthetics or genres), a music resume (including practice times) and letters of recommendation relating to music. I believe the supplement really helped my kid.
Your guidance counselor can write about your commitment to music inside and outside of school. Schedule a meeting with them to discuss. Much better than you trying to explain, which can, yes, sound whiny. Colleges understand and respect commitment to music. Stand by your choices. The GC should not explain grades but simply say you had substantial, intense commitments outside of the classroom and admissions can take it from there.
Again not clear on where you are applying. You might wander over to the music major forum, which is not only for music majors. Make sure to read the Double Degree Dilemma essay in the Read Me thread on that forum, which is really about ways to continue or study music.
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Like basically everyone else, I vote for using the various appropriate places in your application to discuss your piano commitments and achievements in a purely positive way, and not turn it into a negative in the sense that you argue that it hurt your grades.
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