Don’t try and “explain away” your grades. They are what they are, and are a reflection of where you put your time in HS (btw, there is nothing wrong with that choice, but that is what it is - a choice). If you are looking at music schools this is going to be a moot point as a 3.5 gpa is solid and they are going to be focusing on your musical accomplishments. If you are hoping, instead, that your musical accomplishments will make up for a 3.5 gpa at a super elite school (non-music), I’m not sure that is going to be successful.
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