Proper tone of explaining bad grades

Yes, just to be realistic, apparently very talented musicians with a lot of accomplishments are one of the most common “EC” profiles the most selective colleges tend to see. That makes sense to me because there are all sorts of studies about the relationship between musical talent and other brain activities (not least math).

And while there is nothing wrong with such a profile, it does mean that these extremely selective colleges can have it all from such applicants, both top musical talents/achievements and also top academics.

Now if you are actually applying specifically for a music program at one of these colleges, then maybe the academic standards are slightly different–but the musical standards are usually no different from at a top conservatory.

But if you are not applying to a music program specifically and just want it to be treated as a good EC–that is perfectly reasonable, but very much not uncommon, and therefore not likely to trigger any sort of special academic consideration.

But again, all this is just in reference to hyperselective US colleges. There are many great colleges other than those.

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