February 25, 2021

Michael S.: Quiet Leadership

I had to lower my voice when speaking with Michael. His rock band had been his passion and his life since his teen-age years. All those amped-up concerts had gradually fried his ear drums, however, until even the sound of the human voice caused him excruciating pain. Not only was he forced to give up music; he had hid himself away at home to avoid irritating sounds, before eventually getting treatment. While the typical applicant might have milked this story for all its adversity potential, Michael did much more. Shocked to discover that there was no national organization for victims of his disorder, he created one, formally registered it, and began fielding emails from fellow sufferers. By taking advantage of an optional essay to explain his crusade, Michael won admission to MIT Sloan.