What are the secrets to Galen Li's success? Optimism and persistence for starters. After being placed on the wait list for MIT Sloan -- the only school he applied to -- he turned a time of doubt to his advantage. He sought advice for improving his application and received valuable insight from both admissions' staffers and current students. In the end, Galen's openness and tenacity allowed him to take leave of his job at Expedia and seek his fortune on our campus in Cambridge.