In his freshman year of high school, Ballmer won a scholarship to Detroit Country Day School, a private and rigorous high school. When he first arrived at the new school, the future Microsoft CEO was a full year behind in math coursework, the New York Times reported.
It didn't take Ballmer long to catch up, though. He soon exceeded his peers, and enrolled in college-level math classes at night. He also was a member of the track team, mainly competing in shot put while also running an occasional quarter-mile.