Contest Winner: Julia's Announcement That She's Going to Harvard Business School

It was a neck-and-neck battle all week for supremacy between Jackles's Harvard Business School debacle and her demand of a Mac Book Air from [REDACTED] shortly after outing his mental health issues on Gawker. Another successful former relationship, by the way! So well-adjusted, our Jackles!

Let's read back on some of Jackles's HBS entries just for fun:

Why not??

So I can’t stop thinking about getting an MBA, for some reason. Regular readers of this blog know how obsessed I am with college and lectures and dorky things like underlining and annotating books that I read for fun (did I mention that I do that? I do.) I’ve been out of school for almost five years now - HOLY SHIT, [insert cliche about time here] - and the truth is, I really wouldn’t mind going back. I could see myself getting a lot out of such an experience.

I wouldn’t give up NonSociety - I’d just lifecast / run the business from school! I know, I know, like you were worried I’d go silent. NOT. POSSIBLE. I’ll be blogging from the grave.

Either way, I’m going to apply to both Stanford and Harvard for fall of 2009. Why not?? Unless I’ve missed the deadlines … I have to check on that.

PS. As my parents were driving me to the airport today, my dad told me that my mom had applied and gotten accepted at the U of Chicago business school when she was my age, but turned it down, because she couldn’t find a way to pay for it. I have no idea how I would pay for business school either, but I suppose I can cross that bridge if and when I get to it.

PPS. I haven’t been this excited in a long time. LEARNING YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

And here's the requisite manufactured e-mail of support in the face of all the haters. "I find it so strange you would take issue with me wanting to follow my dreams!"

Reader Email:

"My decision to go to [Harvard] business school was a spur-of-the-moment, it-sounds-like-fun-so-why-the-hell-not decision."

Now here’s a pull quote if I ever read one: “[Harvard Business School] is the academic equivalent to getting a really hot body while you are doing something you really enjoy (like dancing and eating cupcakes).”

From: [redacted - female!] Date: November 30, 2008 12:56:58 AM EST To: Julia Allison
Subject: Few thoughts on HBS


I am 35 now (wow. I forget that sometimes) - I went to HBS in my late 20s. Graduated in 2001. My work experience before school consisted of a couple of years as an underpaid flunkie at an ad agency, then two more years in Marketing at [redacted]. Nothing earth shattering. The truth is that people come to HBS with a HUGE range of backgrounds/experiences - from the classic banker & consultant to artists (and everything in between). Oddly enough, lots of guys from the military end up matriculating, too.

It’s a phenomenal mix of people - chances are whatever you are discussing on any given day in class, there is someone there who has first hand experience. The classes are fantastic - I assume you know about the case study method? (essentially you read business cases on a particular subject, then come to class ready to explain / defend your viewpoint.) Not the traditional lecture approach - much more interactive.

It is an AMAZING way to learn. It is the academic equivalent to getting a really hot body while you are doing something you really enjoy (like dancing and eating cupcakes). The application was a pain in the ass, but I find all applications tedious. I don’t know what the deadlines are, but I assume there are a few rounds with due dates in Dec, Jan and Feb or something…

The biggest hurdle is the GMAT - you’ll want to study for it, even if you are a great test taker. Let’s see, what else? I already told you the people are great, Boston is a great town when you are in school (I hate it for regular life), so you’ll have a lot of fun. You will make some of the best friends of your life, I can promise you.

Don’t worry about how you’ll pay for it. I was 100% loans and was fine (they are all paid off at this point, and I’ve been out of school for 7 years). School debt is cheap, relatively speaking. You remind me of myself a little bit - my decision to go to business school was a spur-of-the-moment, it-sounds-like-fun-so-why-the-hell-not decision. It turns out that it was one of the most fulfilling and life changing things I have ever done. I say go for it.

Rock on, [redacted]