Photo Credit: The Boston Globe
Recently, Netflix released an original documentary film titled Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal, based on the college admissions controversy that jailed Hollywood stars Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman.
The documentary, uniquely styled with the use of dramatizations to portray actual recorded conversations, thoroughly explains the crimes committed, how they were committed and by whom. Rated “R” due to strong language and scenarios that may cause the viewer some discomfort, the film is extremely informative, giving the viewer an inside look at the federal investigation that took place. The film also highlights the actions that led to the investigation as well.
The film begins by focusing on Rick Singer, a self-proclaimed, independent, college counselor and the mastermind behind what he calls the college “side door” strategy, as he explains the steps needed for college acceptance to hopeful parents. Singer explains to the parents that he has successfully completed over 730 of his “side door” acceptances. He gives the example that while the Harvard “side door” may cost the applicant 1.2 million, the Harvard “back door” can cost you up to 45 million.
The college coach’s “side door” acceptance strategy is a method in which he will make a secret agreement with the coaches of underfunded sports at Ivy League institutions. The coaches then will accept large monetary donations from the parents and in return the applicants will be listed as walk-on athletes onto the sports team that received the donations, thus granting them acceptance to the college or university.
The college “back door” tactic however is a well-known approach towards college acceptance amongst the wealthy and well connected. This strategy is used by the elite of society who have the willingness and the means to pay millions of dollars in order for their child to get into the Ivy of their choosing. The “back door” technique does not guarantee the student’s acceptance, while Singer’s “side door” does.
Throughout the documentary Singer can be found explaining his strategies to parents, during a reenactment scripted from real wiretap transcripts released by the United States government. He states that he will need writing samples from the student, including signatures to better forge documents. He also asked the parents for pictures of the applicants in similar positions to that of the team they will be walking on to, for Singer to better Photoshop that student into the sport.
Singer even went as far as faking test results, for the purpose of getting the students the proper scores for the well accredited college they are applying to. He would pay a particular individual upwards of 10 thousand dollars to impersonate the students and take their school qualifying exams in order to achieve the scores necessary for acceptance. This tactic worked well until the criminal mastermind was caught by the federal government.
Although Rick Singer was a very successful con artist, he has been described as not personable or shrewd, even said to be visibly vibrating with tension just below the surface. Originally from Lincolnwood, Illinois, he attended several different colleges before he found himself coaching basketball of many different ages. Singer could be found always dressed like a sports coach because he marketed himself as a college coach.
Even though Singer was the founder of successful organizations like The Singer Group, Future Stars: Academic and Athletic Scholarships, and The Key World Wide Foundation, where he is exempt from paying taxes, he made lots of promises he could not keep. He lied on many college applications and he even lied about his own qualifications and connections to those institutions.
Rick Singer is still a free man and will maintain his freedom for as long as the investigation continues because he has secured himself as a cooperating witness. Stars like Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman both received short stays in prison as a part of their sentences for participating in the college admissions scandal.
