Getting to the truth! REELZ is gearing up to expose how con artists and the parents involved in the American college admissions scam completely gamed the system in Varsity Blues: College Admissions Scandal, set to air on Saturday, February 8 at 8 p.m. ET.
Though stars Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman are among the most high-profile faces affected by the college admissions scandal, REELZ will take a deeper dive into who else is to blame — and whether or not the actresses are part of a larger scheme.
Varsity Blues: College Admissions Scandal features an in-depth interview with a former college admissions essay editor. She divulged how she would write application essays for wealthy people looking to gain access to some of the most prestigious universities in the United States.
“I know that the college admissions system is rigged because I helped rig it,” the editor — whose identity was hidden — confessed. “I know that there are dozens — maybe even hundreds — of people out there that are doing this kind of thing and not getting caught because I was one of them. I got involved in the college admissions scandal shortly after I graduated from an Ivy League university. I applied for an editing job and I quickly found out that I would be writing essays for people to try to get into Ivy League business schools.”
In addition to faking college essays, some parents reportedly worked with athletic coaches to fake a background in a sport so their child got accepted, while others apparently turned to college counselors who rigged the system and got the kids through the SAT testing phase with ease.
Since the scandal broke, Huffman, 57, served her time (11 days of a two-week prison sentence) last October. The When They See Us actress, who is married to Shameless star William H. Macy, also had to pay a fine of $30,000 and take part in community service for the Teen Project.
Loughlin, for her part, is still awaiting her day in court. Along with her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, she was charged with bribery for allegedly paying $500,000 to have their daughters Bella, 21, and Olivia Jade, 20 recruited to the University of Southern California’s crew team, despite the fact that they are not competitive rowers.
The duo, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, filed a motion in Massachusetts federal court in December 2019 accusing the FBI of withholding evidence that the Full House alum claimed would exonerate her and her fashion designer husband.
To learn more about the scam that rocked the nation, check out Varsity Blues: College Admissions Scandal on REELZ, Saturday, February 8, at 8 p.m. ET.
