Feds uncover large-scale college entrance exam cheating plot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is interesting is that exactly 50 names were given up. I am sure he selected those names with purpose and kept off hundreds that he wanted protected. I think the lawsuit should demand all the names.

He has given up 750. The US attorney cherry picked the biggest names at the beginning. The other 750 will come out in time as the investigation continues.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/college-cheating-mastermind-says-he-helped-nearly-800-families-admissions-n982666

It does not say the other names will come out. It could have been part of Singer’s deal to give up a small number and let him protect certain hundreds of other people.

Lol....do you really believe that’s how the DOJ operates? Get a clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I must be extremely naive but it would never occur to me that people would pay someone to take their SATs or bribe a proctor or bribe coaches. I sort of still cannot believe it.

Naive and apparently not a consumer of the news. There have been loads of such cases over the years.

[Anonymous]

This is from an astute College Confidential comment:

"The 36 year old was the test proctor and he changed the answers after tests were turned in."

And as I mentioned in my post about IMG Academy, the 36 year old was Mark Riddell who was the "Director of College Entrance Exam Preparation" at IMG Academy, a $75,000 a year private HS sports academy in Bradenton, Florida. Before his bio was deleted from IMG's website, it described Riddell helped student athletes gain admission to Stanford, Duke, Columbia, Dartmouth, and the University of Chicago, among others, while also creating the test preparation program curriculum at IMG Academy.

In the Singer case, Riddell is accused of actually taking SAT and ACT exams for Singer's clients and also acting as a proctor at the Houston or LA test centers, where he would coach the test takers to change answers or he would change their answers after they turned in the tests. Riddell went so far as to obtain handwriting samples and practice students' handwriting so his written test answers would not be suspicious.

If I were in the FBI, here are a few things I'd want to know:

- How and why was a Director of Test Prep for a private school in Florida hired to be a proctor in Texas or California?
- How did Singer - who lived and worked in California - come into contact with Riddell - who lived and worked in Florida- and know Riddell would be willing and able to fake test results?
- Do we really believe that Riddell was only faking tests for Singer's clients and not the students of the $75k a year private high school he was employed at, which has substantially the same clientele as Singer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Operation Varsity Blues began as a result of the Philip Esformes-Medicare fraud investigation, which snagged Jerome Allen, Penn's former head basketball coach (and now his assistant coach as well). Esformes provided the original tip that led to the "Varsity Blues" investigation. Allen was coaching for the Boston Celtics when he was indicted. Beyond that, I'm not sure if there are other Boston connections.

A bribe to get into Wharton. Shocking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college admission scandal is basically 9/11 for upper middle class white people. Haven’t seen them so upset by something in years.

This has nothing to do with “upper middle class white people,” dummy. It has to do with rich, entitled assholes.

No it has to do with UMC white peoples and Asians who have stacked the deck against the poors and are getting a taste of their own medicine.

Eh? This is pretty stupid. UMC white people and Asians probably have the most difficult time in college admissions because they are the largest groups applying to college and don't have the special hooks or minority status.

All these people nabbed in the cheating scandal were outright rich. Very rich. You have to be rich to easily write checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars just to cheat on the SAT. You only do that if the money means nothing to you. An UMC family, even with a few million net worth, is not writing 6 figure checks to cheat on the SATs. The law firm boss was pulling in an income of 10 million a year. The Abbotts in New York with their blunt smoking son have their apartment on the market for $20 million. Felicity the actress was arrested at her $35 million dollar LA house. That's the kind of wealth we're talking about. Not upper middle class making a few hundred grand a year.

Yes, but it's the UMC whites and Asians who have created this problem. With private schools, 10 AP's, segregated schools, test prep, and tutors ... they have created an unhealthy environment for kids to try to compete for college spots.

The poors have been saying it for year... the process is broken and favors the rich. The whole process favors kids in high ranking schools and money to learn outside of school.

You created this mess and now your are crying because richer people were beating you at your own game.

Wahhh! I don't feel sorry for you. The millionaire vs the billionaires.... cry me a river.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is from an astute College Confidential comment:

"The 36 year old was the test proctor and he changed the answers after tests were turned in."

And as I mentioned in my post about IMG Academy, the 36 year old was Mark Riddell who was the "Director of College Entrance Exam Preparation" at IMG Academy, a $75,000 a year private HS sports academy in Bradenton, Florida. Before his bio was deleted from IMG's website, it described Riddell helped student athletes gain admission to Stanford, Duke, Columbia, Dartmouth, and the University of Chicago, among others, while also creating the test preparation program curriculum at IMG Academy.

In the Singer case, Riddell is accused of actually taking SAT and ACT exams for Singer's clients and also acting as a proctor at the Houston or LA test centers, where he would coach the test takers to change answers or he would change their answers after they turned in the tests. Riddell went so far as to obtain handwriting samples and practice students' handwriting so his written test answers would not be suspicious.

If I were in the FBI, here are a few things I'd want to know:

- How and why was a Director of Test Prep for a private school in Florida hired to be a proctor in Texas or California?
- How did Singer - who lived and worked in California - come into contact with Riddell - who lived and worked in Florida- and know Riddell would be willing and able to fake test results?
- Do we really believe that Riddell was only faking tests for Singer's clients and not the students of the $75k a year private high school he was employed at, which has substantially the same clientele as Singer?

Okay Cagney, take a Valium.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college admission scandal is basically 9/11 for upper middle class white people. Haven’t seen them so upset by something in years.

This has nothing to do with “upper middle class white people,” dummy. It has to do with rich, entitled assholes.

No it has to do with UMC white peoples and Asians who have stacked the deck against the poors and are getting a taste of their own medicine.

Eh? This is pretty stupid. UMC white people and Asians probably have the most difficult time in college admissions because they are the largest groups applying to college and don't have the special hooks or minority status.

All these people nabbed in the cheating scandal were outright rich. Very rich. You have to be rich to easily write checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars just to cheat on the SAT. You only do that if the money means nothing to you. An UMC family, even with a few million net worth, is not writing 6 figure checks to cheat on the SATs. The law firm boss was pulling in an income of 10 million a year. The Abbotts in New York with their blunt smoking son have their apartment on the market for $20 million. Felicity the actress was arrested at her $35 million dollar LA house. That's the kind of wealth we're talking about. Not upper middle class making a few hundred grand a year.

Yes, but it's the UMC whites and Asians who have created this problem. With private schools, 10 AP's, segregated schools, test prep, and tutors ... they have created an unhealthy environment for kids to try to compete for college spots.

The poors have been saying it for year... the process is broken and favors the rich. The whole process favors kids in high ranking schools and money to learn outside of school.

You created this mess and now your are crying because richer people were beating you at your own game.

Wahhh! I don't feel sorry for you. The millionaire vs the billionaires.... cry me a river.

I think the elite universities, the College Board (a huge money making non profit), USNWR, etc created this mess. The elite want to stay elite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college admission scandal is basically 9/11 for upper middle class white people. Haven’t seen them so upset by something in years.

This has nothing to do with “upper middle class white people,” dummy. It has to do with rich, entitled assholes.

No it has to do with UMC white peoples and Asians who have stacked the deck against the poors and are getting a taste of their own medicine.

Eh? This is pretty stupid. UMC white people and Asians probably have the most difficult time in college admissions because they are the largest groups applying to college and don't have the special hooks or minority status.

All these people nabbed in the cheating scandal were outright rich. Very rich. You have to be rich to easily write checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars just to cheat on the SAT. You only do that if the money means nothing to you. An UMC family, even with a few million net worth, is not writing 6 figure checks to cheat on the SATs. The law firm boss was pulling in an income of 10 million a year. The Abbotts in New York with their blunt smoking son have their apartment on the market for $20 million. Felicity the actress was arrested at her $35 million dollar LA house. That's the kind of wealth we're talking about. Not upper middle class making a few hundred grand a year.

Yes, but it's the UMC whites and Asians who have created this problem. With private schools, 10 AP's, segregated schools, test prep, and tutors ... they have created an unhealthy environment for kids to try to compete for college spots.

The poors have been saying it for year... the process is broken and favors the rich. The whole process favors kids in high ranking schools and money to learn outside of school.

You created this mess and now your are crying because richer people were beating you at your own game.

Wahhh! I don't feel sorry for you. The millionaire vs the billionaires.... cry me a river.

I think the elite universities, the College Board (a huge money making non profit), USNWR, etc created this mess. The elite want to stay elite.

If people refused to play the college boards would not be a "huge money maker" ... USNWR would be useless

But UMC's feed the monster then get pissed when they get bit in the a$$.

[Anonymous]

Well I for one am an UMC white person and I am loving every minute of this. I think the college prep/competitive parenting culture is absolutely toxic, unfair, and damaging, but I never dreamed people could actually go to jail. This is like Christmas for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college admission scandal is basically 9/11 for upper middle class white people. Haven’t seen them so upset by something in years.

This has nothing to do with “upper middle class white people,” dummy. It has to do with rich, entitled assholes.

No it has to do with UMC white peoples and Asians who have stacked the deck against the poors and are getting a taste of their own medicine.

Eh? This is pretty stupid. UMC white people and Asians probably have the most difficult time in college admissions because they are the largest groups applying to college and don't have the special hooks or minority status.

All these people nabbed in the cheating scandal were outright rich. Very rich. You have to be rich to easily write checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars just to cheat on the SAT. You only do that if the money means nothing to you. An UMC family, even with a few million net worth, is not writing 6 figure checks to cheat on the SATs. The law firm boss was pulling in an income of 10 million a year. The Abbotts in New York with their blunt smoking son have their apartment on the market for $20 million. Felicity the actress was arrested at her $35 million dollar LA house. That's the kind of wealth we're talking about. Not upper middle class making a few hundred grand a year.

Yes, but it's the UMC whites and Asians who have created this problem. With private schools, 10 AP's, segregated schools, test prep, and tutors ... they have created an unhealthy environment for kids to try to compete for college spots.

The poors have been saying it for year... the process is broken and favors the rich. The whole process favors kids in high ranking schools and money to learn outside of school.

You created this mess and now your are crying because richer people were beating you at your own game.

Wahhh! I don't feel sorry for you. The millionaire vs the billionaires.... cry me a river.

Nailed it. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I for one am an UMC white person and I am loving every minute of this. I think the college prep/competitive parenting culture is absolutely toxic, unfair, and damaging, but I never dreamed people could actually go to jail. This is like Christmas for me.

+1 signed an Asian American upper middle class mom who grew up lower income.

[Anonymous]

How many legit new tips have the FBI received in the past week? I'm guessing hundreds, if not thousands. Singer is just one consultant. These were only just a few coaches.

This story will have legs for years. The DOJ/FBI has not even begun looking into corruption in the actual admissions offices.

I guarantee there is someone taking bribes in admissions offices at every competitive school. They universities are claiming to be victims right now, but you know they are freaking out about the possibility of the FBI sniffing around their operations.

This is going to be a massive story for the next 2-3 years. Buckle up, folks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I for one am an UMC white person and I am loving every minute of this. I think the college prep/competitive parenting culture is absolutely toxic, unfair, and damaging, but I never dreamed people could actually go to jail. This is like Christmas for me.

+1 from another MC/UMC white person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college admission scandal is basically 9/11 for upper middle class white people. Haven’t seen them so upset by something in years.

This has nothing to do with “upper middle class white people,” dummy. It has to do with rich, entitled assholes.

No it has to do with UMC white peoples and Asians who have stacked the deck against the poors and are getting a taste of their own medicine.

Eh? This is pretty stupid. UMC white people and Asians probably have the most difficult time in college admissions because they are the largest groups applying to college and don't have the special hooks or minority status.

All these people nabbed in the cheating scandal were outright rich. Very rich. You have to be rich to easily write checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars just to cheat on the SAT. You only do that if the money means nothing to you. An UMC family, even with a few million net worth, is not writing 6 figure checks to cheat on the SATs. The law firm boss was pulling in an income of 10 million a year. The Abbotts in New York with their blunt smoking son have their apartment on the market for $20 million. Felicity the actress was arrested at her $35 million dollar LA house. That's the kind of wealth we're talking about. Not upper middle class making a few hundred grand a year.

Yes, but it's the UMC whites and Asians who have created this problem. With private schools, 10 AP's, segregated schools, test prep, and tutors ... they have created an unhealthy environment for kids to try to compete for college spots.

The poors have been saying it for year... the process is broken and favors the rich. The whole process favors kids in high ranking schools and money to learn outside of school.

You created this mess and now your are crying because richer people were beating you at your own game.

Wahhh! I don't feel sorry for you. The millionaire vs the billionaires.... cry me a river.

I think the elite universities, the College Board (a huge money making non profit), USNWR, etc created this mess. The elite want to stay elite.

If people refused to play the college boards would not be a "huge money maker" ... USNWR would be useless

But UMC's feed the monster then get pissed when they get bit in the a$$.

So I am sitting here looking at a Harvey Mudd flyer that came in the mail. It says ACT or SAT required and SAT subject test in Math 2 and another subject test required. I am sure they expect some AP classes. So that is paying the College Board at least six times. Tiny little Harvey Mudd for engineering requires a student pay the college board at least six times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well I for one am an UMC white person and I am loving every minute of this. I think the college prep/competitive parenting culture is absolutely toxic, unfair, and damaging, but I never dreamed people could actually go to jail. This is like Christmas for me.

+1 from another MC/UMC white person.

+2 from a UMC white person who will gladly send her child to an SEC school or Towson or Salisbury.