Netflix’s Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal Review- This Will Definitely Piss Off College Graduates

Ask any college or university graduate, especially from prestigious private academies, and they’ll have plenty to say. They’ll talk about the pain-staking admission process and the exorbitant fees that come with the territory. Not too long ago we even covered a story about students pimping themselves out on Sugarbook just to pay their tuition fees. Then there’s the issue of prestige and class privilege that further exacerbate the situation, when parents begin to compare and measure their children based on the higher-education they receive. The corruption exposed in Netflix’s docudrama “Operation Varsity Blue: The College Admissions Scandal” however is in a class of its own.

The sheer levels of illegality we’ve witnessed in this 1-hour and 40-minute documentary had our mouths agape for hours. If you’re planning on going to college or university, currently attending one or have ever been scorned by the experience, you owe it to yourself to watch this.

There’s a lot of information to unpack here and a lot of guilty parties responsible. The linchpin to this entire story though is one man: Rick Singer. A former baseball coach turned independent college advisor. What starts off as petty nepotism slowly spirals into a massive criminal conspiracy. As he receives bribes in the forms of donations, Singer stops at nothing to help get the children of the rich and powerful into their desired campuses. His journey of over 20 years will have him forming dark alliances with college admission offices, athletic associations and even test examiners. One thing’s for certain though, you will leave “Operation Varsity Blues” either in utter disbelief or in pure unadulterated disgust.

Netflix documentaries have developed a reputation for being somewhat sensationalist in their approach. You need only look at recent hits like “Tiger King”, “Don’t F** with Cats” and “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel”. Occasionally you have some truly hard-hitting documentaries such as “The Social Dilemma” and “Who Killed Malcolm X?”. The ones that avoid playing into shock value and news novelty. Sticking closely to the facts and research because the story doesn’t need any embellishment. The creators have confidence in their work. “Operation Varsity Blues” lands squarely in the latter category.

The amount of respect and restraint that the docudrama showed is a breath of fresh air. No gritty montages, violin strings for dramatic effect or character vilification. In fact, the most interesting part of “Operation Varsity Blues” were the moving parts that went into it. There’s so many intricate cogs that made Singer’s operation work. The way he worked with college admission members to provide a “back-door” for some people. The athletic associations and coaches who readily took in kids who have never touched a water polo ball in their entire lives. The proctors and exam centers that did the exams on students’ behalf! It was utterly nuts.

Some of the credentials for these Stanford and UCLA applicants are just straight-up made up with their faces being photo-shopped and cropped in. Rick Singer even changed their racial backgrounds so they’d qualify for affirmative action qualifications. All the while, there is a sobering reality playing in the background. Throughout the documentary, we hear stories from college applicants who were heartbroken from being denied entry into their colleges of choice. People who took up special interest and classes that they had no interest in for the sake of presenting themselves in a more favourable light. The creators truly do understand the pain of rejection that so many of us felt. They’ve managed to channel it into a docudrama that is deeply informative and yet also emotionally resonant.

In the past, we’ve mentioned how we were fans of documentaries that take a hybrid method. Docudramas like “Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan” struck an excellent balance between gripping reenactments with pertinent and timely details expounded by experts mid-scene. Executed in a way that avoids hindering the narrative momentum while still feeding us some lovely morsels of information. “Operation Varsity Blues” takes a similar route and the result is a well-acted and polished docudrama that could have easily been a film. Something perhaps akin to HBO’s “Bad Education”.

Director Chris Smith and crew did a fantastic job in adding so much life and personality to the real-life transcripts between Singer and his associates. All the conversations on-screen are based on actual ones in reality. There is a wealth of material here and Smith intelligently utilizes it to weave a believable and captivating narrative. It is essentially “The Wolf of Wall Street” for the world of higher education.

And what does “Operation Varsity Blues” have to say about this whole debacle? Surprisingly, quite a bit. In lieu of the classic vilification of individuals, the docudrama takes aim at the systemic issue of college culture in the States. Much like Malaysians, they’ve been taught for the longest time that college prestige plays a major role in determining their future. So much pressure is loaded onto these kids to the point where they’re so convinced that this is their one shot at a better life.

The sad truth is that stories like Singer’s criminal organization only further this notion. After all, if these CEOs and celebrities were willing to risk so much for their children to get into these colleges, they must be right. Right? To that “Operation Varsity Blues” offers a heartfelt answer to the question that assures us all that our fates are not tied to the colleges we go to. It is in our hands.

Netflix’s “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal” is an amazing exposé on the corruption of the modern-day college system. With stunning clarity, Chris Smith and company uncovers a conspiracy that is worthy of any blockbuster crime-drama. We cannot recommend this any higher. If you’re a college student, you need to watch this.

You can now catch “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal” on Netflix streaming services today!

So what do you think of the documentary? What’s the most you’ve ever paid for in college tuition? Is the world’s tertiary education system broken? Be sure to let us know in the comments down below!

The Review