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Operation Dagger: A cold-blooded act on the student-athlete community

I slumped in complete shock, as I finished watching “Operation Varsity Blues”. I just could not believe that what I had just watched was TRUE! Could not believe that people could stoop so low to get into the “best universities in the world”. What is the “best university in the world”? What does that mean? How does one coin such a term?

All the media hype has created such a false set of aspirations for universities that might not even be the “best in the world” for YOU. Did you stop to think – will I fit well in this university? Does the university’s values and mission align with mine? Does the university offer the best courses for me to excel in my career beyond education? The disappointment I felt was clear, I almost had tears in my eyes despairing as I thought about the many families who were willing to take shortcuts to achieve their highest dream, without even actually knowing what their dream was.

Being a student-athlete is an Honor; it’s a culmination of years of hard work and dedication, blood, sweat and tears that you and your family have put in to let you have the best of both worlds. It is NOT a tag that you use to get ahead in the admissions line or gain an “unfair advantage” over someone else.

You cannot fake being a student-athlete. Either you are ONE or you are NOT. Either you have the commitment to play sports, or you should focus on other aspects of developing yourself as a global citizen of world-class standing.

I condemn those who pretend to be a student-athlete in the hope of a better university admission. I am completely shaken up, by the way in which this Netflix documentary has tarnished the reputation of so many formidable, authentic and genuine student-athletes and university coaches, who did nothing but commit to what they love.

All of us at AddedEducation (the company that my team and I have built from the ground-up) condemns any acts that have been shown in the Netflix documentary “Operation Varsity Blues”. These are acts of terrors and deserve the necessary legal action that they have received.

We continue to serve families across Asia, and the world, in the most honest and ethical manner possible. A student and student athlete’s profile is unique and personal to each of them. This can never be cloned, plagiarised or copied from someone else. We ensure that each of our clients – gifted students or talented student-athletes builds on this uniqueness that belongs only to them. At AddedEducation, we celebrate these student-athletes who work with us and dedicate themselves to the tough journey of being a recruit at their university of choice. They take the long road; they take the high road; and most importantly they create their own, unique pathway. #DreamBig #Staytrue #Authenticity #Honesty #StopFaking #AdmissionsScandal #Unique

Akshay Maliwal Founder/CEO