Grant Barker just graduated from the University of Southern California in December, something he dreamed of doing for as long as he can remember. 

“I planned ahead, I put in the extra work at high school to put myself in the position to come here, so it kind of hurts,” he said. 

He’s talking about the nationwide college admission scandal that his alma mater has been swept into – and knowing some of his peers didn’t work as hard as he did to step foot onto the prestigious campus.  

“With the SAT and essays and applications, it took a lot of hard work. I spent a lot of hours on that,” he said. 

At the center of this shocking financial crime is a supposed college test prep business called the Edge College & Career Network, also known as The Key.

The Key's address as listed on its website says it’s located at a home in Newport Beach. The man behind it is William Singer, who allegedly used a non-profit arm of the company to funnel bribes from the wealthy to get their kids into top schools. 

While we were outside the house, a realtor came to take down a for sale sign that was in front of the house, seemingly not wanting his name associated with the scandal; a scandal that has some neighbors we spoke with angry and students, like Barker, feeling sad. 

As he reflects on his time spent studying math, he recalls often feeling a disconnect between student groups. 

“Kids who may or may not have got in because kids whose family have money or connections so there’s already that layer,” he said. 

And now, seeing it so blatantly splattered across the headlines, he cannot help but think of certain friends of his that may have been cheated out of their chance to be a Trojan. 

“A lot of my smart friends in high school didn’t get in, and I know so many of them worked so hard and wanted to come here, but didn’t get the chance,” he said. “It’s a huge financial burden. I graduated a semester early and a huge reason for that was to save how ever many thousands of dollars a semester costs,” he said. 

As he sets off to put his mathematics degree into action someday soon, he’s more grateful than ever for the diploma he worked so hard for.