LOS ANGELES _ When it came to getting their daughters into college, actress Lori Loughlin and fashion designer J. Mossimo Giannulli were taking no chances.
The wealthy, glamorous couple were determined their girls would attend the University of Southern California, a highly competitive school that offers seats only to a fraction of the thousands of students who apply each year.
So they turned to William Singer and the "side door" the Newport Beach, Calif., businessman said he had built into USC and other highly sought after universities. Half a million dollars later _ $400,000 of it sent to Singer and $100,000 to an administrator in USC's vaunted athletic program _ the girls were enrolled at the school. Despite having never competed in crew, both had been given coveted slots reserved for rowers who were expected to join the school's team.
