A three-judge panel found that a lower court made crucial missteps in the trial of Gamal Abdelaziz and John Wilson, the first parents to take their chances in front of a jury.
Prosecutors recommended six years in the scheme that undermined college admissions. Mr. Singer asked for a maximum of six months, citing childhood trauma.
Jovan Vavic, who was convicted on bribery and fraud, won a striking victory after a string of guilty verdicts and guilty pleas by parents, coaches and others embroiled in the scandal.