@kergonath and @jitsiren in the sibling comment. You're both describing the outcome of a system of vastly disproportionate numbers of applicants and opportunities. I believe we should continue churning out intellectuals who are passionate about the sciences, but we need to provide them with enough opportunities, so there isn't the pressure for it to be gamed (because there is only opportunity for a few). Ultimately, if we don't do anything about it, it makes this problem just seem like the neglected by-product of thinly veiled money-laundering from the government to financial institutions (via university administrators and student loans).