While I agree that the quality of US educational institutions is phenomenal (even second tier schools actually are better than most schools worldwide), the US college admissions system is right there at the bottom.

The lack of transparency in their decision making creates a ridiculous barrier for students to aim for and achieve their respective educational goals (and the consequent stress of it). It makes room for false narratives and consequently the birkin bag phenomenon.

Contrast this with the admission system of, say, the Indian Institute of Technology or the Indian Institute of Science -- far more selective institutions than any on the planet (admissions percentages under 1%, typically). It is completely transparent, including its policies for affirmative action (lower cutoffs for students from certain backgrounds). Since these are technical institutions, their admissions policies are, by design, technical in nature (entrance exam), but the parameters are transparent, as are educational materials, which are amply supported by private enterprise (who, arguably make 10x the money than the IIT's themselves).

The IIT's are extremely prestigious institutions but will never be Birkin bags because of this transparency. Their exclusivity is an unqualified mark of individual achievement which everyone can see, even after factoring in the affirmative action. There is no need for a branding story of exclusivity. No sports scholarships, no legacy, no grade inflation, no fake essays, no biases of admissions officers.

It is something US institutions could learn from.