Most likely the people out doing the protesting are not serious students at those institutions(SEE AOC). In fact I suspect that a lot of the protesters were not even students AT those institutions. You DO NOT get into Harvard Medical School, Harvard Business School or Harvard Law School IF you are stupid. It is EXTREMELY competative. IF they were in fact students at one of those universities they probably were in some type of “international studies” program like AOC was at BU.
I agreed with almost everything you’ve noted ... maybe a few years ago.
Nowadays, with DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion — the latest commie/leftist term for their racist discrimination policies).... you no longer have to be anywhere near the top of your class to get into those schools. you just have to tick off the “correct’ boxes regarding your race, religion, sexual preferences, etcetera. (If you’re an unfortunate “white” identifiable Christian or Jew or Asian/Chinese, you do still need the grades since there are now fewer slots available for “your kind.”
I’ve been on both sides of recruiting and hiring, have seen it from all angles. Times have indeed changed.