Re-read my post about "the best and brightest". Kids don't get into that category of competition with un-involved parents. In fact, most of them probably have "type-A" driver parents.
But then, you're so focussed on blaming absentee parents and making excuses for lousy teachers and school administrators, you can't "see the forest for the trees". The "ed biz" in the USA is grossly deficient by world standards. The tests prove it. It is NOT "media hype".