That's pretty melodramatic.
But, maybe don't assume that, because they expand or modify their admission criteria or attempt to achieve some balance that is reflective of broader society, they're letting in waves of completely unworthy people. I mean, that's a pretty absurd notion, right?
Their admission rate is a lowly 4.6%. They're getting the cream of the crop. Admission to top schools (or any schools) has never been the imaginary 100% objective panacea that you're swooning over, wherein someone edges out the next candidate by a point on their SAT score. And, I would argue that we wouldn't want such a system that so overlooks the near limitless variables embodied by humans. Neither does Harvard.
>I still believe western democracy, as embodied by America is a positive force on the world...we'll lose that as we abandon our ideals of objectivity, meritocracy and actual fairness...
More melodrama. But, these "loftier" concerns are convoluted and contradictory. That is, if you really believe in western democracy and are concerned about it continuing to be a "positive force in the world", then you shouldn't want a monolithic group of people shaping that world. You should see the value of democratic participation by all groups.
Harvard used to accept everyone who met their entrance requirements until the mid-1920s. More details here: https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/04/15/increasingly-competiti...
You can say that it's "gameable" in response to time and resources spent studying, but that's actual learning, so of course that would result in higher scores.
It's one thing to say "Some people don't have enough time/resources", but it's another to pretend that these tests carry no signal.
It is also incredibly time and resource dependent, as you have surmised. Guess which strata of society tends to come out on top in that environment?
I still believe western democracy, as embodied by America is a positive force on the world. At least when you compare it to the alternatives: China, Russia and the Middle Eastern countries. Our institutions of higher education are the envy of the world and we'll lose that as we abandon our ideals of objectivity, meritocracy and actual fairness. Other countries will fill the power vacuum and exert influence on world affairs in a negative way.