I've learned at least two things watching people misunderstand essays. First, when an essay touches on a polarizing issue, people tend to peg it as one end or the other of that polarization. Second, once people peg an essay as making an argument that they disagree with, they stop paying attention, if they keep reading at all.
I'm not trying to be critical of anyone; I tend to do the same thing.
Quote: I hear variations of this same tired argument probably once or twice a month. (It comes with the territory when you write a book titled How to Become a Straight-A Student).
He has you lumped in with the rest of his critics. "Obedience to authority" is a collective quote from the lot of you, with your words "index of obedience" as just one fuzzy part.
What's funny is in the end he agrees with your last three paragraphs. Quote: It's fine to make the point that college and grades aren't everything. In fact it's important.... I'll be the first say it: College is not necessary for success!
Statement 1: high school transcript is largely a measure of obedience
Statement 2: Going to a top school shows only obedience.
Statement 3: Doing well in college demonstrates only obedience.
Notice how statement one matches neither statement two nor statement three, let alone both combined.