> Wouldn't this punish a huge number of students who struggle academically, by comparing them against better-achievers who simply skipped school?

Why would it not just compare them to the average person who skips school, which can be a combination of better and worse achievers? Is there some part I'm missing where the academically struggling are selectively compared to elite school-skippers?

I read the parent comment as claiming that some colleges select student bodies that are on average worse than the average of people who don't go to college at all.