the admissions bar is very high. The expectation is that university is a path for a narrow group rather than a credentialing path for everyone. I feel that tha

the admissions bar is very high. The expectation is that university is a path for a narrow group rather than a credentialing path for everyone. I feel that that varies a lot from country to country. Certainly in Sweden, if you just graduate from any program at any high school (or get a not terrible score on the university entrance exam), you will get into a university if you want. Probably not the university you want, and probably not to study you first choice subject, but you will get in somewhere. Of course as you say, getting in is far from a guarantee that you'll actually get a degree.