This sounds a bit like what is discussed in the book "The Meritocracy Trap". The idea being a hyper-competitive environment creates pyrrhic victories where eve

This sounds a bit like what is discussed in the book "The Meritocracy Trap". The idea being a hyper-competitive environment creates pyrrhic victories where even the winners are less well off. Your last sentence leaves the impression that those students aren't doing it for love of the work but only as a means to an end.