The author doesn't elaborate a good case on why they would do harm (for readers that didn't go to top universities or have top-only institutional certifications

The author doesn't elaborate a good case on why they would do harm (for readers that didn't go to top universities or have top-only institutional certifications). For opportunities and recruiters excluding who can't signal top institutions, doesn't matter if you made it to the first screen call because you didn't have them anyway. Forget about them. There is a sea of other opportunities. So no harm.