/lit/ - Literature

Why do western unis keep accepting applications via agencies?
99% of the time these agencies are paid tens of thousands of dollars by Chinese families to essentially bribe their children's way into top unis. The agency even writes their personal statements for them and trains them the bare minimum of English to be able to answer basic questions in case of any interviews. Once they get there, these kids don't integrate, hardly bother to learn English, and take their degrees back home when they're done. It's a kind of indirect brain drain, because those degrees could have been held by home students who would have contributed to the local economy.
Meanwhile, home students who apply legitimately are told "we recieved an unprecedented amount of applications this year and competition for places has been at an all-time high". Except it's every year, and it keeps getting worse.
Is it really just a matter of money? Ignorant admissions staff? Both?
>inb4 salty

How the fuck do people get 80 or even 90 on essays in BA Literature?
Seriously anons, these assessment criteria are vague and subjective as fuck. I just want a first for god's sake.