You really think the choice was to go to KGB school or remain illiterate? There were a lot of other options to study. Much better options if your want to do science. For one thing, education in Soviet Union was decent and free for everyone. Going to KGB school was a choice, very specific one.

I know brilliant people from the GDR who studied at Moscow Polytechnic University, they weren't in the KGB or Stasi. You had to be system-conform to study anything, that much is true, but that's still far away from joining the KGB.

I know right? Like what the hell kind of criticism is that lol.