You don't think affirmative action has anything to do with that? Affirmative action means you and everyone else there knows you had to pass a lower bar, of course that makes impostor syndrome worse.
even if i had to pass a higher bar to get into university, when i realize that the bar is lowered to get a job, then how i got into university doesn't really matter anymore to me or to my new colleagues. so all the problems that come with the bar being lowered still do apply
Hm, then I guess nobody does it.
... no, it isn't - the entrance requirements are the exact same for everybody.
What a beautiful fantasy, where humans don't make biased decisions.
No, it doesn't. But if that makes you feel better, I hope you continue telling yourself that.