Precisely, @Mwfan1921. It doesn’t have to be binary for a student: Olympiads & robotics experience or nothing at all. Decades ago students were getting into STEM schools without these line items - in fact, they still do. But it’s the how and why that can make the difference.
Why should kids who approach STEM from a different accessibility point not have their own legitimate experiences? Especially since high schools widely differ in what they offer students.
This “why they want that major (and having experiences that track with that major is a must)” conundrum can be avoided. There are some excellent STEM experiences to be had in college, but many students don’t have the knowledge and resources to prepare a little and reach for them.