That article is really just about St Andrews, and it seems a fairly obvious pay to play university, I do wonder what Brits make of it.
Why the article references that entry to St A’s is easier than an Ivy is weird. Globally it is ranked by the Times at 111, Arizona rates at 86. Compare apples with apples. Just like it is easier to be full pay at a lower tiered uni in the US, so it is in the UK. There is a post in this section re a student who applied in April and was accepted (offered) in April.