I think on the contrary.... and that's why Alysa Liu, while still a junior, wither 3A, won US Senior Nationals not once but twice...
I don't know... I think Alysa, and a handful like Thorngren, Mia and Isabeau started putting it out there early because they are motivated from within to be competitive internationally, not by extra points from USFSA.
I think the extra points are better than nothing, but I also think USFS should have tougher requirements domestically.