[jtcond13]

It's too expensive, takes too long and fails to accommodate the diversity of educational needs. It also does fairly little to help people find suitable careers during adolescence.

That said, these problems are widely known and discussed. Alternatives such as Montessori education are becoming more available. Most American 18-year-olds are reasonably numerate and literate; some even manage to pick up some scientific, historical or foreign language knowledge as well.

In hindsight, the weirdest thing about it was how difficult it was to find suitable times to go to the bathroom.