I don't think it's the issue that's associated with the teenagers.This is a really good example of the sort of horrible "you must go to uni" indoctrination that goes on when smart kids are teenagers.
Uni is fantastic, but it's certainly not for everyone, even if you blitzed school.
I'm a huge fan of the gap year.
To me, it's that these days there is so many jobs that require a Uni degree to attain. Once upon a time, you didn't need a degree in order to be a travel agent, but nowadays, you need a degree in Tourism