From a education stand point I consider High school for me a complete waste of time. Everything I learned pre college was either self taught or learned from my parents. Socially 9th grade was alright then I moved and the new school was much smaller then my old one and just very culturally different. Could not wait to get out of there.
College I LOVED. I both learned a lot and had a ton of fun. I know it not feasible for a lot of people because of costs but there is no experience in world like being 18 year old kid living in a dorm with another 18 year old and surrounded by 1000's of other 18-22 year old in a coed dorm.
At 33 year old I would not want to live the way I did in college, with very little money and sharing a small dorm with another individual. waking up to drunk people passed out in the bathroom etc.
But when I was 18-22 it was great and when it was over my degree got me a good paying job.