The trouble with this is that we have kids graduating from HS who do not have enough accumulated knowledge to qualify as college freshmen. Look at the percentage that actually finish biology, physics and chemistry..look at the percentage that get as far as calculus in math. Very few.
Look at how many have actually done research papers and original writing. What passes for a HS education in the US is nothing compared to Europe or Asia. They have had more hours and more learning.
As a guy who teaches organic chemistry at a university, I’m of at least two minds here. If your degree is going to be in a technical area, the ability to handle the level of critical thinking is developing in the late teens. Some are ready others are not. A few years ago I had two first year students taking organic who had grades of 5 on the AP general chemistry exam. One was the second highest grade in the course, the other barely got a C. The moral I took from that is that you need to be sure you are ready and it is tough to judge that. I agree that a lot of what goes on in high school can be a waste of time (or worse), but hitting the college ASAP may not be the solution. Maybe working while taking general ed courses part time could work for some.
If what we're doing today isn't working, as your post is saying, why wouldn't we try a different approach?
College is not for everyone - it never will be. Nor are the advanced courses that you list in your post. I would think that the percentage of the population in general who understand calculus is always going to be very small no matter what. It's a very difficult subject, as is physics and advanced chemistry or biology.
One of the hardest things I ever did was get by BS degree and many, many times along the way I was ready to give up.
If the students who can do advanced work are allowed to do so, it would seem to me that the high school teachers would have more time to spend with the students who need more remediation.
those dummies need to stay in school. Besides, it keeps them occupied with something to do.