I hate to mention this-- but-- my DD16 recently noted that finally-- now that she is in upper division college literature coursework-- her classmates are on the same page with this stuff. Though she also rather rapidly noted that (while she hoped it didn't sound insufferably elitist or anything) that she was also going to make it a point to take such coursework as 'honors' where possible, to maximize the level and intensity of the in-class discussion and interactions.
Yeah, that was my experience, too. School was a drag until AP classes.
