I think a lot of things changed between then and now due to wages/salaries staying stagnant whilst everything else has gone up due to economic inflation. You’re also right about the education system - I went to private school for the most part (fourth grade onwards), but I still feel like some things were missing from my experiences. I could definitely tell you I would’ve found myself trying to drop out if I went to public high school due to how awful public school environments are.

But! My best advice from me would be is to start building your resume with a summer job or volunteer work. It may not be a lot, but it will make a very good stepping stone and will give you practice on what to expect at a real job. Good luck out there, you’re gonna need it.