Well, instead of taking the look down on you route... how about taking an educational one? start teaching now... instead of telling them they aren't ready and forcing them out of EF... bring them in... educate them... so if they are 17... by the time they get to be 25... they will have amassed an ENORMOUS amount of AAS knowledge... and TRULY be ready.
I think this is all to often over looked ,and handled improperly.
C-ditty