Regarding 2/ In France, most good universities/schools have a high school approach to teaching students. The problem of the high school model is that it was already debilitating in high school... and it does not make it more fun in college. For having studied in both US and FR systems, I can tell you that I was more excited about working on my own or in teams and doing homework when I was in the US than feeling I was in HS again in France or elsewhere.

Freedom and ability to explore is actually THE main advantage of the US college system.

Now slackers will remain slackers whatever "platform" you put in front of them...