For some definition of "is available." If these 17yos are already capable of conducting research based on primary sources and not provided to them in a structured learning environment, why do they need to go to college?

The implicit blame-placing in "students aren't using it" is unhelpful. We're mostly talking about people who, by definition, haven't even graduated high school.# If DoE wants students armed with this information, it should do a better job of setting policy for guidance counselors.

# Yes, there are non-traditional students but they are in the minority. Yes, people can switch majors, but there's enormous cost to doing so for the populations we're talking about.