Are kids getting smarter?

At work I sometimes interviewed college kids for summer internships or jobs after college. I was amazed at the caliber and polish of these kids. When I was in college there's no way I would have stacked up against these hotshots. I was incoherent, uninformed, rude, roguish, and had the polish of someone straight out of a barn or cave - and so were most of my peers. If I interviewed the young me I wouldn't hire me. Has education improved that much since the 80's? Are kids growing up faster? Or maybe finding a job is more competitive and difficult now and the kids who make it to final interviews are the superstars. When I finished college most of us found good jobs w/good companies, not slinging burgers or working at coffee shops.