Starwolf, it’s tough to judge people by what they did before they became gedolim. The most accurate guage is what they said after they became gedolim. Rav yaakov Kaminetzky ZT”L encouraged education for parnassah purposes and allowed college. He was upset with a frummie parent who refused to let his son go to secular high school classes in yeshiva. That son didn’t stay in learning, and had a lot of tzaros in his life. Rav Hutner ZT”L allowed college for parnassah. I am not familiar with Rav Avigdor Miller ZT”L views on it. Rav Zelig Epstein’s yeshiva did not allow college. I had a friend in college who was in Shaar Hatorah, and wasn’t allowed to attend shiur because he attended college. My Rosh Hayeshiva ZT”L allowed college for parnassah purposes, used to read newspapers to know what’s going on, and actually was familiar with certain secular poets, but did not view secular studies as an ideal. It’s like going to the bathroom- necessary (for some) but nothing to glorify.
The big question is the grey areas. Let’s say someone loves math and wants to be a math teacher. He takes lots of math courses in college above and beyond what he needs to be a successful math teacher. Is that allowed or not? The world was created “bereishis”, meaning beshvil yisroel ( the raishis, or “chosen portion”, of nations), shyisasku beoraysa (the raishis, or “chosen portion”, of wisdom). The world was not created so that we could go to college and make money. The question is, what leisure activities are we allowed? Saying “college is assur” but hanging around the streets all day because you hate learning is not what Hashem wants either. This is why someone needs a rav. Someone who neeeds secular studies to be happy may be allowed dispensations not allowed to others. This is why someone needs a rav or rebbe, and can’t make decisions based on pashkevilin.