I will follow a pattern that is apparent in most comments above. I reach my conclusion, and then I paint around it to show the bullseye.
Many things are different from the matzav in the teshuvos from Reb Moshe ZT”L and Rav Aharon ZT”L. The colleges are not the same, the job market is not the same, and the community and its people are not the same.
To me, it’s simple. One must pursue a career that is suited for him, as per his strengths, and he must enjoy what he does. If this is in the Torah fields, that is terrific. The community needs to support this. If one lacks the capability to handle full time learning, for any of many reasons, then he needs to be the Torah baal haboss. He must be koveya ittim and become the Zevulun, aka the machazikim boh. The broad brush that shoves everyone into kollel is clearly irresponsible, and constitutes dishonesty. It is unfair to the yungerman that will lead a life of delusion that he will succeed as klai kodesh. It is dishonest to exploit the funds from the family and community to create a failure.
Our Roshei Yeshiva would perform a desperately needed service to use a keen eye and direct their talmidim to where they can succeed rather than the automatic kollel myth. The Torah baalei batim are only acknowledged when it becomes time to honor someone at a fund raising event.
Back to our newlywed yungerman. If he is not cut out for the kollel – klai kodesh, and needs to pursue a career, he will still be a valuable member of Klal Yisroel. We do need our doctors, dentists, engineers, accountants, merchants, etc. If the choice involves college education, he should pursue guidance from our Gedolei Yisroel. There are ways to make these choices where there is protection from the negative influences. The blank heter for college is as irresponsible as the blanket issur.
One thing. The quote from R’ Nehorai is often referenced out of context, as suggested by an earlier commenter. But it is also misinterpreted. R’ Nehorai was noting that his son was predisposed to learning, and that he would only direct him in that direction as it was the responsible thing to do. He clearly did NOT advise everyone else to do this. That’s why he never stated it as an issur.