Gohan is better as a Scholar
I am going to upset some people today. I loved Gohan during the Majin Buu arc, having his Ultimate Potential Unlocked so he could go toe to toe with Super Buu, he was truly epic.
Although it sucks to see someone who in base form rivaled Goku’s strength fall so much in power, I dont really mind Gohan being the Scholarly Type. Gohan never wanted to be the Warrior that his father and Vegeta were. Before you Kamehameha me, just listen.
Gohan from the beginning was pushed to academics by his mother. Yes, but he also showed CONSIDERABLE talent in academics from a young age. Much of that was being pushed, sure.
Gohan never fought because he wanted to.
In the Saiyan Saga he was Kidnapped (Twice). He was then forced by Piccolo to train to fight against Vegeta and Nappa. Once Piccolo died, Gohan decided to go to Namek with Bulma and Krillin, it was to pay back a debt to Piccolo.
During the Frieza Saga, Gohan was practically a cornered rat. He was forced into situation after situation where he would be forced to fight in order to survive.
When the Androids and Cell appeared, Gohan again had to set down what he wanted in order to make the world safe. Goku even told Gohan to defeat Cell so that he could become a Scholar. Goku knew his son had no desire to fight, despite his incredible ability to do so.
After Cell was defeated, Gohan went to school, tried to become a normal “Human” child. It was here we begin to see Gohan at his happiest, when he is allowed to focus on his dreams.
When Majin Buu came onto the scene, Gohan stepped up ONCE AGAIN to try to make it safe.
In Dragonball Super, Gohan settled down to have a family of his own. Still finding himself having to step up to fight, but this time it was far beyond what he could have expected and he easily lost against the God of Destruction.
With a loss like this, it is no wonder he did not train at all after the BOG. In fact, when Frieza appeared we see he has even lost his Gi. Afterwards he begins again to train with Piccolo, if only to keep his family safe.
When the tournament happened between Universes 6 and 7, Gohan missed due to having an Academic Conference, despite his having been training with Piccolo.
By the time that the Future Trunks / Goku Black arc rolled around, Gohan is seen trying to balance his family and his studies. Trunks marvels at Gohan, unaware that Gohan could make a face that happy. Trunks leaves Gohan and his family out of the terrors that are plaguing his future, it isn’t until much later that Gohan finds out what has happened. Even then it is too late for him to help.
In GT we see him as the Professor. Someone who has achieved what he wished. We see the happiness that this brings him, we also see him step up and fight when he is needed.
All of this also makes sense if you take into consideration the Dragonball Online Lore:
After the demise of his father, Gohan reflects on the power he wields and so he devoted himself to scholarly research on the source of that strength, ki. Gohan begins researching the martial arts of the past, organizing them in his book Groundbreaking Science in Age 804. The book quietly gains popularity and one of the articles, “Katchin Can Be Cut!”, has an immense influence in the birth of the Swordsman class, as it leads to the creation of Trunks and Goten’s Kikoukenjutsu Sword School in the year following the book’s release. It also leads to Krillin and Tien Shinhan starting up their own training schools in Age 821, the New Turtle School and the New Crane School respectively. As a result, by Age 1000, many Earthlings have taken up advance martial arts and understand ki control. (FROM the Wikia)
If Gohan is really to make this large a contribution to the World of Dragonball, I see no problem in his wishing to be a scholar. Arguably this accomplishment above all others did more for the world than the accomplishments that others in the series have made.
