This is my take, too.
IMO, optimised characters are not the norm, but the exception. I thus tend to let them to the PCs, leaving to the NPCs to be more "realistic".
It usually changes nothing to the challenge (CrIg 30 is CrIg 30, whatever your age), but helps with the suspension of disbelief. Also, it helps in that it doesn't make optimisation mandatory, and gives the player that dit it the feeling of being great they were after, rather than just being yet another Com+5 good teacher.
I also tend not to uber-optimise characters, because it breaks my suspension of disbelief and I find it boring.