This seems to be the common misconception. The truth is:
Not flunking high school leads to college. Doing well in college gives you a degree, which gets you job interviews.
In technical trades, this system seems to work, because all they need is a pair of hands that knows what they're doing, and quantifiable measurement of these skills is a somewhat valid indication of a person's abilities.
In creative trades, your degree only goes as far as your skill level. There are too many students who graduate with some sort of art degree, only to realize they can't find a single job because their work still sucks. And if your work was already amazing, you didn't need to go to school in the first place, since many people without degrees are hired simply on the basis of their skill ;there is less emphasis on officiated credentials.
Basically, our education system is a complete scam. Unfortunately, thats how she goes, so you're often better off just bearing through it.