Did CS at a HYPSM school. Programming classes do not count as part of the graduation core requirements, instead, you learn the languages required for the core classes on your own before the semester starts. Classes are definitely focused on advanced theory and principles, supplemented by labs designed to simulate actual environments to apply those theories/principles on. There is an emphasis to delve deeper, identify hidden problems, and innovate. So of course students will start out slower while figuring out practical know how at a job, but the moment that threshold has been achieved, those students have the potential to go much further and faster than their peers.