I agree, but often you'll have to look pretty hard to find real benefit from your CS classes. I've had the opportunity to apply a little of what I learned in Graph Theory, Algorithms, Concurrent/Parallel, Compilers (baby edition) and OS (baby edition), but I've never had the calculus or linear algebra or other requirements come up. Even then, the vast majority of what you write is going to be retrieve-data, iterate-over-collection, apply function, collate results, format into report / HTML / etc.

1) How is that a problem? Those who are truely interested would still enroll, those who are just interested in programming would do college programs. Hell, given the cost difference it's actually really easy to both a college degree *and* a university degree.
2) Waterloo's co-op program would remain exactly the same, though there would be fewer CS students and possibly fewer Software/Computer Engineering students.

1) It's not really a problem, although I think universities would like to fill their programs, especially at $10k/person/year. Hence the theory/programming compromise.
2) Hiring someone in CS would be like hiring someone in math - software companies would probably move a good chunk of their jobs elsewhere.

While business level development requires very little math, and is really just formatting data, other programming jobs do indeed require some pretty advanced math. Designing a video game 3d engine for instance requires very advanced math, for drawing, and for the physics behind it. You also need to know a lot about algorithms for artificial intelligence.

Basically while most jobs won't utilize your university degree to the fullest (which is true for nearly every degree out there), some of the jobs will use a lot of it, and regardless showing that you know that much about algorithms shows that you likely know quite a bit about programming itself, and would be an asset to a programming team.

And it pains me how many people don't realize that.

Computer science continues to draw its foundations from a wide variety of disciplines. Undergraduate study of computer science requires students to utilize concepts from many different fields. All computer science students must learn to integrate theory and practice, to recognize the importance of abstraction, and to appreciate the value of good engineering design.

Increasing student enrolment for the sole purpose of increasing revenue (while at the same time removing or reducing important parts of a curriculum) are not signs of a quality institution. Schools (universities or colleges) which pursue tuition dollars invariably have worse programming (ie. courses) then those which don't. That is why Waterloo for instance has maintained their reputation - while they may teach more programming then they used to, the theory is still the focus.

At the same time, informed high school students who knew what the differences were between programs would be much better for society.

Very little development work requires anything beyond some basic linear algebra or calculus. Your example of 3D games for instance is more about managing data then performing any advanced math. Hell, writing a 3d game involves *very little* math beyond basic calculus and some algebra. Anything that you need beyond that you should be able to learn on your own - using the skills you developed in college *or* university.

As for Waterloo's program offerings concurrency, systems programming, networking, testing, and graphics are actually all very useful for teaching theory through application.

As for Waterloo's program offerings concurrency, systems programming, networking, testing, and graphics are actually all very useful for teaching theory through application.

Grow up kid, stop being so conceited.

I'm not conceited - that's a flaw and I don't have any flaws.