What I am hearing is that, as long as you do "something with computers" and it does not cost any extra money, you'd be happy to exchange 4 years of your time for a Bs in CS?

What about getting - gasps, the horror - and actual job as a data entry clerk? You know... something that pays you money instead of making the dean richer with your efforts?

Compared to what, though? To paying tens (up to over a hundred for top schools) of thousands of dollars for the same thing but without practical skills? Ideally, people would be leaving school with something to show for it: open source code, launched projects, co-authorship on research papers, stuff like that. Or better yet, leave as cohesive teams, ready to rip in the public sector. Or even better: leave as a part of a startup with their own product (accelerator model), while school would retain minority interest.

So, now you want to write open source code, launch projects, co-author papers,... not on my watch, kiddo.

Now go put your nose down on those damned spreadsheets. Copy from column A to column Q - no, no macros, thankyouverymuch - but convert everything to UPPERCASE, and fix typos please, unless that was not a typo, in which case don't.

And remember, the Dean already cashed the check I sent him, so you better hurry up. I want no less than 100 rows per hour. Otherwise you flunk the semester, and while you don't pay tution your parents are going to get tired of having to support your lame ass if you do not start to bring a wage home one of this years.

Is that "practical" enough for you?

I'm not even going to dignify this with a proper response.