Ok, you'll pass but how will you get through the advanced courses? I don't really understand the point you're making. If I combined these two statements together, I get "it's the exception to the rule because most grads just memorize enough to pass"

No, we don't have varying views of what abstract thought is (let's drop the "difficult" cause it's irrelevant). Your view is simply wrong because even your "how would you build an inventory system" takes a tangible (inventory system) and asks you to come up with a programming (abstraction layer above 1s & 0s) solution.

Some examples of not abstract thinking:

* Memorizing (good one you nailed it; bad that you insinuate most engineers coast through 4 years only learning to do this)

* Observation

* Memory-recall

Some examples of abstract thinking:

* Math

* Imagining something

* Philosophizing something

What you're referring to is abstract problem solving, which involves two things specifically for engineers: math & imagination.

You didn't answer the question. Do you have a CS degree? I don't think you know what you speak of, and I would not go around telling people "most CS grads just coast thru never abstract thinking." Your fictional split of programming VS abstract thinking I already proved is false with my painting analogy.

So again -- do you have a CS degree? What was your experience like? And if you don't, well, maybe you shouldn't be talking.