Hmmm. I can't address all of your anecdotes for obvious reasons, but I know that the U has solid engineering/architectural programs and that they are challenging. So I don't dispute that the U has challenging programs. But note that most of your anecdotes dealt with inherently challenging programs that are also challenging at the Y. (well done, by the way, it sounds like you have intelligent kids.) And none of these anecdotes really lend much in the way of support to what you actually claimed: that, as a general proposition it is difficult to make it through the full 4 years to graduation at the U but easy at the Y. For instance, even if you are correct about the former (which you have provided no objective evidence to prove) your claim is still completely unsupported as to the latter, and in my view "bizarre."

As for my own anecdotal side notes, I can tell you from personal experience that to get into the business program at BYU is VERY challenging and yes, requires calculus. And a lot of kids "wash out" into other degrees, although I don't remember what the numbers were. I just knew I had very good grades and was still sweating it. I can also tell you about my quite intelligent friend who was unable to get into the business program and so instead transferred to The OSU and did very well in his business program there.