It has very little to do with school. It has to do with Max lift occurs if you are talking intake center line. Sometimes it has to do with gearing. How well the engine recovers RPM on gear changes. If you decrease the centerline you open the intake earlier, therefore closing it earlier.

Better heads will allow wider LSA's and later intake center lines. I have never been a fan of sticking a cam in 4 ahead and calling it good. It should be tested on the dyno.