It sounds to me like you've had a "fit session" of some kind.

Don't take the advice that they gave you too literally. The top tube difference that you are talking about is less than a 1/2 inch. Being new to road bikeing, you will probably prefer a handlebar position that is a little bit higher and a bit closer to you than the racers like. My advice is to experiment a little around the parameters that they gave you and, if you find yourself doing something that's way off, it's probably wrong.

One of the other posters suggested moving your seat to adjust seat to handlebar distance. I think that's bad advice. My method is to adjust the seat to pedal position first THEN work on getting the handlebars right. Unfortunately, seats are easy to move and handlebars can be expensive to experiment very much.