qhoc0010 wrote:
Over the past seven years, private college tuition rates have increased, resulting in a large decrease in private college attendance across the country. Private college revenues, however, have progressively increased in each of the seven years during this period, and researchers predict further increases in the years to come.
Which of the following, if true, offers the best explanation for the situation described above?
(D) The decrease in students attending private colleges over the last seven years has been more than offset by the increases in tuition.
I choose the correct answer by POE.
Argument evaluation: Over the last 7 years, private college tuition rates have increased => a large decrease in private college attendance
However, the Private college revenues have been still increasing each year.
There is only one explanation (to me). P (price) x N (number) = R (revenue)
P increase x N decrease = R still increase
=> the percentage of increasing P is over the percentage of decreasing N in term of balance point.
E.g: P old = 100
N old = 100
=> R old = 10.000
P new = 200
N new = 80
=> R new = 200 x 80 = 16.000
P increase 100%, N decrease 20% => choice D is the final choice.
Explanation for other wrong answers.
(A) Most private colleges increase tuition rates approximately once every two years.
The times of increase tuition rates in one or two years really does not relate to the increasing revenue's explanation. So, out of scope.(B) Attendance at vocational schools generally exceeds attendance at private colleges in most cities.
Another out of scope answer(C) The increase in tuition rates at private colleges has influenced many prospective students to seek a state scholarship to attend a public university.
Scholarship is still irrelevant answer(E) Private colleges gain a larger percentage of their revenue from alumni contributions than do public universities.
The argument does not mention any comparison between the private colleges gain and public universities. Hence, out of scope
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