A downturn in the economy after nearly a decade of extremely high growth is encouraging more people to apply to graduate schools. Graduate schools, as a result of greater application numbers, are becoming more selective and are able to choose only the top applicants. Therefore, the future graduates from these incoming classes should be more qualified, and as they exit school and return to the market place, they will be key factors in bringing the country out of the impending recession.

Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the above?

A) Graduate schools were forced to fill their classes with average students over the past decade.

B) Graduate schools welcome economic downturns as it gives them a chance to boost their reputations.

C) There is no correlation between market downturns and future job success for graduate school alumni.

D) There is a relationship between an influx of top students into the job market and a general upswing in the economy.

E) Only business school students will have a positive effect on the market upon graduation.

Only A and D look good to be chosen as answers.
A is wrong for it's only about average students admitted in the past decade, without offering any further reasoning whether average students held back the economy or rather were the reason for high growth. If later is true then this option goes against the argument since high growth was there in the last decade even though average students made it to B-schools, whether B-schools were forced or not doesn't matter.

D is right since it relates top students and economy upswing - direct proportionality.

IMO Answer D.
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A downturn in the economy after nearly a decade of extremely high growth is encouraging more people to apply to graduate schools. Graduate schools, as a result of greater application numbers, are becoming more selective and are able to choose only the top applicants. Therefore, the future graduates from these incoming classes should be more qualified, and as they exit school and return to the market place, they will be key factors in bringing the country out of the impending recession.

Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the above?


A) Graduate schools were forced to fill their classes with average students over the past decade. Incorrect

cant support conclusion, because there is no correlation between graduates and impending recession

B) Graduate schools welcome economic downturns as it gives them a chance to boost their reputations. Irrelevant

C) There is no correlation between market downturns and future job success for graduate school alumni. Incorrect

against argument

D) There is a relationship between an influx of top students into the job market and a general upswing in the economy. Correct

support conclusion

E) Only business school students will have a positive effect on the market upon graduation. Incorrect

it says about all graduates from business school, before and during recession

Conclusion:
qualified graduates will enhance the economy, thus, there is a relationship between a good economy and qualified gradutes.

A) Graduate schools were forced to fill their classes with average students over the past decade. -- So, where is the relationship between economy and students?

B) Graduate schools welcome economic downturns as it gives them a chance to boost their reputations. So, where is the relationship between the economy and students?

C) There is no correlation between market downturns and future job success for graduate school alumni. -- So, where is the relationship between economy and students?

D) There is a relationship between an influx of top students into the job market and a general upswing in the economy. Here, is our answer, as qualified students will support the economy

E) Only business school students will have a positive effect on the market upon graduation -- So, where is the relationship between economy and students?