A recent article stated that only 5.5% of American colleges grant the

Question

A recent article stated that only 5.5% of American colleges grant the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts. Citing this, a reader wrote to lament that this was further evidence of the decline of academic rigor in American post high school education.

Which of the following is an assumption on the part of the reader?

A. The percentage of American colleges granting liberal arts degrees would continue to drop.

B. All colleges should grant the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts.

C. Most post-secondary scientific, engineering, and vocational training does not involve as much academic rigor as liberal arts training.

D. Academic rigor is the most important aspect of post high school education.

E. Of the colleges that do not grant the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts, many granted fewer than a quarter of their degrees in the liberal arts.

priyankurml · Accepted Answer

IMO C.

If I negate the statement that other trainings do involve academic rigor, liberal arts are not that much required to high school education. So conclusion falls apart.

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

The question asks for an assumption made by the reader. The reader’s conclusion is that academic rigor is in decline, based on the percentage of colleges granting a majority of their degrees in the liberal arts mentioned in the article. To draw this conclusion, the reader must assume that degrees not in the liberal arts were not as academically rigorous.

(A) It is not necessary for the reader to assume that the percentage will continue to drop. The reader's conclusion concerns the present. Assumptions must be both unstated and necessary.

(B) This extreme statement is not a necessary assumption. The reader does not have to assume that all colleges should do so; the conclusion only relies on an assumption that 5.5% is too low.

(C) CORRECT. To conclude that the low percentage of colleges granting the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts indicates a decline in academic rigor, the reader must assume that other degree programs required less academic rigor. If not, this evidence would not indicate a decline in academic rigor.

(D) This is not a necessary assumption. The relative importance of academic rigor is irrelevant to the reader’s claim. That claim only asserts that academic rigor, in isolation, is in decline. The claim has nothing to do with its importance relative to other attributes.

(E) It is not necessary to assume anything specific about the schools that do not grant a majority of their degrees in the liberal arts, as they are not the subject of the evidence or the conclusion. The reader feels that the low percentage mentioned is evidence enough; it is not necessary to assume any arbitrary level below the 50% of degrees standard that the article and the reader use.

carcass · Answer

Coclusion : a reader wrote to lament that this was further evidence of the decline of academic rigor in American post high school education. 1) we do not know 2) not in the stimulus 3) we do not have sufficient information 4) correct true for the conclusion 5) we do not care about this

mbaiseasy · Answer

Stimulus: 
5.5% american colleges (post high school ed) grant their degrees in liberal arts
Thus, this is evidence in the decline of academic rigor

Assumption:
A connection between the lack of liberal arts to decline in acad rigor

Negate C:
If most post-secondary scientific, engineering and vocational training does involve rigor, then lack of liberal arts is not a good evidence of the decline.

Answer: C

a The percentage of American colleges granting liberal arts degrees would continue to drop. 
PROBLEM: There is no need for futuristic assumptions...

b All colleges should grant the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts. 
PROBLEM: The scope is about rigor. We need to find a link to this gap.

d Academic rigor is the most important aspect of post high school education. 
PROBLEM: Extreme

Narenn · Answer

Correct choice is C

A) This is inference and not assumption

B) out of scope

C) Correct choice : based on low percentage of liberal arts reader asserts that there is decline in american rigor that means ups and downs in liberal arts must be indicative of american rigor.

D) Not Relevant

E) out of scope

ppskc1989 · Answer

Let us look at the options.

Option A :  The percentage of American colleges granting liberal arts degrees would continue to drop.
 This isn't the correct answer because the reader is only lamenting about the decline in academic rigor in the existing American educational institutions. Change in their number hasn't been discussed/assumed anywhere. 
Anyway even if we assume this option as true, it doesn't support the reader's claim about declining academic rigor.
 Hence Option A is incorrect.

Option B :  All colleges should grant the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts.
 This option looks more like a probable solution suggested by the reader than an assumption to his argument. In other words, it doesn't precede his argument but follows it. 
 Hence Option B is incorrect.

Option C :  Most post-secondary scientific, engineering, and vocational training does not involve as much academic rigor as liberal arts training. 
 The reader is pointing at the low number of American colleges awarding majority of their degrees in liberal arts and is suggesting that as an evidence for the decline in academic rigor in American post high school education. This does take the assumption that liberal arts training requires much more academic rigor.
  Hence Option C is correct .

Option D :  Academic rigor is the most important aspect of post high school education.
 The fact that the reader is lamenting about the decline in academic rigor is enough to conclude that Academic rigor is an important aspect of post high school education. But whether it is the most important or not, we don't have sufficient information to infer. 
Anyway "the importance of academic rigor" can't be an assumption to conclude about the "decline in academic rigor"
 Hence Option D is incorrect.

Option E :  Of the colleges that do not grant the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts, many granted fewer than a quarter of their degrees in the liberal arts.
 No sufficient information is given regarding the amount of liberal arts degrees awarded by the colleges. Irrelevant.
 Hence Option E is incorrect.

So the correct answer is Option C .

rrsnathan · Answer

I go with C:)
Conclusion: Decline of academic rigor in American post high school education as decrease in liberal arts

a The percentage of American colleges granting liberal arts degrees would continue to drop. - This is the conclusion obtained from the Argument
b All colleges should grant the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts. - Irrelevant 
c Most post-secondary scientific, engineering, and vocational training does not involve as much academic rigor as liberal arts training. - Correct answer choice
d Academic rigor is the most important aspect of post high school education. - Irrelevant
e Of the colleges that do not grant the majority of their degrees in the liberal arts, many granted fewer than a quarter of their degrees in the liberal arts - Weakening answer

law258 · Answer

I believe the answer is C

A -  tells us decline will continue but doesn't resolve the lingering questions as to why academic rigor has diminished as well 
B -  outside of the scope 
C -   Correct  - Answers the question as to why academic rigor has declined 
D -  outside of the scope 
E -  This, if anything, would strengthen the reader's argument, but it still doesn't resolve the issue of why academic rigor has been lowered

VerbalBot · Answer

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.

A recent article stated that only 5.5% of American colleges grant the

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

A recent article stated that only 5.5% of American colleges grant the

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards