A recent university study indicated that students who

Question

A recent university study indicated that students who receive full scholarships tend to maintain higher grade point averages than do students who must take out loans or work to finance school. The study concluded that scholarships enable students to achieve high grade point averages by alleviating the stress related to financial concerns and freeing up studentsâ€™ time to study more.

The studyâ€™s conclusion depends on which of the following assumptions?

A. Students who take out loans maintain higher grade point averages than those who work to finance school

B. Finance-related stress affects student performance in a manner similar to that of restricted study time.

C. Students who must work to pay for their studies cannot maintain high grade point averages

D. High grade point averages were not the primary criterion upon which the scholarship awards were based

E. Controlling stress level is less important to student performance than is intensive studying.

baski6 · Answer

Straight B.

I'll explain if it's right.

ghantark · Answer

An assumption can be something that will show there is no other cause for increase in GPA
Conclusion -> Scholarship enables students to get higher GPA. 
This conclusion is only valid if we assume that students with higher GPA's are not the criteria for giving scholarships, so I'll go with D.

rdw28 · Answer

my vote is for B...


D is out of scope of the passage--
The passage says nothing about increasing GPA, nor does it mention anything about students previous grades.

GMATT73 · Answer

I`m getting (D) by POE. Problem is, I can`t explain why it`s correct

gmatcrook · Answer

Its a Straight D.

If High GPA was not the criteria for scholarships then both type of students would be on the same level of comparison and hence the conclusion would hold.

If High GPA was the criterian for scholarships then it follows why they could keep the High GPA. Thus the whole argument falls apart if this was the case.

Hence D is the answer.

Futuristic · Answer

Straight D. Argument states there is a correlation between X and Y. Then it says, because of this correlation X must cause Y. What is the assumption? That Y is not the cause of X

gk3.14 · Answer

my answer: B

ps_dahiya · Answer

I think this is D. Will explain if correct.

sumitsarkar82 · Answer

Well I think B...

D speaks about pre-admission stages while the passage is worried about post admission stage...

cbrf3 · Answer

I think it should be "D"...
D saya higher GPA is not the criteria to avoid scholarships...that means to start off with students getting scholarships and not getting scholarships have similar GPAs but later on it changes due to financial reasons....

kripalkavi · Answer

It has to be D because: 

D. High grade point averages were not the primary criterion upon which the scholarship awards were based 

Therfore at the beginning of the course students already having high grade point averages did not necessarily get scolarships. Thus students having simillar grades initially started getting different grades during the course due to presence (or absence) of scholarships.

jjhko · Answer

The OA is D.

The author makes the conclusion that scholarships lead to higher GPAs. So the conclusion won't work if the reverse causal is true (i.e. higher GPAs lead to scholarships). And choice D, ensures that reserve causual isn't the case here, hence it's an assumption that the argument depends on.

Hope that makes sense.

jjhko.

gmatornot · Answer

Late but got D also... good question !

A recent university study indicated that students who

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