Group 7 Question 32: The Orangeland News reported that...

The Orangeland News reported that, in 2015, 30% of community college students in Orangeland planned to graduate with their associate degree in the next year whereas 50% of community college students in Blueland planned to graduate with their associates degree in the next year. Though the Blueland community college sector is much larger than the Orangeland system, these findings were aggregated at the state level, suggesting that Orangeland students may be at a disadvantage.

Which of the following, if true, most helps explain the discrepancy in projected associate degree completion rates reported by the Orangeland?

A. Community college is free for students in Orangeland but not for students in Blueland. Incorrect

this weakens conclusion

B. 90% of community college students in Orangeland are dual-enrollment high school students who do not plan to graduate with an associate degree. Correct

may be correct - it shows Orangeland students dual-enrollment for disadvantage and have no plan to earn associate degree

C. Blueland community colleges mandate a thesis requirement as part of the associate degree that Orangeland does not. Irrelvant

D. Orangeland community colleges are not accredited. Irrelevant

E. 90% of community college students in Blueland are dual-enrollment high school students who do not plan to graduate with an associate degree. Incorrect

it oppose conclusion
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Official Explanation:

The Orangeland News reported that, in 2015, 30% of community college students in Orangeland planned to graduate with their associate degree in the next year whereas 50% of community college students in Blueland planned to graduate with their associates degree in the next year. Though the Blueland community college sector is much larger than the Orangeland system, these findings were aggregated at the state level, suggesting that Orangeland students may be at a disadvantage.

Which of the following, if true, most helps explain the discrepancy in projected associate degree completion rates reported by the Orangeland?

A. Community college is free for students in Orangeland but not for students in Blueland.
B. 90% of community college students in Orangeland are dual-enrollment high school students who do not plan to graduate with an associate degree.
C. Blueland community colleges mandate a thesis requirement as part of the associate degree that Orangeland does not.
D. Orangeland community colleges are not accredited.
E. 90% of community college students in Blueland are dual-enrollment high school students who do not plan to graduate with an associate degree.

Question Type: Resolve Paradox
Boil It Down: 30% of Orangeland students plan to graduate in the next year, and 50% of Blueland students plan to graduate this year. It was initially thought that the discrepancy existed because Blueland is a bigger school. However, when aggregated at the state level, Orangeland still has a lower graduation rate. The findings suggest Orangeland is disadvantaged in some way that causes the rate to be exceptionally low.
Goal: Find the option that best explains WHY Orangeland has a lower graduation rate than Blueland, even though it shouldn’t.

Analysis:

This question is asking you to solve a paradox. If you don’t take into account the different school sizes, the graduation rate is supposed to be around the same - but it still is not. We need to find the most logical explanation for WHY Orangeland has a lower graduation rate. What about Orangeland is different from Blueland that would cause such a different rate?

A. Community college is free for students in Orangeland but not for students in Blueland.
A is incorrect because it would support an increase in student completion in Orangeland.

B. 90% of community college students in Orangeland are dual-enrollment high school students who do not plan to graduate with an associate degree.
B is correct because the larger population of non-degree-seeking students in Orangeland would explain its comparably lower projected completion rate for associate degrees.

C. Blueland community colleges mandate a thesis requirement as part of the associate degree that Orangeland does not.
C is incorrect because it would support a more difficult pathway to degree completion in Blueland.

D. Orangeland community colleges are not accredited.
D is incorrect because accreditation is not brought up in this question and should be assumed of degree-granting institutions.

E. 90% of community college students in Blueland are dual-enrollment high school students who do not plan to graduate with an associate degree.
E is incorrect because this would suggest a lower predicted completion rate for Blueland students.


Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.
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i had a question here , if 90% of students were dual degree enrolled students than how can 30% students expect to graduate , isn't there contradiction with premises .

Also not sure if could understand how size of school matters when we are discussing about percentages - as it is mentioned that earlier
it used to be thought that difference was due to size of schools .

3rd question i have is could not understand the language aggregated at statelevel - what does this mean ?

Aren't Orangeland and Blueland states only - or are they schools - confused with the answer explaination

Thanks for the questions Deepakjhamb! Since I didn't create the original question (I'm just a moderator here), I'll do my best to explain:

1. I think what the writer meant is that 90% of students at Orangeland are dual-enrolled, and it is assumed that they won't expect to graduate with an associates degree in the next year. However, some of those 90% might actually think that they can, and that would bring the percentage of students expecting to graduate to 30% - the total of both dual-enrolled and regular students combined.

2. This is part of why it's a paradox. There is a general assumption that larger colleges are more successful at getting students to graduate because they offer better programs, get more funding, have higher standards, etc. In this case, they're asking readers to disregard that assumption that "bigger is better."

3. When they say that the numbers are "aggregated at the state level," that means that the percentages were also compared to all other community colleges in the state to try to determine if there is some other trend going on here, or if these graduation rates are similar to other schools in the state.

4. Orangeland and Blueland are the names of two schools in the same state, not two states.

I hope that helps!
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Thanks for reply it really helps -

I think all enrolled students are not expected to graduate in a particular year so 30 % of dual degree students + associate degree only might graduate with associate degree in a particular year which can explain 30 % out of 100% . But still very confusing language as one may argue dual degree students are expected to graduate with dual degree only and cannot be associate degree . Is it an official question ? - then it really means Gmat is testing other countries and custom/ culture beliefs also

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