High school students who feel that they are not succeeding in school

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The argument concludes that a program instituted two years ago to increase morale has ultimately caused the recent decrease in high school dropouts. You must always recognize a causal conclusion when one is presented to you! Whenever you encounter a causal conclusion, ask yourself if the relationship must be as stated by the author or if another explanation can be found. In simplified form, the conclusion appears as follows: P = program to raise high school morale, RD = reduction in dropouts, P
RD. Regardless of the question asked, this assessment is helpful. The question stem asks you to weaken the argument, and according to the “How to Attack a Causal Conclusion” section there are five main avenues of attack you should be prepared to encounter. The correct answer, (A), falls into one of the most frequently occurring of those categories: the alternate cause.

Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer. The answer attacks the conclusion by introducing an alternate cause: it was not the morale program that led to a decrease in high dropouts, but rather the fact that no jobs were available for individuals contemplating dropping out of high school. The job availability factor is important because the first sentence of the stimulus indicates that high school students who drop out go to work. Thus, if a recession led to a high level of unemployment, this could cause high school students to rethink dropping out and stay in school.

Answer choice (B): At best, this answer confirms that some of the high school students had a low morale, and in that sense, the answer strengthens the argument. At worst, the answer choice is irrelevant.

Answer choice (C): The argument indicates that the dropout rate is lower relative to the preceding year; there is no claim that the dropout rate ever exceeded the retention rate. Thus, to suggest that more students stayed in school than dropped out has no effect on the argument.

Answer choice (D): This is a Shell Game answer. The stimulus refers to high school dropouts. This answer choice refers to high school graduates.

Answer choice (E): The argument uses information about the city’s overall dropout rate. Therefore, the target high schools of the anti-dropout program are irrelevant.