University president: Our pool of applicants has been shrinking over the past few years. One possible explanation of this unwelcome phenomenon is that we charge too little for tuition and fees. Prospective students and their parents conclude that the quality of education they would receive at this institution is not as high as that offered by institutions with higher tuition. So, if we want to increase the size of our applicant pool, we need to raise our tuition and fees.[/quote]
Understand : Pool of applicants is decreasing . fewer applicants are applying to university
possible explanation : too little tuition fee.
students' and parents' thinking : less fees low quality
conclusion : if we want to increase pool , we
NEED to raise fee.
Think: President provides a
possible (NOT FACTUAL /may or may not be true) explanation for pool reduction. Then he makes a
VERY STRONG conclusion : we NEED TO RAISE (need = requirement). He says if we dont raise, the pool WILL NOT INCREASE.
This is major leap : a possible explanation >> requirement .
what if this "possible" explanation is ACTUALLY not the problem and something else is ? If something else is then is RAISING FEES a NEED?? noo. We still may come up with another explanation and work on that and sort the pool reduction problem. WE can doubt the applicability of this explanation as it is NOT AN ESTABLISHED FACT BUT PRESIDENT'S POINT OF VIEW. A point of view can be challenged.
Quote:
(A) the proposed explanation for the decline in applications applies in this case
- True. He assumes this. If he doesnt assume this , then why the hell would he even try to say something?? Negate this and youll find the above explanation ( THINK) plausible.
Quote:
(B) the quality of a university education is dependent on the amount of tuition charged by the university
-This weaken the conclusion : If quality = fees , then the university may actually be *** all. Also this is parent's reasoning.
Quote:
(C) an increase in tuition and fees at the university would guarantee a larger applicant pool
-The later outcome of raising the fees is not our concern. THis is the later stage . WE are concerned about what will happen IF WE DONT RAISE. Not what will happen AFTER WE RAISE. The president is concerned about not current situation , not later.
Quote:
(D) there is no additional explanation for the university’s shrinking applicant pool
- Let us say there is ADDITIONAL EXPLANATION. But are we sure that the possible explanation is not valid?? Even if there is an additional explanation , the possible explanation may still REQUIRE US TO RAISE THE FEES. the keyword here is "additional" . If it were a strengthen question , then this choice would have been right. BUT assumption is MUST BE TRUE . So if there is even a slightest possibility that conclusion may stand , then this isnt a MUST BE TRUE situation.
Quote:
(E) the amount charged by the university for tuition has not increased in recent years
- Let ussay it HAS increased. But what if we still NEED TO increase further to fit the parents' reaoning??