My guess: B.

The conclusion: The reduction in federal support for graduate student loans has damaged our educational system
Premise 1: tends to be awarded to those students who have been academically successful and who may qualify for nonfederal, merit-based scholarships
Premise 2: Only a very small number of students who could not have attended graduate school without financial support have received federal student loans.


A) The qualifications for receiving federal student loans change from year to year.

Nowhere does it mention whether the qualifications change. Discard.

B) Federal loans for graduate students may not assist those students who need the most help

Seems to agree since the conclusion and premise tie to how federal support is negatively impacting our education system and it is 'mostly' rewarding successful students and a handful of those who need financial support. Keep.

C) Graduate students who need academic help should be able to receive it from their schools, not the federal government.

Nowhere does it imply that the schools need to take any action. The conclusion points to the action of reducing aid by federal government being a possible culprit. Discard.

D) The current level of federal support for graduate student loans is as low as it has ever been since the inception of the program.

We cannot infer this since we have no relative information. Discard.

E) Academically successful graduate students should first apply for merit-based scholarships in order to allow as much aid as possible to go to the students who need it most

The conclusion calls for the government to act. Not the schools/non-federal agencies.

The reduction in federal support for graduate student loans has damaged our educational system. While there is still some aid available, it tends to be awarded to those students who have already been academically successful and who may qualify for nonfederal, merit-based scholarships. Only a very small number of students who could not have attended graduate school without financial support have received federal student loans.

Which of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above?

A) The qualifications for receiving federal student loans change from year to year. Incorrect

cant say from argument

B) Federal loans for graduate students may not assist those students who need the most help Correct

can be possible, because Federal loans awarded to academically successful students

C) Graduate students who need academic help should be able to receive it from their schools, not the federal government. Incorrect

cant say from argument

D) The current level of federal support for graduate student loans is as low as it has ever been since the inception of the program. Incorrect

dont know about past

E) Academically successful graduate students should first apply for merit-based scholarships in order to allow as much aid as possible to go to the students who need it most Incorrect

it is a claim

Official Answer
The question stem asks which answer choice can be property inferred. Since the correct answer choice must be supported by the passage, this is an inference question. Do not bother breaking the passage into its conclusion, premise, and assumption for inference questions. Instead, focus on what the passage states directly. The correct answer must be true based on the facts in the passage.

The passage states that although some financial aid is available for graduate school, it tends to be awarded to those students who have already been academically successful and who may qualify for nonfederal, merit-based scholarships and only a small number of students who could not have attended graduate school without financial support have received federal student loans. Therefore, the reduction in federal support for graduate student loans has damaged our educational system.

This passage contains a causality pattern because it states that the reduction in graduate student loans has damaged our educational system because only people who have already been academically successful receive the aid that is available. Evaluate the answer choices.

Choice A: No. The qualifications ...change from year to year is out of scope. The passage provides no information on how frequently reductions in federal support for graduate student loans occur.

Choice B: Correct. This choice is supported by the passage. The passage states that only a very small number of students who could not have attended graduate school without financial support have received federal student loans. Since only a small number of students who needed financial aid have received federal student loans, there may be other students who have not received the financial aid that they require.

Choice C: No. This choice is out of scope. The author believes that the reduction in federal support for graduate student loans has damaged our educational system. The passage is about financial help for graduate students rather than academic help.

Choice D: No. This choice is out of scope. Although the author states that there has been a reduction in federal support for graduate student loans, no information is provided on whether the current amount of loans is at a historic low.

Choice E: No. This choice is out of scope. The author notes that the federal loans available tend to be awarded to academically successful students, but does not state that these students should apply for merit-based scholarships rather than federal loans.

The correct answer is choice B.