The years that saw the founding of Cornell and Stanford Universities

Question

The years that saw the founding of Cornell and Stanford Universities were also the years when many small private colleges were established in the Southern U.S. to serve the educational needs of the newly freed slaves. While great 19th century industrial entrepreneurs like Ezra Cornell and Leland Stanford gave amounts ranging from half a million to tens of millions of dollars to found great private teaching and research universities where none had previously existed, and while many others, less famous, gave impressive sums to expand and refurbish modest college establishments that had already taken root, there were not comparable benefactions for private Black higher educational institutions. Only in the 20th century, ‘and then mostly through the donations of a handful of individuals and bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fuhd, did the struggling private Black Institutions begin to receive support in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars.

A similar disparity existed between Black and White state- supported institutions. The Morrill Act of 1862 is considered by some to be the most important piece of federal legislation affecting state-supported higher education in the 19th century. It created the basis on which states established land-grant institutions throughout the country, most successfully perhaps in the midwestem States. Less has been written about the Morrill Act of 1890, which made possible the establishment of separate Black landgrant institutions in the southern and border states, where the majority of Black people lived before the 1st World War. Though it is called the “2nd Morrill Act”, no one would seriously contend that it achieved monetarily for Black land-grant institutions anything comparable to what the 1862 legislation accomplished for other land-grant institutions. The “separate but equal” principle, even if it had been faithfully adhered to, could never have created black land-grant institutions in the southem and border states as financially secure as the land-grant institutions that developed with the help of the 1862 act: these states simply were not generous in their appropriations for state-supported education.

So long as college education was uncommon (which it was until well into the twentieth century) and so long as even high school education was not an occupational requirement (note that only about fifteen percent of the age group fourteen to seventeen was enrolled in high school even as late as 1910), it was possible to ignore the very substantial differences that existed between the educational opportunities available to White people and those available to Black people.  After the Second World War, high school and college education became common among White Youth while the overwhelming majority of Black youth were still excluded from the college option. It was then that the full extent of the financial discrimination against Black higher educational institutions became apparent.    1 
 1. The author connects the timing of the establishment of many small private Black colleges in the South to which of the following events?

(A) The emancipation of the slaves
(B) The passage of the Morrill Act in 1892
(C). The passage of the Morrill Act in 1890
(D) The increase in the number of Black students attending high school.
(E) The establishment of charitable foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund.

2 
 2. According to the passage, if the southern and border states had adhered faithfully to the principle of “separate but equal,” which of the following would have been true?

(A) Private colleges and universities in those states would have received more generous state appropriations.
(B) Black private institutions in those states would have received state appropriations equal to those given to Black land-grant institutions in those states.
(C) Black private institutions in those states would not have received state appropriations for expansion and renovation.
(D) Black private institutions in those states would not have received donations as large as Black private institutions in other states received.
(E) Black land-grant institutions in those states would not have received as much state financial support as land-grant institutions in the midwestern states received.

3 
 3. It can be inferred from the passage that, in the nineteenth century, gifts to private Black institutions were typically given

(A) by nineteenth-century industrial entrepreneurs such as Leland Stanford
(B) by bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation
(C) to establish institutions that were to be named after the donors.
(D) in an attempt to make private Black institutions competitive with Black land-grant institutions
(E) by benefactors in amounts of no more than a few thousand dollars.

4 
 4. The author refers to the Julius Rosernwald Fund primarily in order to.

(A) clarify an ambiguity
(B) provide an example
(C) emphasise a problem
(D) defend an assertion
(E) introduce an argument

5 
 5. Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage?

(A) A history of Black Higher Education
(B) Financial Support for Black Higher Education
(C) A Financial History of Major Private and Land Grant Universities
(D) A comparison of the Financial Support Given to Black Private Institutions and Black Land-Grant Institutions
(E) The successful Growth of Black Higher Education despite Financial Difficulties

6 
 6. The passage suggests that if a high school education had been an occupational requirement in 1910, which of the following would have been true?

(A) The low number of students who received vocational education in high school would have become apparent.
(B) The differences among states in their appropriations for high school education would have become apparent.
(C) The proportion of teen-agers between fourteen and seventeen years old enrolled in high school would have been greater than fifteen percent.
(D) The financial discrimination against Black high schools and Black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states would have been even greater.
(E) The state appropriations for White and Black high schools in the midwestern, border, and southern states would have been more equitable.

7 
 7. Which of the situations described in the following statements is most analogous to the situation described in the sentence in lines 44-52 ( Text in Red ) of the passage?

(A) Until recently, so few students obtained experience with computers in high school and so few jobs required even minimal computer experience that inequity of access to computers in different high schools went un-noticed.
(B) As long as few people completed high school and pursued college degrees, extensive progams of financial aid for college students were unnecessary.
(C) So long as most people believe that equality of opportunity has been achieved for members of minority groups, women, and people who have disabilities, and so long as equality of results is not a goal in this country, little progress will be made toward a truly just society.
(D) Colleges provide such different amounts of financial support for their athletic teams and the importance of sports activities in obtaining jobs is so variable that it is hard for a coliege applicant to assess the significance of a college's athletics program.
(E) Since a doctoral degree is not usually required for teaching high school and since many high school systems do not even require that their faculty have masters' degrees, II is easy for education students to ignore the benefits of pursuing graduate studies.

8 
 8. The author implies that after the changes in college education following the Second World War, which of the following occurred?

(A) A college degree became a requirement for a large number of occupations.
(B) Enrollment in high school of the age group fourteen to seventeen increased by fifteen percent.
(C) The relatively low number of Black and White college graduates in the southern and horde= states became apparent.
(D) The relatively low number of Black people who obtained college degrees became obvious. 
(E) The number of graduates of Black higher educational institutions increased rapidly.

9 
 9. According to the passage, large private donations to higher education in the nineteenth century were given for which of the following purposes?

I. To promote more egalitarian ideals
II. To assist certain established colleges
III. To found major teaching and research universities

(A) II only
(B) III only
(C) I and II only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II, and III

vijayram2496 · Answer

1. The author connects the timing of the establishment of many small private Black colleges in the South to which of the following events?

(A) The emancipation of the slaves
(B) The passage of the Morrill Act in 1892
(C). The passage of the Morrill Act in 1890
(D) The increase in the number of Black students attending high school.
(E) The establishment of charitable foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund.

My Answer is A
It has been mentioned in first paragraph fourth line to serve the educational needs of the newly freed slaves " ,so it is compared with emancipation of the slaves.
Other options have no big effect on Black colleges as passage of Morril Act dealt with Black land-grants but not with establishment of small Black colleges.

2. According to the passage, if the southern and border states had adhered faithfully to the principle of “separate but equal,” which of the following would have been true?

(A) Private colleges and universities in those states would have received more generous state appropriations.
(B) Black private institutions in those states would have received state appropriations equal to those given to Black land-grant institutions in those states.
(C) Black private institutions in those states would not have received state appropriations for expansion and renovation.
(D) Black private institutions in those states would not have received donations as large as Black private institutions in other states received.
(E) Black land-grant institutions in those states would not have received as much state financial support as land-grant institutions in the midwestern states received.

My Answer is E
In the second paragraph The “separate but equal” principle, even if it had been faithfully adhered to, could never have created black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states as financially secure as the land-grant institutions that developed with the help of the 1862 act ,it is clearly mentioned that comparison is between Black land-grant institutions and land-grant institutions in the midwestern states .
Only E addresses this issue.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that, in the nineteenth century, gifts to private Black institutions were typically given

(A) by nineteenth-century industrial entrepreneurs such as Leland Stanford
(B) by bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation
(C) to establish institutions that were to be named after the donors.
(D) in an attempt to make private Black institutions competitive with Black land-grant institutions
(E) by benefactors in amounts of no more than a few thousand dollars.

My Answer is E
In the passage it is mentioned that :
Only in the 20th century,..., did the struggling private Black Institutions begin to receive support in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars. So it can be inferred that in 19th century the support was no more than few thousand dollars.
A,B,C,D establishes content from different time-line in the passage and so are wrong.

4. The author refers to the Julius Rosernwald Fund primarily in order to.

(A) clarify an ambiguity
(B) provide an example
(C) emphasise a problem
(D) defend an assertion
(E) introduce an argument

My Answer is B
It is mentioned in the last few lines of first paragraph to mention about the donations of a handful of individuals and bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fuhd
So from the context of these lines ,it just provides an example of donation bodies and individuals.

5. Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage?

(A) A history of Black Higher Education
(B) Financial Support for Black Higher Education
(C) A Financial History of Major Private and Land Grant Universities
(D) A comparison of the Financial Support Given to Black Private Institutions and Black Land-Grant Institutions
(E) The successful Growth of Black Higher Education despite Financial Difficulties

My Answer is D.
A mentions history of black higher education, but financial comparison perspective is mentioned in the passage.
C mentions Major Private ,but this is about minority institutions.
E mentions growth which is out of syllabus and not mentioned in passage.

I chose option D because I suppose from the wording in option that the comparison is Black P I and White P I ,and Black L G I and White L G I.

ElninoEffect · Answer

1. The author connects the timing of the establishment of many small private Black colleges in the South to which of the following events?

(A)  The emancipation of the slaves 
"The years that saw the founding of Cornell and Stanford Universities were also the years when many small private colleges were established in the Southern U.S. to serve the educational needs of the  newly freed slaves. "
(B) The passage of the Morrill Act in 1892
I think it should have been 1862 instead of '92 - anyways this act was for midwestern America and it was for state-supported institutions not private.
(C). The passage of the Morrill Act in 1890
Again the Morrill Act was for the funding of state-supported higher institutions rather than for private institutions.
(D) The increase in the number of Black students attending high school.
We cannot infer that from anywhere in the passage.
(E) The establishment of charitable foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund.
Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund have been mentioned in the passage as an example to show how struggling private Black Institutions begin to receive support in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars.- Means institutions were already established.

2. According to the passage, if the southern and border states had adhered faithfully to the principle of “separate but equal,” which of the following would have been true?

This can be done by the process of elimination also.
The point is if the southern and border states had adhered faithfully to the principle of "separate but equal" and these states were generous in their appropriations for state-supported education then the black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states would have been as financially secure as the land-grant institutions that developed with the help of the 1862 act.

Now options A, B ,C and D are talking about the private institutions we are concerned with state-supported institutions so these are out.

(A) Private colleges and universities in those states would have received more generous state appropriations.
(B) Black private institutions in those states would have received state appropriations equal to those given to Black land-grant institutions in those states.
(C) Black private institutions in those states would not have received state appropriations for expansion and renovation.
(D) Black private institutions in those states would not have received donations as large as Black private institutions in other states received.
(E)  Black land-grant institutions in those states would not have received as much state financial support as land-grant institutions in the midwestern states received. 
Can be inferred from the late second passage.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that, in the nineteenth century, gifts to private Black institutions were typically given

(A) by nineteenth-century industrial entrepreneurs such as Leland Stanford
Cornell and Stanford gave millions of dollars to found great private teaching and research universities nothing has been mentioned for private black institutions.
(B) by bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation
It happened in the 20th century
(C) to establish institutions that were to be named after the donors.
Only Cornell and Stanford universities were named after their donors and they donated money for private teaching and research universities nothing has been mentioned for private black institutions.
(D) in an attempt to make private Black institutions competitive with Black land-grant institutions
We cannot infer that.
(E)  by benefactors in amounts of no more than a few thousand dollars. 
"Only in the 20th century, ‘and then mostly through the donations of a handful of individuals and bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fuhd, did the  struggling private Black Institutions  begin to receive support  in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars." (implicating exactaly what has been mentioned)

4. The author refers to the Julius Rosernwald Fund primarily in order to.

the author has used the names of Rockefeller Foundation and Rosenwald Fuhd to give examples of institutions that helped in funding of the struggling private black institutions.
(A) clarify an ambiguity
(B)  provide an example 
(C) emphasise a problem
(D) defend an assertion
(E) introduce an argument

5. Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage?

(A) A history of Black Higher Education
It's more of financial aid history than simply the history also the passage is not confined to Higher Education only.
(B)  Financial Support for Black Higher Education 
Let's keep it for a while.
(C) A Financial History of Major Private and Land Grant Universities
Two red flags: 
 Major  private and land grant universities when the passage has talked about universities in general.
We are concerned with funding problems for universities for black people.
(D)A comparison of the Financial Support Given to Black Private Institutions and Black Land-Grant Institutions
"The second passage starts with: A similar disparity existed between Black and White state- supported institutions." but it is too specific generally in such conditions as in B and D. A general holistic approach is more favorable.
(E) The successful Growth of Black Higher Education despite Financial Difficulties
We cannot infer that.

zhanbo · Answer

Question 1 : My answer is  (A) .
The answer is in the first sentence: The years that saw the founding of Cornell and Stanford Universities were also the years when many small private colleges were established in the Southern U.S. to serve the educational needs of the newly freed slaves.

Question 2 : My answer is  (E) .
Check this sentence: the “separate but equal” principle, even if it had been faithfully adhered to, could never have created black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states as financially secure as the land-grant institutions that developed with the help of the 1862 act.
It means (1) the “separate but equal” principle, in practice, was not faithfully adhered to. 
(2) Even if it had been faithfully adhered to, Black land-grant institutions in those states would not have received as much state financial support as land-grant institutions in the midwestern states received.
(A) is attractive, but (E) is still better, esp. because "these states simply were not generous in their appropriations for state-supported education"
(B) No such distinction made in the sentence. (Also, it is almost impossible to define equality.)
(CD) Not discussed at all.

Question 3 : My answer is  (E) .
The key is: Only in the 20th century did the struggling private Black Institutions begin to receive support in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars.
It follows that, prior to the 20th century, gifts to private Black institutions were typically given in amounts of no more than a few thousand dollars.

Question 4 : My answer is  (B) .
In the context of “a handful of individuals and bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund”, both the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund serve as examples of "a handful of individuals and bodies". 
BTW, in GMAT, the use of "like" to introduce examples is incorrect. Change "like" to "such as".

Question 5 : My answer is  (B) .
(A) Too broad. "A history of Black Higher Education" should at least mention some of the important college names, their curricula, famous faculty or graduates, and their impact.
(B) Looks ok. Keep for now. 
(C) Cannot leave "Black" in the title.
(D) There is indeed comparison, but between Black and White, not between Black Private Institutions and Black Land-Grant Institutions.
(E) Either not covered or not the focus of the passage.

ShivaniCh12 · Answer

1. The author connects the timing of the establishment of many small private Black colleges in the South to which of the following events?

(A)  The emancipation of the slaves - It can be inferred from line 1-3, "many small private colleges were established in the Southern U.S. to serve the educational needs of the newly freed slaves"
(B) The passage of the Morrill Act in 1892
(C). The passage of the Morrill Act in 1890
(D) The increase in the number of Black students attending high school.
(E) The establishment of charitable foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund.

2. According to the passage, if the southern and border states had adhered faithfully to the principle of “separate but equal,” which of the following would have been true?

(A) Private colleges and universities in those states would have received more generous state appropriations.
(B) Black private institutions in those states would have received state appropriations equal to those given to Black land-grant institutions in those states.
(C) Black private institutions in those states would not have received state appropriations for expansion and renovation.
(D) Black private institutions in those states would not have received donations as large as Black private institutions in other states received.
(E)  Black land-grant institutions in those states would not have received as much state financial support as land-grant institutions in the midwestern states received.
  It can be inferred from the lines 23-25, "could never have created black land-grant institutions in the southem and border states as financially secure as the land-grant institutions that developed with the help of the 1862 act"

3. It can be inferred from the passage that, in the nineteenth century, gifts to private Black institutions were typically given

(A) by nineteenth-century industrial entrepreneurs such as Leland Stanford
(B) by bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation
(C) to establish institutions that were to be named after the donors.
(D) in an attempt to make private Black institutions competitive with Black land-grant institutions
(E)  by benefactors in amounts of no more than a few thousand dollars. - it can be inferred from lines 8- 12, "there were not comparable benefactions for private Black higher educational institutions"

4. The author refers to the Julius Rosernwald Fund primarily in order to.

(A) clarify an ambiguity
(B)  provide an example - it is provided as an example to the line mentioned "handful of individuals and bodies like"
(C) emphasise a problem
(D) defend an assertion
(E) introduce an argument

5-Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage?

(A) A history of Black Higher Education
(B) Financial Support for Black Higher Education
(C) A Financial History of Major Private and Land Grant Universities
(D)  A comparison of the Financial Support Given to Black Private Institutions and Black Land-Grant Institutions -The passage 1 define financial help received by black private institution, on the other hand passage 2 provides " A similar disparity existed between Black and White state- supported institutions". 
(E) The successful Growth of Black Higher Education despite Financial Difficulties

100mitra · Answer

Word:   339
  Read Time:   4 mins 30 sec 
  Paraphrasing:   
 Para 1:  Unlike Cornel and Stanford universities, which got well-funded and well-developed, Black institutions education system, for newly freed slaves, started receiving funds for development post 20th century onwards in good amount. 
 Para 2:  Disparity existed between Black and White state-supported higher education institutions.
The Morrill act of 1980 was better than earlier one, the Morrill Act of 1962, for Black land-grant institutions. With equal principles and faithfully adhered, southern and border Black land-grant institutions would have financially secure as the land-grant institutions that developed with the help of the 1862 act.

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1. The author connects the timing of the establishment of many small private Black colleges in the South to which of the following events?

As mentioned in the passage, “ The years that saw the founding of Cornell and Stanford Universities were also the years when many small private colleges were established in the Southern U.S.  to serve the educational needs of the newly freed slaves  ”
  Correct option: (A) The emancipation of the slaves

(B) The passage of the Morrill Act in 1892  – Out of scope 
(C). The passage of the Morrill Act in 1890  – related to land-grant institutions

Eliminate D, and E –  “ Only in the 20th century, ‘and then mostly through the donations of a handful of individuals and bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fuhd, did the struggling private Black Institutions begin to receive support in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars ” 
(D) The increase in the number of Black students attending high school 
(E) The establishment of charitable foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund.

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2. According to the passage, if the southern and border states had adhered faithfully to the principle of “ separate but equal ,” which of the following would have been true?

As mentioned in the passage,
”  The “separate but equal” principle, even if it had been faithfully adhered to, 
could never have created black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states as financially secure as the land-grant institutions that developed with the help of the 1862 act: these states simply were not generous in their appropriations for state-supported education ”

Support comparison between southern and border to mid-western institution

Correct option (E) 
 Black land-grant institutions in those states 
 would not have received  as much state financial support as 
 land-grant institutions in the midwestern states received

Eliminate rest all are having wrong comparison 
(A)     in those states 
would have received  more generous state appropriations

(B)     
 would have received  state appropriations equal to those given to

(C)     
 would not have received  state appropriations

(D)     
 would not have received  donations as large as

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3. It can be inferred from the passage that, in the nineteenth century, gifts to private Black institutions were typically given  
As mentioned in the 1st para, “ there were not comparable benefactions for private Black higher educational institutions ”
  Correct option: (E) by benefactors in amounts of no more than a few thousand dollars.

(A) by nineteenth-century industrial entrepreneurs such as Leland Stanford  – Supported white institute  
(B) by bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation  – Supported in 20th century 
(C) to establish institutions that were to be named after the donors  – Out of scope 
(D) in an attempt to make private Black institutions competitive with Black land-grant institutions  – Out of scope

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4. The author refers to the Julius Rosernwald Fund primarily in order to.

As mentioned in the passage, 
“ Only in the 20th century, ‘and then mostly through the donations of a 
handful of individuals and bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fuhd, 
did the struggling private Black Institutions begin to receive support in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars ”
  Correct option: (B) provide an example

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5. Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage?  
 Para 1:  Support by funds
 Para 2:  Support by land-grant state appropriations
  Correct Option: (B) Financial Support for Black Higher Education

(A) A history of Black Higher Education   – Wrong,   passage highlights only about financial support 
(C) A Financial History of Major Private and Land Grant Universities   – Wrong,   comparison
(D) A comparison of the Financial Support Given to Black Private Institutions and Black Land-Grant Institutions   – Wrong,   Trap! this was about bias support based Act of 1962 and Act of 1980
(E) The successful Growth of Black Higher Education despite Financial Difficulties   – Wrong,   no growth discussed

wickedvikram · Answer

Hi  Sajjad1994

I understand that for Q4 B is correct answer, but how are we removing C ? I was confused b/w the two and opted C.
Julius fund (& Rockfeller) were taken as example of 20th Century donors with 1000+ donation amount. Which was an emphasis on the funding problem in the context of passage.

Please help.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Answer  option (C)  is incorrect because while the author does mention a problem regarding the lack of financial support for Black higher educational institutions, the specific reference to the Julius Rosenwald Fund is not used to emphasize this problem. Rather, the fund is mentioned as one of the bodies that provided support to struggling private Black institutions in the 20th century. The author uses this reference as an example to demonstrate the lack of significant benefactions for Black higher education institutions compared to White institutions. Therefore, answer option  (B) "provide an example"  is more accurate.

riddleme · Answer

6. The passage suggests that if a high school education had been an occupational requirement in 1910, which of the following would have been true?

(A) The low number of students who received vocational education in high school would have become apparent. ---> No mention of this in passage
(B) The differences among states in their appropriations for high school education would have become apparent. ---> Again, out of scope
(C) The proportion of teen-agers between fourteen and seventeen years old enrolled in high school would have been greater than fifteen percent. ---> Let's keep this
(D) The financial discrimination against Black high schools and Black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states would have been even greater. ---> This as well we need to keep for now
(E) The state appropriations for White and Black high schools in the midwestern, border, and southern states would have been more equitable. ---> In fact, the otherwise has been stated in what happens after WWII. It wasn't equitable, but rather discrimination clearer. So this is out as well.

Even if this is added now and not sure if it's official, I found this to be a really great question. The question clearly says  would have been true  We know for certain from the passage:

Clearly the reason the reason why enrollment is so less: it wasn't an occupational requirement. If it was, certainly at least one more child would have gone to the high school right, thereby making the figure more than fifteen percent.

As for eliminating D, which I didn't on my first try:   financial discrimination against Black high schools  was never mentioned anywhere in the passage to conclude this. We are talking about discrimination in higher educational institutions here. High schools were just mentioned to emphasize the growing popularity/importance given to education after WWII.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

9. According to the passage, large private donations to higher education in the nineteenth century were given for which of the following purposes?

Difficulty Level:   550

Explanation

(I)  The passage does not mention large private donations being given in the nineteenth century to promote more egalitarian ideals. Instead, it focuses on the disparity in funding and support for different types of institutions, particularly between Black and White institutions.

(II)   The passage discusses how large private donations were given to assist certain established colleges, including both expanding and refurbishing modest college establishments that had already taken root.   This aligns with option (II).

(III)   The passage states that great 19th century industrial entrepreneurs like Ezra Cornell and Leland Stanford gave amounts ranging from half a million to tens of millions of dollars to found great private teaching and research universities where none had previously existed.   This supports option (III).

Therefore, the correct answer is  (D) "II and III only,"  as these options accurately reflect the purposes for which large private donations were given to higher education in the nineteenth century, according to the passage.

Answer: D

RenB · Answer

Hi  HarshR9 
Can you help me solidify why B is better than D in qs 5? 
And in qs 5, I was stuck between A and C. Logocally, when I look from a macro perspective, C is stronger. But I am not clearly able to eliminate A. Can you help me out to more logically strong A and eliminate my confusion?

HarshavardhanR · Answer

Hey  RenB ,

Sure. Let me try to help!

Q5) Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage?

Crux of the passage:  
- In the 19th century, other private institutions (both newly created and already existing) got significant financial support. But not Black private institutions (that came up in that time). Only in the 20th Century did real support come in for these institutions. 
- In fact, this is not just for private institutions. This is also the case for public/state-funded ones. Morril Act 1 did nothing for Black institutions. Morrill Act 2 did something but not really much. Compared to other states, states with black institutions (Southern, border) did not do much to financially support (through land grants..).
- Only in the 20th century, post the 2nd world war, that the extent of discrimination in terms of lack of financial support against Black institutions became apparent.

Overall:  It seems to be an exploration of the lack of solid financial support to Black educational institutions till the 20th Century.

(A) A history of Black Higher Education

The passage is not really focused on the overall history of Black Higher Education. Rather, it is focused on the historical lack of financial support for Black Higher Education. A general history of Black Higher Education would presumably focus on other aspects too - important colleges, financial support, enrolment, impact of the education, etc. The passage however is laser-focused on the "support" aspect.

Choice A is not a good choice.

(B) Financial Support for Black Higher Education

Hold on to this. This is in line with what we understand about the passage.

(C) A Financial History of Major Private and Land Grant Universities

Major red flag -> This does not even mention "Black". Is the passage about the financial history of the major private (say Stanford, Cornell, etc.) and State-funded/Land Grant universities - how they got funded, how they used the money, etc.

Or is the passage about the financial support (or lack of it) for Black colleges? Choice C is a clear reject because it completely misses out on what the passage is really about in my view .

(D) A comparison of the Financial Support Given to Black Private Institutions and Black Land-Grant Institutions

The passage at best is a comparison of financial support given to Black institutions (Private as well as Land-Grant) vs. financial support given to Non-Black (White?) institutions, done with the objective of highlighting the lack of support for Black institutions. The passage is not about comparing Black Private with Black Land-Grant.

(E) The successful Growth of Black Higher Education despite Financial Difficulties

Successful growth is not something the passage really discusses. This choice should be easy to reject.

___
Harsha

SKP220292 · Answer

For Q4

Yes it was an example but the example was provided to highlight a problem, right?

When the question asked " primarily  in order to", I thought the option should refer to the reason why the example was provided. Marked C.

Can anyone help me identify the flaw in above reasoning - and again, I am aware that it was an example, I need to know why I shouldn't focus on why the example was given to answer the question "why was this primarily referred to?"

guddo · Answer

I’d say the issue is that your reasoning goes one level too far.

Yes, the broader paragraph highlights a funding problem. But the question asks why the  Julius Rosenwald Fund  itself is mentioned. Its immediate role is to give a concrete example of the “individuals and bodies” that finally gave larger support.

So (C) describes the  larger purpose of the paragraph , while (B) describes the specific function of that reference.

egmat · Answer

Hi SKP220292,

Your instinct that the example ultimately connects to the funding problem isn't wrong. The issue is how far up the chain a  "refers to X primarily in order to"  question wants you to go.

Look at the exact sentence the reference sits in:

"...mostly through the donations of a handful of individuals and  bodies like  the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund, did the struggling private Black institutions begin to receive support..."

The phrase  "bodies like"  tells you the immediate job of the Rosenwald Fund: it is a named illustration of the broader category "a handful of individuals and bodies." That direct, local role is exactly what choice  B  describes.

Why "primarily" points to the closest function, not the deepest one

Here's the key:  almost every  detail in this passage ultimately serves the theme of financial discrimination. If "emphasise a problem" counted, it would fit half the sentences in the passage - which is why it's not specific enough. A function question wants the  most immediate role  the detail plays where it appears, not the passage's overall mission.

There's a second reason C is off. Notice what this sentence is actually doing: it marks the moment support  finally began  to arrive ("in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars"). So the Rosenwald Fund illustrates the  turnaround , not the problem itself - making "emphasise a problem" a poor description of this exact reference.

A quick way to feel the difference

Picture an essay whose big point is that a city has a litter problem. In one line the author writes:  "Some groups, such as the Green Team, have started weekend cleanups."  Why is the Green Team named there?  To give an example  of a group cleaning up - even though the essay's ultimate concern is the litter problem. If a question asked why the author  refers to the Green Team , "provide an example" beats "emphasise the litter problem," because the latter describes the essay, not that specific mention.

Same move here - so  B  is the answer.

Answer: B

Usernamevisible · Answer

For question 6, I'm confused about why B is wrong.

My understanding is:

The passage discusses two kinds of financial discrimination:

1. Lack of private donations.
 2. Unequal state funding (Morrill Acts, appropriations).

The last paragraph concludes:

> "It was then that the full extent of the financial discrimination against Black higher educational institutions became apparent."

Wouldn't that mean the discrimination in state funding also became apparent?

I understand that option B mentions high school education, but is that alone enough to eliminate it? Since the last paragraph uses high school education to explain why the discrimination became visible, I thought B was referring to one aspect of that financial discrimination becoming apparent.

Where exactly does this reasoning break down?

guddo · Answer

6. The passage suggests that if a high school education had been an occupational requirement in 1910, which of the following would have been true?

The passage says that in 1910 high school education was not an occupational requirement, and only about 15 percent of teenagers aged fourteen to seventeen were enrolled in high school.  The implied connection  is that if high school had been needed for jobs, more young people would likely have attended  high school .

(A) The low number of students who received vocational education in high school would have become apparent.

This is not supported. The passage discusses high school enrollment generally, not vocational education specifically.

(B) The differences among states in their appropriations for high school education would have become apparent.

This is not supported. The passage discusses state appropriations for higher education, especially land-grant institutions, not high school funding differences.

(C) The proportion of teen-agers between fourteen and seventeen years old enrolled in high school would have been greater than fifteen percent.

This is correct. The passage suggests that one reason high school enrollment was low in 1910 was that high school education was not yet an occupational requirement. If it had been required for work, enrollment would likely have been higher.

(D) The financial discrimination against Black high schools and Black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states would have been even greater.

This is not supported. The passage says discrimination became more apparent later, not that it would have become greater.

(E) The state appropriations for White and Black high schools in the midwestern, border, and southern states would have been more equitable.

This is not supported. Nothing in the passage suggests that making high school occupationally necessary would have made funding more equal.

Answer: (C)

dhairya18 · Answer

PARAGRAPH 1: Private Funding & Philanthropy Disparities

Original Line 1: The years that saw the founding of Cornell and Stanford Universities were also the years when many small private colleges were established in the Southern U.S. to serve the educational needs of the newly freed slaves.
Plain English: During the late 1800s, when elite universities like Cornell and Stanford were being built, many small private colleges were also created in the South to educate formerly enslaved Black Americans.

Original Line 2: While great 19th century industrial entrepreneurs like Ezra Cornell and Leland Stanford gave amounts ranging from half a million to tens of millions of dollars to found great private teaching and research universities where none had previously existed, and while many others, less famous, gave impressive sums to expand and refurbish modest college establishments that had already taken root, there were not comparable benefactions for private Black higher educational institutions.
Plain English: Ultra-wealthy businessmen gave massive fortunes to build brand-new elite universities for white students, and other donors gave large checks to upgrade existing white colleges. However, private Black colleges received nowhere near this level of financial donation.

Original Line 3: Only in the 20th century, and then mostly through the donations of a handful of individuals and bodies like the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Julius Rosenwald Fund, did the struggling private Black Institutions begin to receive support in single-gift amounts larger than a few thousand dollars.
Plain English: Private Black colleges did not start getting significant individual donations (over a few thousand dollars) until the 1900s, and even then, those funds came from only a few specific charities like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Rosenwald Fund.

PARAGRAPH 2: Government & Public Funding Disparities

Original Line 4: A similar disparity existed between Black and White state-supported institutions.
Plain English: This same gap in funding was also present in state-funded public colleges for Black and white students.

Original Line 5: The Morrill Act of 1862 is considered by some to be the most important piece of federal legislation affecting state-supported higher education in the 19th century.
Plain English: Many people consider the 1862 Morrill Act to be the single most impactful federal law passed in the 1800s for state universities.

Original Line 6: It created the basis on which states established land-grant institutions throughout the country, most successfully perhaps in the midwestern States.
Plain English: This 1862 law gave federal land to states so they could build public universities (known as land-grant colleges), which proved especially successful in the Midwest.

Original Line 7: Less has been written about the Morrill Act of 1890, which made possible the establishment of separate Black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states, where the majority of Black people lived before the 1st World War.
Plain English: People talk less about the later 1890 Morrill Act, which allowed Southern states—where most Black Americans lived at the time—to set up segregated public colleges specifically for Black students.

Original Line 8: Though it is called the “2nd Morrill Act”, no one would seriously contend that it achieved monetarily for Black land-grant institutions anything comparable to what the 1862 legislation accomplished for other land-grant institutions.
Plain English: Even though it was called the "2nd Morrill Act," nobody can honestly claim that Black public colleges received anything close to the funding that white public colleges got from the first 1862 law.

Original Line 9: The “separate but equal” principle, even if it had been faithfully adhered to, could never have created black land-grant institutions in the southern and border states as financially secure as the land-grant institutions that developed with the help of the 1862 act: these states simply were not generous in their appropriations for state-supported education.
Plain English: Even if Southern states had tried to follow the "separate but equal" rule fairly (which they didn't), Black colleges still would have been underfunded because Southern state governments simply refused to spend much tax money on public education in general.

PARAGRAPH 3: How the Gap Was Hidden and Later Exposed

Original Line 10: So long as college education was uncommon (which it was until well into the twentieth century) and so long as even high school education was not an occupational requirement (note that only about fifteen percent of the age group fourteen to seventeen was enrolled in high school even as late as 1910), it was possible to ignore the very substantial differences that existed between the educational opportunities available to White people and those available to Black people.
Plain English: For a long time, very few Americans went to high school (only 15% in 1910) or college. Because higher education was rare for everyone, society was able to overlook the huge gap in educational opportunities between white and Black people.

Original Line 11: After the Second World War, high school and college education became common among White Youth while the overwhelming majority of Black youth were still excluded from the college option.
Plain English: After World War II, white Americans began attending high school and college in large numbers, but most Black youth were still blocked from going to college.

Original Line 12: It was then that the full extent of the financial discrimination against Black higher educational institutions became apparent.
Plain English: Once college became a standard path for white youth while Black youth were left behind, the true damage caused by decades of underfunding Black colleges became obvious to everyone.

egmat · Answer

Hi Usernamevisible,

Your reading of the last paragraph is actually correct: the passage does say that after WWII "the full extent of the financial discrimination... became apparent." The trouble is that Q6 isn't asking about  that  sentence. Let me show you where the two get tangled.

The sentence Q6 hangs on

Zoom in on the parenthetical earlier in the paragraph:

"...so long as even high school education was not an occupational requirement (note that only about fifteen percent of the age group fourteen to seventeen was enrolled in high school even as late as  1910 )..."

The author is linking one specific cause to one specific effect:  high school wasn't required for jobs - so only ~15% enrolled.  Q6 just flips that.  If  high school  had  been an occupational requirement, people would have had a real reason to attend, so enrollment would have climbed  above 15% . That is exactly choice  C , and it follows directly from the cause-effect the author states.

Why B doesn't work

B says the "differences among states in their  appropriations for high school education " would have become apparent. Two problems:

-  Out of scope:  the passage's financial-discrimination theme is entirely about  higher  educational institutions - private colleges and land-grant institutions. It never once discusses state appropriations for  high schools . So that idea isn't in the text at all.
-  Wrong cause-effect:  making high school a job requirement pushes  individuals  to enroll. It has no logical connection to state  appropriation gaps  suddenly becoming visible.

The reason you were drawn to B is that you carried the paragraph's conclusion ("discrimination became apparent") into this hypothetical. But that conclusion had a  different  trigger - college becoming common among White youth after WWII while Black youth were shut out. High school being an occupational requirement in  1910  simply isn't that trigger.

A quick gut-check

Read this everyday line:  "A driver's license wasn't required for the job (only  15%  of workers had one)."  Now ask: if it  had  been required, what changes? Instantly you feel it - more people would get licenses; the number would rise. You don't leap to "differences in state licensing budgets would show up." Same move here: the requirement drives the count up (C), nothing more.

Answer: C

The years that saw the founding of Cornell and Stanford Universities

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The years that saw the founding of Cornell and Stanford Universities

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