GMAT CLUB OLYMPICS: Each of the past four years, the number of applica

Question

Each of the past four years, the number of applications to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by more than ten percent year over year according to a recent report by American College Daily. From this statistic, it can be reasonably concluded that fewer U.S. students are interested in literature Ph.D. programs now than were four years ago.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion EXCEPT:

A. The average age of applicants to United States literature Ph.D. programs has changed markedly over the past four years.

B. The number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by nearly half in the past four years.

C. The cost of attending a literature Ph.D. program in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years.

D. The average number of Ph.D. programs that the average Ph.D. applicant applies to has dropped from seven to four over the past four years.

E. The number of Ph.D. programs reporting data to American College Daily has declined precipitously since the publication stopped compensating for such submissions three years ago.

V33-16

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

Explanation

Choice A: Yes. That  the average age of applicants to United States literature Ph.D. programs has not changed markedly over the past four years  has no definitive impact on the conclusion  that fewer U.S. students are interested in literature Ph.D. programs now than were four years ago  and is therefore the exception in the choices that does not weaken the conclusion.

Choice B: No. This is a reversal, because if  the number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by nearly half in the past four years , this would be another possible cause for the decline in  the number of applications to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States  in the report and the conclusion would be weakened.

Choice C: No. This is a reversal, because if  the cost of attending a literature Ph.D. program in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years , this would be another possible cause for the decline in  the number of applications to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States  in the report and the conclusion would be weakened.

Choice D: No. This is a reversal, because if  the average number of Ph.D. programs that the average Ph.D. applicant applies to has dropped from seven to four over the past four years , this would be another possible cause for the decline in  the number of applications to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States  in the report and the conclusion would be weakened.

Choice E: No. This is a reversal, because if  the number of Ph.D. programs reporting data to American College Daily has declined precipitously since the publication stopped compensating for such submissions three years ago , this would be another possible cause for the decline in  the number of applications to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States  in the report and the conclusion would be weakened.

The correct answer is choice A.

chrisjonatan · Answer

A. The average age of applicants to United States literature Ph.D. programs has changed markedly over the past four years.
 It is not weakening. Correct

B. The number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by nearly half in the past four years.
 If the number of International students decline, the number of US students not change, the total number of applicants will be declined. It weakens, Incorrect

C. The cost of attending a literature Ph.D. program in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years.
 It is not because US students are not longer interested in the program, but because the cost is increasing. It weaken, incorrect

D. The average number of Ph.D. programs that the average Ph.D. applicant applies to has dropped from seven to four over the past four years.
 It is not because US students are no longer interested in the program, but because the average number of Ph.D. programs declined. With the same number of applicants, the total number of applicants will be declined. Incorrect.

E. The number of Ph.D. programs reporting data to American College Daily has declined precipitously since the publication stopped compensating for such submissions three years ago.
 It weakens. Incorrect

thereisaFire · Answer

If we can show some other factors responsible for the declination in the total number of applications, then we will weaken the conclusion.

A. The average age of applicants to United States literature Ph.D. programs has changed markedly over the past four years. 
Age is irrelevant for evaluating the conclusion "fewer US students are interested in literature Ph.D. programs now than were four years ago". Keep it for now.

B. The number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by nearly half in the past four years. 
Since the number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs has declined, the total number of applications has declined. Weakens

C. The cost of attending a literature Ph.D. program in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years. 
Increase in cost is some other factor rather than the interest of US students that has engendered the decline in the total no. of applications. Weakens

D. The average number of Ph.D. programs that the average Ph.D. applicant applies to has dropped from seven to four over the past four years.  
Some other factor that led to drop in number of applications. Weakens

E. The number of Ph.D. programs reporting data to American College Daily has declined precipitously since the publication stopped compensating for such submissions three years ago. 
Due to this reason, maybe the data stated in the argument does not correspond to the actual total number of applications and shows a lesser number. Weakens

Choice A is the answer

neutronstar · Answer

Each of the past four years, the number of applications to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by more than ten percent year over year according to a recent report by American College Daily. From this statistic, it can be reasonably concluded that fewer U.S. students are interested in literature Ph.D. programs now than were four years ago.

Above argument is as follows:
Fewer US students are "interested" in literature PHD because of statistics of last 4 years which suggest a year on year declining trend in "number of applications".

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion EXCEPT:

A. The average age of applicants to United States literature Ph.D. programs has changed markedly over the past four years.  Age has nothing to do with number of applications. - This choice does not weaken the conclusion.

B. The number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by nearly half in the past four years.  Yes - it weakens the argument as international students are counted in 'number of applications' but conclusion is drawn related to US students.

C. The cost of attending a literature Ph.D. program in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years.  Yes it weakens. Reason - increased cost -an alternative reason to stated reason related to lack of interest by US Students.

D. The average number of Ph.D. programs that the average Ph.D. applicant applies to has dropped from seven to four over the past four years.  Yes it weakens. Reason - Reduced no. of applications per student (not the reduced number of students)-an alternative reason to stated reason related to lack of interest by US Students.

E. The number of Ph.D. programs reporting data to American College Daily has declined precipitously since the publication stopped compensating for such submissions three years ago.  Yes it weakens. Reason - American College Daily is not having sufficient data to back up the conclusion.

zhanbo · Answer

My answer is  (A) .

Pre-thinking 
In order to weaken the conclusion ("fewer U.S. students are interested in literature Ph.D. programs now than were four years ago"), we can claim
(1) "a recent report by American College Daily" is not reliable. 
(2) the interest remains the same but the Ph.D. program slots are lower. (The reason for the phenomenon may have nothing to do with students' interest)

Now let's look at the option 
(A) No clear link between average age and literature Ph.D. program interest.

(B) It weakens the conclusion by showing that the weakness in statistics, even if accurate, is mainly due to behavior change in international students. It seems that US applicants are on the rise.

(C) It weakens the conclusion by showing the lower number is due to financial consideration, not necessarily interest.

(D) Matches pre-think (2)

(E) Matches pre-think (1)

joohwangie · Answer

Each of the past four years, the number of applications to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by more than ten percent year over year according to a recent report by American College Daily. From this statistic, it can be reasonably concluded that fewer U.S. students are interested in literature Ph.D. programs now than were four years ago.

conclusion: literature phd applicantants declined because fewer US students are interested in it now than 4 yrs ago.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion EXCEPT:

A. The average age of applicants to United States literature Ph.D. programs has changed markedly over the past four years.  -the age has nothing to do with the conclusion therefore correct answer choice, it didn't weaken the conclusion.
 
B. The number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by nearly half in the past four years. - yes it weaken the conclusion because the conclusion only consider US students.
 
C. The cost of attending a literature Ph.D. program in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years. -yes weaken the conclusion, the students may still be interested in literature but because of the cost they don't apply.

D. The average number of Ph.D. programs that the average Ph.D. applicant applies to has dropped from seven to four over the past four years. -weaken since not just literature that drop, but whole phd programs so not that the US students are not interested.

E. The number of Ph.D. programs reporting data to American College Daily has declined precipitously since the publication stopped compensating for such submissions three years ago. - yes weaken it's not just the US students arnt interested but the programs may just have not report the data.
 
A

cs15811581 · Answer

Each of the past four years, the number of applications to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by more than ten percent year over year according to a recent report by American College Daily. From this statistic, it can be reasonably concluded that fewer U.S. students are interested in literature Ph.D. programs now than were four years ago.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion EXCEPT:

A. The average age of applicants to United States literature Ph.D. programs has changed markedly over the past four years.
Average age should no affect the conclusion.
 CORRECT

B. The number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by nearly half in the past four years.
So,  the decline after all may not be in the number of the US students , but due to the declining number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States

C. The cost of attending a literature Ph.D. program in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years.
So,  it may be the COST that is discouraging the students  and not the interest in literature Ph.D. programs.

D. The average number of Ph.D. programs that the average Ph.D. applicant applies to has dropped from seven to four over the past four years. 
Now, the option says that the earlier each student was filling up 7 forms and now it is 4. In a way,  this is almost a 43% drop. This actually may tell us that the number of student applying has increased.

E. The number of Ph.D. programs reporting data to American College Daily has declined precipitously since the publication stopped compensating for such submissions three years ago.
If  fewer colleges are giving data, the decline may be attributable to this trend  rather than the interest of students.

A

JonShukhrat · Answer

A. The average age of applicants to United States literature Ph.D. programs has changed markedly over the past four years.

Correct because this choice doesn’t explain why decrease in the number of applications are occurring. The reverse may very well be true.
Average age may change in any direction but the number of application may rise or fall unrelated of this age.
Therefore this choice is correct.

B. The number of international students applying to literature Ph.D. programs in the United States has declined by nearly half in the past four years.

Incorrect because this choice weakens the conclusion by showing that the decrease actually occurred because of international students, not US students as the stem says.

C. The cost of attending a literature Ph.D. program in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years.

Incorrect because this choice weakens the conclusion by showing that there is another factor that decreased the number f applications other than the decreasing interest of US students. High cost may be deterring who are actually interested in studying literature.

D. The average number of Ph.D. programs that the average Ph.D. applicant applies to has dropped from seven to four over the past four years.

This choice also weakens by showing that the overall number of applications decreased but the number of interested students is still the same.

E. The number of Ph.D. programs reporting data to American College Daily has declined precipitously since the publication stopped compensating for such submissions three years ago.

If universities stopped reporting to the organization whose report we are talking, then this organization may simply don’t know how many applications are being received.

So A

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