V02-11

Question

Proponents of the Application Central website (ApCenWeb) claim that a single, standardized application for all graduate programs in the state will streamline selection by collecting student information in one database. These changes should not be adopted, however, because the current ApCenWeb form allows only one 500-word general essay. A standardized application would therefore penalize students who need to showcase different strengths for fields as varied as engineering and visual arts.
 
Which of the following statements, if true, most strengthens the argument against adopting a standardized graduate-school application?

A. ApCenWeb encrypts all submissions end to end, ensuring that applicant data remain secure for every participating program.
B. Engineering and visual arts are among the most popular graduate programs sought by applicants across the state’s universities.
C. Several flagship universities will not join ApCenWeb unless each of their programs can add custom sections to the form.
D. ApCenWeb lacks any option for applicants to upload portfolios or design projects required by visual-arts and engineering programs.
E. The current ApCenWeb version limits each applicant to a single file attachment, regardless of a program’s specific requirements.

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

Proponents of the Application Central website (ApCenWeb) claim that a single, standardized application for all graduate programs in the state will streamline selection by collecting student information in one database. These changes should not be adopted, however, because the current ApCenWeb form allows only one 500-word general essay. A standardized application would therefore penalize students who need to showcase different strengths for fields as varied as engineering and visual arts.
 
Which of the following statements, if true, most strengthens the argument against adopting a standardized graduate-school application?

A. ApCenWeb encrypts all submissions end to end, ensuring that applicant data remain secure for every participating program.
B. Engineering and visual arts are among the most popular graduate programs sought by applicants across the state’s universities.
C. Several flagship universities will not join ApCenWeb unless each of their programs can add custom sections to the form.
D. ApCenWeb lacks any option for applicants to upload portfolios or design projects required by visual-arts and engineering programs.
E. The current ApCenWeb version limits each applicant to a single file attachment, regardless of a program’s specific requirements.

Situation:  An opponent argues that the proposed statewide online application should not be adopted.
 
 Reasoning:   What fact would strengthen that objection?  The critic says the current form lets an applicant submit only one 500-word essay, so students cannot show field-specific skills. The best support will show that the system really blocks program-specific material.
 
A. Strong data security is a merit, not a flaw, so this helps the other side.
 
B. Knowing that the two programs are popular tells us nothing about whether applicants can showcase special talents.
 
C. Refusal by some universities helps a little, but the choice does not say those schools object for the same reason the critic gives.
 
 D. CORRECT.  The site allows no portfolio or project uploads. Visual-arts and engineering applicants need such files to prove skill. This fact shows the lack of flexibility that the critic fears.
 
E. A single-file limit might harm some users, yet it does not show that different programs need different kinds of material or how much differentiation is needed (e.g. 10 attachments or perhaps 1 is sufficient). This is an answer choice that is aligned with the critic's point of view but It is weaker than D.

Answer: D

Maverick1990 · Answer

I think this is a  poor-quality  question and I don't agree with the explanation. I believe option D is merely restating the premise by giving a more specific example.

"ApCenWeb is not yet flexible enough for students to present their strongest credentials to the varied programs specific to each university."

This has already been told to us by the question stem, therefore the fact that this statement also applies to visual arts students doesn't add any value to the argument.

Option A on the other hand, tells us that Engineering and Visual Arts are popular program choices and therefore the number of applications and consequently poor quality applications on the portal might be expected to be fairly high.

RenanBragion · Answer

I think this is a  high-quality  question and I agree with explanation. The argument is that ApCenWeb isn't flexible. This problem could be solved if students had an alternative way to present their credentials. They could send additional materials directly through the universities, for instance. D touches this point. If ApCenWebhad had an option to submit additional materials, students could present their credentials.

kabirgandhi · Answer

Couple things on this question:

A) Mentions that the interface is easy and straightforward, making AppCenWeb easily accessible to students interested in all graduate programs - I think this strengthens the assertion that AppCenWeb should not be chosen, since it tells us that all types of students (different graduate programs) will be able to easily access, and use the platform to apply. If it did in fact skew the students who apply to a smaller number (for eg, only students from engineering apply, despite the app being open to everyone in general) then it would mean that the apps flaws might be hidden. This choice shows that all types of students will be easily able to access and use it, and we already know through the premise that it is not flexible enough to accomodate all programs.

C) Also answers the question, probably better than A does, but I think this was a close call.

Options: Either reclassify question to not be "easy", or keep classification and tweak answer choice A slightly to make it more incorrect.

bb · Answer

Hi. I think you may have answered the opposite question - you have strengthened the argument to use the system vs. strengthening the critics' argument.

bb · Answer

FYI - I have made the question a bit more difficult and hopefully tricky by tweaking the answer choices and setup.

Original question is here:

Proponents of the Application Central website (ApCenWeb) claim that a single, standardized application for all graduate programs in the state will streamline selection by collecting student information in one database. These changes should not be adopted, however, because the current ApCenWeb form allows only one 500-word general essay. A standardized application would therefore penalize students who need to showcase different strengths for fields as varied as engineering and visual arts.

Which of the following statements, if true, most strengthens the argument against adopting a standardized graduate-school application?

Which of the following statements, if true, will most strengthen the argument against a standardized graduate school application?

A. The ApCenWeb interface is simple and straightforward, assuring that students interested in all programs will access the application easily.
B. Engineering and visual arts, though different from each other, are both popular graduate programs.
C. The board of directors of one of the largest state universities has expressed reluctance to join the Application Central organization.
D. ApCenWeb offers no option to submit additional materials, such as painting or photography samples for students applying to visual arts programs.
E. The ApCenWeb software is still being developed, and programmers are concentrating especially on solving problems with uploading documents.

kabirgandhi · Answer

Critics say that: The app is not flexible enough to accomodate different programs and streams -> hence, should not be adopted.

Assumption: Different programs/streams will apply using AppCenWeb. If this is not true, for eg, if only Engineering students apply using AppCenWeb, then the argument falls apart.

A) Points out that students from multiple programs/streams will use AppCenWeb -> hence this makes the case for non-adoption stronger.

Does this reasoning make sense or am I stretching my understanding too far?

bb · Answer

Hi. Not that you are taking it too far but rather you are giving it too much freedom/reading it too broadly. The original choice said the following:

The ApCenWeb interface is simple and straightforward, assuring that students interested in all programs will access the application easily.

This option only talks about access, not successful submission or usability or anything like that. You are reading a bit too broadly to mean that people will use it. This does not mean people will use only that students will access it easily. Access is the key word here.

duhaozgur · Answer

Since passage says " ApCenWeb form allows only one 500-word general essay." it means this app restricts users to upload all the submittion materials so we should try to find an option which aims to restrict but not prevent the submmission of all materials. In this perspective choice E is the best answer.Can you clarify this point?

duhaozgur · Answer

I don’t quite agree with the solution. Since passage says "ApCenWeb form allows only one 500-word general essay." it means this app restricts users to upload all the submittion materials so we should try to find an option which aims to restrict but not prevent the submmission of all materials. In this perspective choice E is the best answer.Can you clarify this point?

duhaozgur · Answer

Since passage says "ApCenWeb form allows only one 500-word general essay." it means this app restricts users to upload all the submittion materials so we should try to find an option which aims to restrict but not prevent the submmission of all materials. In this perspective choice E is the best answer.Can you clarify this point?

miag · Answer

Hi,

Please note that the argument is not about general restriction. 
We want a statement that directly shows how ApCenWeb fails students in different disciplines - this is exactly what D) does. Knowing E) doesn't really have much of an impact on the conclusion.

Hope this helps!

vitaeoccaecati · Answer

Still confused on how to pick D over E. I feel that both are talking about the same limitation/lack. Can someone help?

miag · Answer

Hi, 
The key issue with E) is that we dont know if allowing for only one attachment is a blocker or not, it could very well be the case that different fields application requirements can be catered to with just one file.

Hope this helps!

canopyinthecity · Answer

I did not quite understand the solution. (C) is not correct but the explanation for it is not clear enough.

AbhishekP220108 · Answer

canopyinthecity

Option C. "Several flagship universities will not join ApCenWeb unless each of their programs can add custom sections to the form" it basically presents the condition that if no X then no Y..where No X is each of several flagship universities cannot add custom section, then these universities will not join Apcenweb. And the contrapositive is if these universities join, then apcenweb can add custom sections, which is not strengthening the argument against apcenweb, whereas Option D presents one more reason which apcenweb lacks.

miag · Answer

Hi,

Let me try to elaborate on why C) is wrong further:

Choice (C) says some universities won't join unless they can add custom sections. That sounds supportive, but it doesn't tell us why they want custom sections. Their reason might be branding, administrative control, or something unrelated to students being penalized.
The argument we're strengthening is very specific:
A standardized form (with one general essay) would penalize students who need to showcase different strengths.

Hope this helps clarify!

canopyinthecity

I did not quite understand the solution. (C) is not correct but the explanation for it is not clear enough.

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