In a survey of applicants to a top university, one-third stated that t

Question

In a survey of applicants to a top university, one-third stated that they had not been entirely honest on their applications. The actual numbers of applicants who were not entirely honest on their applications is likely higher than reported. 
Which of the following best supports the conclusion?

A. Some of the applicants who were not entirely honest on their applications might have reported being honest. 
B. Some applicants who were honest on their applications might have reported being not entirely honest. 
C. Some applicants who were not entirely honest on their applications might have reported their dishonesty accurately. 
D. Some applicants may have been more dishonest on their applications than they reported in the survey. 
E. Applicants to less prestigious universities are probably more likely to be honest than applicants to top universities.

Soumya200011 · Answer

IMO A
A. Some of the applicants who were not entirely honest on their applications might have reported being honest.-Correct
B. Some applicants who were honest on their applications might have reported being not entirely honest.-This means that the no of dishonest applicants would decrease.This would go against the argument.
C. Some applicants who were not entirely honest on their applications might have reported their dishonesty accurately.-This is the assumption required.
D. Some applicants may have been more dishonest on their applications than they reported in the survey.-Not concerned about the degree of dishonesty.
E. Applicants to less prestigious universities are probably more likely to be honest than applicants to top universities.- Irrelevant, we do not know anything about other universities.
HTH.

winterschool · Answer

In a survey of applicants to a top university, one-third stated that they had not been entirely honest on their applications. The actual numbers of applicants who were not entirely honest on their applications is likely higher than reported.
Which of the following best supports the conclusion?

A. Some of the applicants who were not entirely honest on their applications might have reported being honest.

Correct  - If some of the applicants who were not entirely honest being not reported then argument conclusion true

B. Some applicants who were honest on their applications might have reported being not entirely honest.

Incorrect  - weakens the argument

C. Some applicants who were not entirely honest on their applications might have reported their dishonesty accurately.

Incorrect  - it supports survey report but not argument conclusion

D. Some applicants may have been more dishonest on their applications than they reported in the survey.

Incorrect  - more dishonest is irrelevant and also it cant changes survey report

E. Applicants to less prestigious universities are probably more likely to be honest than applicants to top universities.

Incorrect  - Irrelevant

PRNDL · Answer

I don't understand how the option A and C are different. I only got this question correct by chance.

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  PRNDL . The crux of the question is that there were probably more people than reported  who were not entirely honest on their applications . To support this conclusion, we need to track two groups of people—for the sake of simplicity, honest and dishonest—and their responses—whether applicants  said  they were or were not entirely honest.

(A) Dishonest  might have reported being honest  → There may be more  not entirely honest  people   √

(B) Honest  might have reported being not entirely honest  → These people reported their dishonesty accurately, so the results should hold   X

(C) Dishonest  might have reported their dishonesty accurately  → No different from (B) above.   X   (We have no reason to suspect that there would be more people who were not entirely honest.)

(D) Dishonest  may have been more dishonest... than they reported . → The  degree  of dishonesty does not affect the  number  of dishonest applicants. If dishonest applicants said they were dishonest, then this answer is little different from (C).   X

(E) A completely different group of  applicants . → No bearing on the argument.   X

Perhaps the answer choices make a bit more sense now. I do not think this is an accurate representation of a GMAT™ question, or at least one I have seen, but the logic is fun to work through, and maybe that is the point.

Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

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