From 2005 to 2009, over 80% of graduates from Zenith University were

Question

From 2005 to 2009, over 80% of graduates from Zenith University were able to secure employment within their first six weeks of graduation. Prospective engineering students should therefore choose Zenith University, if they want to be employed within six weeks of graduating.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument?

(A) The economy has been doing well, though analysts forecast that there will be a recession that could last for as long as five years.

(B) Since 2005, the number of jobs for engineers has not significantly decreased.

(C) Many Zenith University students who were not able to secure employment within six weeks often found jobs soon after.

(D) Compared to all other degrees conferred by Zenith University, engineering degrees were the most likely to result in employment within six weeks.

(E) Some who earned a humanities degree were not employed six months after graduating from Zenith University.

This is a  CR Butler Question

Check the links to other Butler Projects:

Data Sufficiency Butler  
  Problem Solving Butler  
  Sentence Correction Butler  
  Reading Comprehension Butler  
  Integrated Reasoning Butler

Ayeka · Answer

From 2005 to 2009, over 80% of graduates from Zenith University were able to secure employment within their first six weeks of graduation. Prospective engineering students should therefore choose Zenith University, if they want to be employed within six weeks of graduating.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument?

(A) The economy has been doing well, though analysts forecast that there will be a recession that could last for as long as five years. IRRELEVANT

(B) Since 2005, the number of jobs for engineers has not significantly decreased. IRRELEVANT

(C) Many Zenith University students who were not able to secure employment within six weeks often found jobs soon after. NO

(D) Compared to all other degrees conferred by Zenith University, engineering degrees were the most likely to result in employment within six weeks. THIS STRENGTHENS THE ARGUMENT. CORRECT

(E) Some who earned a humanities degree were not employed six months after graduating from Zenith University. NO

ANSWER: D

Krunaal · Answer

To strengthen this argument, we need to establish a  stronger link between engineering students specifically and their likelihood of securing employment  quickly after graduation.

(A) This introduces uncertainty about the future state of the economy, which could negatively impact employment opportunities for all graduates, including engineers. This weakens the argument, rather than strengthening it.  INCORRECT

(B) While this suggests that there are still jobs available for engineers, it does not directly address whether Zenith University graduates, in particular, are likely to secure those jobs quickly. This choice is somewhat neutral and doesn't directly strengthen the argument.  INCORRECT

(C) This does not focus on the likelihood of getting a job within six weeks, which is the key point of the argument. It weakens the argument by implying that some students do not get employed within the desired time frame.  INCORRECT

(D) This directly strengthens the argument. If engineering degrees, specifically, are the most likely to lead to employment within six weeks, then prospective engineering students would have a strong reason to choose Zenith University.  CORRECT

(E) This focuses on humanities graduates and their employment outcomes, which does not strengthen the argument about engineering students.  INCORRECT

Answer D.

prantorboni · Answer

From  2005 to 2009 , over  80% of graduates  from  Zenith University  were able to  secure employment  within their first  six weeks of graduation.  Prospective  engineering students  should therefore  choose Zenith University , if they want to be employed within six weeks of graduating.

Considering, (D) Compared to all other degrees conferred by Zenith University, engineering degrees were the most likely to result in employment within six weeks which aligns with all the informations stated above.

Answer: D.

Bunuel · Answer

Magoosh Official Explanation:

The credited answer is (D).

On average, all Zenith grads are successful in landing jobs. If engineering students at Zenith are the most successful, this means the percent of them hired in the first six weeks would be higher than 80%. Very impressive! Imagine a program, graduating from which one might have, say, a 90% chance of landing a job in six weeks! This enormously strengthens the argument.

Choice (A) doesn't sound hopeful. If there's a recession coming, then perhaps job prospects will be bleak for everyone. It's not clear how this would strengthen the argument. Choice (A) is incorrect.

If jobs in engineering had wildly increased, that might be a strengthener. The fact that they declined, but not too much --- it's hard to call that a strengthener. It's not clear how this face would make someone confident of landing a job in engineering. Choice (B) is incorrect.

Choice (C) is vaguely a strengthener, but if many of the last 20%, from all programs, found jobs soon after the first six weeks, that begs the question: what's special about engineering? Why would the engineering program be in any way special or significant? This choice fails to identify anything singularly meaningful about the engineering program, and so it mystifies us why the conclusion focuses on this one program. Choice (C) is incorrect.

Choice (E) suggests, not surprisingly, that humanities is not the most promising route for instant employment. Even if this is true, why engineering more than any other science or technical field? Why Zenith over any other university? This leaves too much unclear. Choice (E) is incorrect.

From 2005 to 2009, over 80% of graduates from Zenith University were

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

From 2005 to 2009, over 80% of graduates from Zenith University were

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards