Question:
Counselor: Every year a popular newsmagazine publishes a list of United States colleges, ranking them according to an overall numerical score that is a composite of ratings according to several criteria. However, the overall scores generally should not be used by students as the basis for deciding to which colleges to apply.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to justify the counselor's recommendation?
Counselor: Every year a popular newsmagazine publishes a list of United States colleges, ranking them according to an overall numerical score that is a composite of ratings according to several criteria. However, the overall scores generally should not be used by students as the basis for deciding to which colleges to apply.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to justify the counselor's recommendation?
Which of the following, if true, most helps to justify the counselor's recommendation?
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In "strengthen the argument" questions, first identify the conclusion and the evidence. Then, look for the logical gap between them. The best answer will bridge this gap by providing a reason why the evidence logically leads to the conclusion.
Updated On: Oct 1, 2025
- The vast majority of people who purchase the magazine in which the list appears are not college-bound students.
- Colleges that are ranked highest in the magazine's list use this fact in advertisements aimed at attracting students.
- The rankings seldom change from one year to the next.
- The significance that particular criteria have for any two students is likely to differ according to the students' differing needs.
- Some college students who are pleased with their schools considered the magazine's rankings before deciding which college to attend.
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The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a critical reasoning question that asks us to strengthen an argument. The counselor's argument is that students should not use the magazine's overall college ranking score as the main basis for their application decisions. The reason given is that the score is a "composite" of several criteria. We need to find an option that best explains why this composite nature makes the score a poor basis for decisions.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's break down the counselor's argument:
\begin{itemize} \item Premise 1: A magazine publishes a college ranking based on a composite numerical score. \item Premise 2: This score is derived from several different criteria. \item Conclusion: Students should not use this overall score as the basis for their decisions. \end{itemize} The logical gap is: why is a composite score a bad basis? The correct answer will bridge this gap.
Let's evaluate the options:
\begin{itemize} \item (A) This discusses the magazine's readership. While interesting, it doesn't address the quality or usefulness of the rankings themselves for the students who do read them. Thus, it doesn't justify the counselor's advice. \item (B) This describes how colleges leverage their high rankings. This is a consequence of the rankings, not a flaw in their methodology or their usefulness to students. It doesn't explain why the score is a bad basis for a student's decision. \item (C) This suggests the rankings are consistent. Consistency might be viewed as a positive trait, suggesting reliability. This statement does not help justify why the rankings are a poor decision-making tool; it might even slightly weaken the counselor's point. \item (D) This directly addresses the core issue with a composite score. A composite score averages many factors (like cost, location, program strength, student life, etc.) using a single weighting scheme. However, each student has unique priorities. Student X might prioritize a low-cost engineering program, while Student Y might prioritize a vibrant arts scene in a big city. A single "overall score" cannot possibly reflect these diverse and individual needs. This option perfectly explains why a one-size-fits-all number is not a good basis for a personal decision. \item (E) This statement provides a counterexample to the counselor's advice. It shows that some students used the rankings and ended up happy. This would weaken the counselor's recommendation, not justify it. \end{itemize} Step 3: Final Answer:
Option (D) provides the strongest justification for the counselor's advice by highlighting the fundamental mismatch between a generalized, composite ranking and the specific, individual needs of different students.
This is a critical reasoning question that asks us to strengthen an argument. The counselor's argument is that students should not use the magazine's overall college ranking score as the main basis for their application decisions. The reason given is that the score is a "composite" of several criteria. We need to find an option that best explains why this composite nature makes the score a poor basis for decisions.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's break down the counselor's argument:
\begin{itemize} \item Premise 1: A magazine publishes a college ranking based on a composite numerical score. \item Premise 2: This score is derived from several different criteria. \item Conclusion: Students should not use this overall score as the basis for their decisions. \end{itemize} The logical gap is: why is a composite score a bad basis? The correct answer will bridge this gap.
Let's evaluate the options:
\begin{itemize} \item (A) This discusses the magazine's readership. While interesting, it doesn't address the quality or usefulness of the rankings themselves for the students who do read them. Thus, it doesn't justify the counselor's advice. \item (B) This describes how colleges leverage their high rankings. This is a consequence of the rankings, not a flaw in their methodology or their usefulness to students. It doesn't explain why the score is a bad basis for a student's decision. \item (C) This suggests the rankings are consistent. Consistency might be viewed as a positive trait, suggesting reliability. This statement does not help justify why the rankings are a poor decision-making tool; it might even slightly weaken the counselor's point. \item (D) This directly addresses the core issue with a composite score. A composite score averages many factors (like cost, location, program strength, student life, etc.) using a single weighting scheme. However, each student has unique priorities. Student X might prioritize a low-cost engineering program, while Student Y might prioritize a vibrant arts scene in a big city. A single "overall score" cannot possibly reflect these diverse and individual needs. This option perfectly explains why a one-size-fits-all number is not a good basis for a personal decision. \item (E) This statement provides a counterexample to the counselor's advice. It shows that some students used the rankings and ended up happy. This would weaken the counselor's recommendation, not justify it. \end{itemize} Step 3: Final Answer:
Option (D) provides the strongest justification for the counselor's advice by highlighting the fundamental mismatch between a generalized, composite ranking and the specific, individual needs of different students.
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