GMAT Essays (AWA)

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"Throughout the last two decades, those who earned graduate degrees found it very difficult to get jobs teaching their academic specialties at the college level. Those with graduate degrees from Waymarsh University had an especially hard time finding such jobs. But better times are coming in the next decade for all academic job seekers, including those from Waymarsh. Demographic trends indicate that an increasing number of people will be reaching college age over the next 10 years; consequently, we can expect that the job market will improve dramatically for people seeking college-level teaching positions in their fields."

In the preceding argument, the author predicts that the job market will improve dramatically for people seeking college-level teaching positions because of the increasing number of people who will be reaching college age. This argument has many unsupported premises and unsubstantiated assumptions that it cannot be accepted as valid.

The primary concern with the author's argument is the assumption that people who will be reaching college age over the next 10 years will go to college during that time. There is no evidence showing that these people will go to college. They could actually decide to go straight into the work force and not go to college at all. Some might decide to wait past their "college age" to go to school. Some might actually get married and be a domestic spouse and not go to college. Without further evidence that shows people will actually go to college in the next decade, we cannot consider the author's conclusion valid.

The secondary concern with this argument is the assumption that college-level teaching positions will hire teachers with a graduate degree. Perhaps those who have a hard time finding teaching jobs because they are not qualified to teach at a college-level with only a graduate degree. It is possible that these positions require a higher education such as a doctorate degree. It could also be possible that the graduate degree is not in the same feel that they wish to teach in. Without further evidence, we cannot say that the job market will "improve drastically" as the author concludes.

The author could have improved his argument if he had provided data that shows people who will be reaching college age will go to college in the next 10 years such as a flood of college applications or survey showing the students are interested in going to college. He could also provide data that shows new job positions are opening and those who earned graduate degrees are qualified for those positions.

The argument as it stands, however, cannot be valid for the reasons indicated.