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Williamsboro High School

by adi_800 » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:07 pm
This year, Williamsboro High School introduced a peer tutoring program in which students who performed poorly in class were tutored by those who performed well in class. The average scores of the students being tutored were higher before the tutoring than afterwards. Clearly peer tutoring programs do more harm than good.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the argument above EXCEPT:

A. Students who were tutored in the program have exhibited greatly improved study habits and an increased desire to learn.
B. The average scores of students who were not in the tutoring program declined by an even greater amount over the tutoring period.
C. The majority of students who were tutored in the peer-tutoring program enjoyed the program and preferred the tutoring to their regular classes.
D. The course work for which students were responsible at the end of the tutoring period was significantly more challenging than that at the beginning of the tutoring period.
E. Most of the students tutored in a peer tutoring program at Gainesville High School showed marked improvements in their test scores.

[spoiler]Between C and D..which one to chose?[/spoiler]
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by selango » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:20 pm
Clearly peer tutoring programs do more harm than good.

Option C-Majority of students who were tutored in the peer-tutoring program enjoyed the program and preferred the tutoring to their regular classes.

This means peer tutoring programs helped the students and a success..This weaken the argument.

Option D-The course work is difficult.This makes it difficult for the average students and performance declined.
This strengtehn the argument that peer tutoting programs do more harm than good.

IMO D
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by adi_800 » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:25 pm
lets have some more discussion!!
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by apex231 » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:29 pm
I think it's gotta be C.

C) Majority of students who were tutored in the peer-tutoring program enjoyed the program and preferred the tutoring to their regular classes.

This suggests that the focus of the students who are tutoring may shift from their regular studies and that in turn may harm their academic performance.
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by amritashwar_lal2k » Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:18 pm
Conclusion : "Peer tutoring programs do more harm than good"

Premises : average scores of the students being tutored were higher earlier


A.The program has done some good, so does weakens the conclusion

B. The students, who were tutored, at least were not as pathatic as students who were not tutored.

C. What the hell the enjoyment and preference has to do with conclusion(At least directly)

D. Presents the other factor that has caused the decline.

E. Most students have improved scores. However, some have extremely low. That's why the average is low.
But atleast the program has done good to some students.


Hence, C
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by akhpad » Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:43 pm
It seems to be difficult.

Student's score has declined after peer tutoring.

C: Students were enjoying in class that means they are happy. Students have understood clearly what ever have been taught.

D: Course work become more challenge at the end of class and students may not be able to grab it. Score declined.

I will give more weight-age on D.
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by gmat1011 » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:56 am
I think its D --- it doesn't weaken or strengthen, it seems pretty neutral

The others all seem to weaken.
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by diebeatsthegmat » Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:26 am
adi_800 wrote:This year, Williamsboro High School introduced a peer tutoring program in which students who performed poorly in class were tutored by those who performed well in class. The average scores of the students being tutored were higher before the tutoring than afterwards. Clearly peer tutoring programs do more harm than good.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the argument above EXCEPT:

A. Students who were tutored in the program have exhibited greatly improved study habits and an increased desire to learn.
B. The average scores of students who were not in the tutoring program declined by an even greater amount over the tutoring period.
C. The majority of students who were tutored in the peer-tutoring program enjoyed the program and preferred the tutoring to their regular classes.
D. The course work for which students were responsible at the end of the tutoring period was significantly more challenging than that at the beginning of the tutoring period.
E. Most of the students tutored in a peer tutoring program at Gainesville High School showed marked improvements in their test scores.

[spoiler]Between C and D..which one to chose?[/spoiler]
i think the answer is C,
what is the OA
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by FightWithGMAT » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:44 am
adi_800 wrote:This year, Williamsboro High School introduced a peer tutoring program in which students who performed poorly in class were tutored by those who performed well in class. The average scores of the students being tutored were higher before the tutoring than afterwards. Clearly peer tutoring programs do more harm than good.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the argument above EXCEPT:

A. Students who were tutored in the program have exhibited greatly improved study habits and an increased desire to learn.
B. The average scores of students who were not in the tutoring program declined by an even greater amount over the tutoring period.
C. The majority of students who were tutored in the peer-tutoring program enjoyed the program and preferred the tutoring to their regular classes.
D. The course work for which students were responsible at the end of the tutoring period was significantly more challenging than that at the beginning of the tutoring period.
E. Most of the students tutored in a peer tutoring program at Gainesville High School showed marked improvements in their test scores.

[spoiler]Between C and D..which one to chose?[/spoiler]
I think D can be eliminated easily. It is one of the typical GMAT weakeners of casual conclusions.

The fight is between A and C. However A is a mild weakener; it attacks the conclusion, saying that scoring of the class is not the only factor to assess the program. A brings in another factor that the author did not take into account while making the conclusion.

Now, C, at least, does not weaken the conclusion. If it does anything, it strengthen.

Students who were tutored enjoyed (could be fun for them) and then preferred the regular tutoring. Preference to regular tutoring shows that the students did not see much benefit of the program though they took interest in the program.

The tendency of students not to prefer the program is the idea that the program seems to have been not of much use.

Correct me if my reasoning is too imaginative.
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by pnk » Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:10 am
adi_800 wrote:This year, Williamsboro High School introduced a peer tutoring program in which students who performed poorly in class were tutored by those who performed well in class. The average scores of the students being tutored were higher before the tutoring than afterwards. Clearly peer tutoring programs do more harm than good.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the argument above EXCEPT:

A. Students who were tutored in the program have exhibited greatly improved study habits and an increased desire to learn.
C. The majority of students who were tutored in the peer-tutoring program enjoyed the program and preferred the tutoring to their regular classes.
D. The course work for which students were responsible at the end of the tutoring period was significantly more challenging than that at the beginning of the tutoring period. [spoiler]Between C and D..which one to chose?[/spoiler]
peer tutoring programs do more harm than good. To weaken means "correct option should prove that peer programs do not harm"

D - Students were given difficult lessons to take => It shows an alternate reason for 'poor performance of students'. Its not the peer program but the difficulty level of lessons led to poor performance. This weakens the causality

C - students enjoyed the program, does not say anything about whether peer program helped or harmed.They may be enjoying because peers allow them to gossip or move in-out of class freely. This choice neither strengthens nor weakens. IMO
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