Critical Reasoning

Top college graduates are having more difficulty demonstrating their superiority to prospective employers than did the top students of twenty years ago when an honors degree was distinction enough. Today’s employers are less impressed with the honors degree. Twenty years ago no more than 10 percent of a given class graduated with honors. Today, however, because of grade inflation, the honors degree goes to more than 50 percent of a graduating class. Therefore, to restore confidence in the degrees they award, colleges must take steps to control grade inflation.
Which one of the following is an assumption that, if true, would support the conclusion in the passage?
(A) Today’s students are not higher achievers than the students of twenty years ago.
(B) Awarding too many honors degrees causes colleges to inflate grades.
(C) Today’s employers rely on honors ranking in making their hiring decisions.
(D) It is not easy for students with low grades to obtain jobs.
(E) Colleges must make employers aware of the criteria used to determine who receives an honors degree.


can anybody tell me why E is not the correct answer?

Fren, A is the answer...

Today’s students are not higher achievers than the students of twenty years ago

if todays students are higher achievers that the students of twenty years ago then it wont support the statement that there is grade inflation....

Colleges must make employers aware of the criteria used to determine who receives an honors degree.

Clearly E does not support the argument...

oops i meant why isnt C the answer!

yes, the OA is A

Today’s employers rely on honors ranking in making their hiring decisions

The conclusion is

Therefore, to restore confidence in the degrees they award, colleges must take steps to control grade inflation.

Support/Premise
20 yrs ago few honors awarded than today...
because of grade inflation, the honors degree goes to more than 50 percent of a graduating class.

The argument is clearly stating that there is grade inflation...which means...
the students are not better than 20 years ago....

C is another best answer but A is the best answer...

IMHO - A

The statement is that "By reducing the number of students who are awarded honors the college can restore the confidence of the employers". But students can still show their skill to their employers and influence their decision.. The fact that students are not able to do this implies that they might not be as skilled as students who graduated 20 yrs ago..

Was tempted to choose C although !.. OA pls

OA is A!

although both A and C both are valid assumptions, C goes on to support one of premises whereas A directly supports the conclusion (something that is explicitly stated in the question stem).

Therefore, i presume , A wins!!

I like the explanation on A

I am leaning more towards A