the number of applicants applying to top graduate programs has declined by more than 10% since the mid-1990s,
however the number of students admitted to these same programs has not decreased commensurately and the caliber of the students admitted, as measured by their undergraduate GPAs and standardized test scores, has actually improved markedly.
which of the following, if true, best explains the seemingly contractictory trends decribed above?
A. the number of applicants applying to second and third tier graduate programs has also declined by more than 10% since the mid 1990s
B. many potential graduate school applicants are put off by the ever increasing cost of a graduate education.
C. Because of improved economic opportunities, general interest in leaving the work force to go to graduate school has waned in recent years
D. the greater premium awarded to degrees from top graduate programs has made the applicants pool increasingly competitive, discouraging those with less impressive academic records from applying
E. the number of women applying to top graduate programs has increased since the mid-1990s, while at the same time the number of men applying to top graduate programs has declined.
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diebeatsthegmat
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gmatrix
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my pick D
it best explains why competitive applicants pool has actually improved.....and why the number of applicants applying to top graduate programs has declined....thus imho.... D best explains the seemingly contradictory trends described....
it best explains why competitive applicants pool has actually improved.....and why the number of applicants applying to top graduate programs has declined....thus imho.... D best explains the seemingly contradictory trends described....
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Tani
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Although I would like to think the increased proportion of women is driving the quality of the pool up, I'm afraid that logically I have to go with D.
Assume last year the average GMAT (to use a single measure) was 650 and there were a thousand students applying. Then this year, those that would have been in the bottom 200 ( GMAT scores from 550 - 650) decided not to apply because they figured they wouldn't get in. The remaining 800 might have an average of 700. From that group only 200 need be selected so even out of 800 applicants there would be plenty of high-scoring candidates so that the average GMAT could be maintained or even increased.
Assume last year the average GMAT (to use a single measure) was 650 and there were a thousand students applying. Then this year, those that would have been in the bottom 200 ( GMAT scores from 550 - 650) decided not to apply because they figured they wouldn't get in. The remaining 800 might have an average of 700. From that group only 200 need be selected so even out of 800 applicants there would be plenty of high-scoring candidates so that the average GMAT could be maintained or even increased.
Tani Wolff
