Live GMAT classes with Target Test Prep start Nov 21 and Nov 22. First class free.

See classes
Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 winner: Target Test Prep, #1 Test Prep

Target Test Prep was voted #1 Best Test Prep in the 2026 Newsweek Readers’ Choice™ Awards.

★★★★★5.0563 reviews
GMATLiveTeachStarts Nov 22
Josh Braslow, Target Test Prep GMAT expert
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES

Get Ready for GMAT Test Day Faster with Live Online Classes

with Josh Braslow, 20+ years in test prep

Nov 22 · Josh Braslow
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes + 6 months of TTP OnDemand
  • Attend the first class for free
  • Every class is recorded, so you never fall behind
View classes & enroll
Limited seats availableTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeachOnDemandStart anytime
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Target Test Prep EA OnDemand

Self-paced EA prep. Study on your schedule.

EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

with

165+ EA score guarantee
$05-day trial no automatic billing
Schedule
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll Start free 5-day trial
Limited cohort · enrollment openTrial includes full course accessTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemandStart anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions

The proportion of women among students enrolled in higher

Expert replies
by BTGmoderatorDC » Thu Sep 20, 2018 5:20 pm
Timer
00:00
Your answer
Difficulty–

right wrong

Pick an answer to see how members did

The proportion of women among students enrolled in higher education programs has increased over the past decades. This is partly shown by the fact that in 1959, only 11 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college, while in 1981, 30 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college.

To evaluate the argument above, it would be most useful to compare 1959 and 1981 with regard to which of the following characteristics?

(A) The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-one who were not enrolled in college
(B) The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-five who graduated from college
(C) The percentage of women who, after attending college, entered highly paid professions
(D) The percentage of men between twenty and twenty-one who were enrolled in college
(E) The percentage of men who graduated from high school

OA D

Source: Official Guide
Join the discussion
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by ceilidh.erickson » Fri Sep 21, 2018 11:53 am
In order to EVALUATE an argument, we must first find the logical flaw in the argument.

This argument is conflating two different metrics:
1. the proportion of women among total students: (women students)/(women students + non-women students)
2. the proportion of all women of a certain age who *are* students: (women students)/(women students + women who are not students)

(Also note that this problem assumes a male/female gender binary, which itself can be considered logically flawed. But until the GMAT changes its stance on this, we'll have to treat these as mutually exclusive & comprehensive categories on questions like this).

Imagine that in 1959, there were 100,000 men and 100,000 women in these age ranges. (To keep things simple, let's not even worry about population increase over time).

Scenario A:
1959: 11% of women are enrolled --> 11,000. Let's imagine that 30,000 men are enrolled. That makes women a little over ~25% of the student population.
1981: 30% of women are enrolled --> 30,000. Let's say that the # of men stayed unchanged: 30,000 men. That makes women 50% of the student population.
The author's argument holds: the proportion of women out of all students has increased.

Scenario A:
1959: 11% of women are enrolled --> 11,000. Let's keep the same 30,000 men enrolled. Again, women = ~25% of the student population.
1981: 30% of women are enrolled --> 30,000. Let's now say that the number of men enrolled increases to 90,000. That makes women exactly 25% of the student population.
The proportion of women enrolled actually decreased in this scenario.

If we want to know about women as a proportion of all students, we also need to know whether the proportion of male students out of all male 18-25 yrs olds changed.

(A) The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-one who were not enrolled in college
This is already inferable from the given info.

(B) The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-five who graduated from college
Graduation is irrelevant to the argument - it's only dealing with enrollment proportions.

(C) The percentage of women who, after attending college, entered highly paid professions
Again, irrelevant.

(D) The percentage of men between twenty and twenty-one who were enrolled in college
Yes, this is exactly what's missing.

(E) The percentage of men who graduated from high school
Irrelevant to whether they go to college or not.

The answer is D.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Join the discussion