Professor Sarah Chen held the position of graduate admissions director at State University's engineering school from 2015 through 2022. An...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Professor Sarah Chen held the position of graduate admissions director at State University's engineering school from 2015 through 2022. An academic investigator contends that among Chen's main goals during this period was expanding the participation of underrepresented minority students in the graduate program.
Which evidence, if accurate, would provide the most compelling support for the investigator's contention?
Engineering graduate students who entered the program from 2015 to 2022 gave Dr. Chen outstanding mentorship evaluations in alumni questionnaires completed after degree completion.
The percentage of underrepresented minority students accepted into the engineering graduate program rose substantially in 2016 and stayed high during Chen's entire leadership period.
Academic papers published by Dr. Chen from 2015-2022 emphasized diversity and inclusion themes to a greater degree than her previous scholarly output.
Admissions documentation processed under Dr. Chen's directorship demonstrated more comprehensive assessment standards compared to materials handled in prior years.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Professor Sarah Chen held the position of graduate admissions director at State University's engineering school from 2015 through 2022.' |
|
| 'An academic investigator contends that among Chen's main goals during this period was expanding the participation of underrepresented minority students in the graduate program.' |
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Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: An investigator claims that expanding underrepresented minority student participation was one of Chen's primary objectives during her tenure as admissions director.
Argument Flow: We get basic context about Chen's position and timeframe, then learn about an investigator's specific claim regarding her priorities. The passage sets up a scenario where we need evidence to evaluate this claim.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The investigator claims Chen's main goal was expanding underrepresented minority participation
- The best evidence would show either direct results of this supposed priority or clear actions that demonstrate this focus
- We'd want something that specifically connects to underrepresented minorities and shows measurable impact during Chen's leadership period (2015-2022)
- Key elements the correct answer should have:
- Direct connection to underrepresented minority students
- Shows actual results or concrete actions during Chen's tenure
- Demonstrates this was a priority, not just a side effect
Engineering graduate students who entered the program from 2015 to 2022 gave Dr. Chen outstanding mentorship evaluations in alumni questionnaires completed after degree completion.
✗ Incorrect
- Outstanding mentorship evaluations show Chen was effective at supporting students after they entered
- This doesn't demonstrate that expanding underrepresented minority participation was her goal
- Good mentorship could happen regardless of admission priorities
The percentage of underrepresented minority students accepted into the engineering graduate program rose substantially in 2016 and stayed high during Chen's entire leadership period.
✓ Correct
- Shows substantial rise in underrepresented minority acceptance rates starting in 2016 (right after Chen took over)
- The timing perfectly aligns with Chen's tenure and stayed high throughout
- This directly demonstrates results that would naturally follow if the investigator's claim were true
Academic papers published by Dr. Chen from 2015-2022 emphasized diversity and inclusion themes to a greater degree than her previous scholarly output.
✗ Incorrect
- Academic papers about diversity themes show Chen's scholarly interests
- Doesn't prove she acted on these interests specifically in her admissions role
- Writing about diversity doesn't necessarily mean prioritizing it in graduate admissions
Admissions documentation processed under Dr. Chen's directorship demonstrated more comprehensive assessment standards compared to materials handled in prior years.
✗ Incorrect
- More comprehensive assessment standards show Chen changed evaluation processes
- Doesn't specify that these changes were designed to help underrepresented minorities
- Could represent many different priorities, not necessarily the one the investigator claims