University administrators considering proposals to make admission standards more rigorous often encounter resistance from predictable sources. Student...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
University administrators considering proposals to make admission standards more rigorous often encounter resistance from predictable sources. Students convinced that current requirements are already excessively demanding are unlikely to be ______ such initiatives. These administrators would find greater success by directing their advocacy toward faculty and alumni who demonstrate more flexibility regarding academic policy changes.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
informed about
amenable to
frustrated by
mentioned in
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "University administrators considering proposals to make admission standards more rigorous often encounter resistance from predictable sources." |
|
| "Students convinced that current requirements are already excessively demanding are unlikely to be _______ such initiatives." |
|
| "These administrators would find greater success by directing their advocacy toward faculty and alumni who demonstrate more flexibility regarding academic policy changes." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: University administrators trying to make admission standards more rigorous should target faculty and alumni rather than students, who already find current requirements too demanding.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that administrators face predictable resistance when proposing stricter admission standards. It explains that students who already think requirements are excessive would naturally be unreceptive to making them even tougher. The passage then suggests administrators would be more successful focusing their efforts on faculty and alumni who are more flexible about policy changes.
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 logical relationship here is clear: if students already think current admission requirements are "excessively demanding," they would be unlikely to support or be open to initiatives that make those standards even MORE rigorous
- The missing word needs to express some form of opposition or lack of support
- The word should indicate that students would not be receptive, supportive, or willing to accept these initiatives to tighten standards further
informed about
- This suggests students wouldn't know about the initiatives
- The passage isn't about awareness or information - it's about student attitudes toward making standards more rigorous
- Doesn't fit the logical flow
amenable to
- "Amenable to" means willing to accept or be open to
- Perfect logical fit: students who think current standards are already too demanding would be unlikely to be willing to accept making them even more rigorous
- Matches the contrast with faculty/alumni who "demonstrate more flexibility"
frustrated by
- While students might be frustrated, this doesn't capture the logical relationship
- The sentence structure suggests students would be unlikely to have a particular attitude toward the initiatives
mentioned in
- Makes no logical sense in context
- Doesn't relate to the idea that students find current requirements excessive