GMAT critical reasoning - Weaken the argument - Difficulty level hard

In Kravonia, the average salary for jobs requiring a college degree has always been higher than the average salary for jobs that do not require a degree. Over the last few years, the number of Kravonians enrolled in college has been growing steadily. Therefore, the number of Kravonians entering the job market who have at least the qualification of a college degree will eventually be significantly higher than it has been over the last few years.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Kravonians with more than one college degree earn little more, on average, than do Kravonians with only one college degree

(B) The average number of years Kravonian college students remain enrolled before completing a degree has been increasing over the past several years.

(C) Despite the increase in the number of Kravonians attending college, the percentage of the population attending college is lower in Kravonia than in most other countries.

(D) In recent years, employers have been requiring college degrees for workers in jobs t hat were previously performed successfully by Kravonians who did not have college degrees.

(E) For many years, employers in Kravonia have had difficulty finding enough college graduates to fill the high-paying jobs that were available.

Weaken the argument.
Broad steps.

1. Identify the conclusion
2. Identify the logic. The argument uses a certain logic to arrive at the conclusion.
3. Choose an answer option which weakens the arguments. 

Let’s break down the argument.

• average salary for jobs requiring a degree  is greater than average salary for jobs without a degree 
• Number of people joining college has grown steadily
• Therefore, number of people entering the job market will be higher this year than the number earlier 

What is the conclusion?

Tip: The conclusion indicator word is “Therefore”  
number of people entering the job market will be higher than the number earlier

What is the premise (reason/evidence for this claim)?

Number of people joining college has grown steadily

Lets link it up

Number of people joining college has grown steadily
                     *Therefore*
number of people entering the job market this year will be higher than the number earlier.

The logic used in this argument is causal.

Cause …. Therefore… effect

It is necessary to identify the logic used in the argument. There are 5 of them. Learn more about them in the critical reasoning course. More details here….
https://letsgmat.blogspot.com/2020/07/gmat-live-online-verbal-classes_5.html

Now lets look at the answer options. 

We need to choose an answer option which weakens the conclusion. The answer option should undermine the fact that the number of people entering the job market will increase when compared to the number earlier

Option A:
(A) Kravonians with more than one college degree earn little more, on average, than do Kravonians with only one college degree

Does  the number of  college degrees relate to the conclusion
Does it undermine the conclusion that more people will enter the job market. 
No.

The statement regarding salary is irrelevant.

In-fact the premise
average salary for jobs requiring a degree is greater than the  average salary for jobs without a degree
is unnecessary. This premise can be ignored as it is not linked to the conclusion

Option B
(B) The average number of years Kravonian college students remain enrolled before completing a degree has been increasing over the past several years.

If the duration of the program has increased over the past years, then more students will still be in college. They wouldn’t have graduated college. Hence the number of people entering the job market will not be “significantly higher”

This option weakens the conclusion

Tip: Always look out for “other” factors which rebuts the claim. Here duration of the program is the other factor.

Longer the duration of  the program ……*therefore*.....   fewer people enter the job market.

Option B is the answer

Option C
(C)Despite the increase in the number of Kravonians attending college, the percentage of the population attending college is lower in Kravonia than in most other countries.
Comparison of data from other countries is irrelevant.
Option C is ruled out.

 Option D
(D) In recent years, employers have been requiring college degrees for workers in jobs that were previously performed successfully by Kravonians who did not have college degrees
Employers prefer graduates over employees who don’t have college degree. This statement doesn’t weaken the conclusion that more people will enter the job market. Option D is ruled out.

(E) For many years, employers in Kravonia have had difficulty finding enough college graduates to fill the high-paying jobs that were available.


This statement is irrelevant to the conclusion. High paying jobs is not connected to the number of people entering the job market.

Hence Option B weakens the claim