LSAT Explanation PT 45, S4, Q15: The cost of a semester's tuition
LSAT Question Stem
Each of the following, if true, helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy above EXCEPT:
Logical Reasoning Question Type
This is a Paradox question.
Correct Answer
The correct answer to this question is A.
LSAT Question Complete Explanation
The question type for this problem is Paradox, specifically a Resolve the Paradox Except question. Our task is to identify the answer choice that does NOT help resolve the apparent discrepancy described in the passage.
The discrepancy in the passage is:
1. The cost per course at the university has not risen in four years.
2. Many students who could afford the tuition when they first enrolled now claim they can no longer afford it.
To make this more relatable, imagine a restaurant where the price of each dish has remained the same for four years, but customers who used to dine there regularly now claim they can't afford to eat there anymore. This seems confusing since the prices haven't changed. We will now go through the answer choices to see which ones help resolve this discrepancy and which one does not.
Answer choice (A): This answer choice talks about faculty salaries at the university rising slightly over the past four years. This does not help resolve the discrepancy because it doesn't directly affect the students' ability to afford tuition when the tuition per class remains constant. This is the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (B): This choice resolves the discrepancy by suggesting that full-time students are now required to enroll in more courses per semester. This would mean that even though the cost per course remains the same, the overall tuition cost is higher because students are taking more courses.
Answer choice (C): This choice resolves the discrepancy by stating that the cost of living in the vicinity of the university has risen over the last two years. This would mean that students have less money to spend on tuition because their living expenses have increased.
Answer choice (D): This response resolves the discrepancy by suggesting that the university awards new students a large number of scholarships that are renewed each year for students who maintain high grade averages. This implies that some students might lose their scholarships if they don't maintain high grades, making it harder for them to afford tuition.
Answer choice (E): This choice resolves the discrepancy by suggesting that the university has turned many part-time office jobs, which were typically held by students, into full-time, non-student positions. This could reduce the income opportunities for students, making it more difficult for them to afford tuition.
In summary, answer choice (A) is the correct answer because it does not help resolve the discrepancy between the cost per course remaining constant and students' inability to afford tuition. The other answer choices provide possible explanations for why students might struggle to afford tuition despite the cost per course remaining the same.