LSAT 105 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q18

LR Question 18 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: In a study in which secondary school students …

QUESTION TYPE: Weaken

CONCLUSION: Something must be discouraging people with that personality type from becoming teachers.

REASONING: Students most often liked teachers with a certain personality type. That personality type is 20% of the public, but only 5% of teachers.

ANALYSIS: Let’s name the personality type X.

We’re not disputing the stats. You’re supposed to take premises as true on the LSAT.

We’re trying to weaken the claim that something is stopping people with X from becoming teachers.

The most plausible other alternative is that people with X do enter teaching, but then leave the profession at a higher rate.

If that’s true, the low 5% number among current teachers wouldn’t be caused by discouragement from entering. It could be caused by higher attrition after entering.

___________

1. The stimulus said nothing about doctors, so why would we care!
2. This actually supports the argument. If only 5% of education students have the personality type, then the underrepresentation already exists before teaching, suggesting something may discourage them from entering the profession.
3. So students of teachers with that personality type go to other professions, not people with that personality type themselves. This still doesn’t explain why the personality type is rare among teachers.
4. So the teachers like students who have personality X. At most, this makes the situation more confusing: if you’re treated nicely by your teachers, maybe you’d be more likely to want to become a teacher.
5. CORRECT. If teachers with that personality type are more likely to quit, then the low percentage among current teachers may be due to leaving the profession, not being discouraged from entering it.