Which statement about the relative cost of private and public universities is supported by the data?

• A. Public universities can cost three times as much to attend as private universities.
• B. Private universities can cost three times as much to attend as public universities.
• C. Private and public universities cost the same.
• D. All universities cost less than trade schools.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is how the costs of private versus public universities compare, based on the data. The data show that private universities often carry higher price tags, and it’s possible for them to cost about three times as much as public universities. This is why the statement that private universities can cost three times as much as public universities is the best match to the data: it reflects the observed possibility of a large cost gap in favor of private institutions.

Think of the gap as private costs being higher overall, though not every private school will be exactly three times the public cost; costs vary by school and year, but the data support the idea that private can be significantly more expensive.

The other options don’t fit the pattern the data show: reversing the relationship would contradict the common finding that private tends to be pricier; saying costs are the same ignores the noted cost difference; and bringing in trade schools shifts away from the private-versus-public comparison and isn’t what the data about these two types of universities address.