Colleges announce an average SAT score for their entering freshmen. Usually a college would like this average to be as high as possible. A New York Times article noted, "Private colleges that buy lots of top students with merit scholarships prefer the mean, while open-enrollment public institutions like medians."
Which of the following statements correctly explains these preferences?
(A) The relatively small number of top students does not affect the mean. The typical score, or the median, decreases by the presence of these students.
(B) The relatively small number of top students puts the mean above the median. The typical score, or the median, is not affected by the presence or absence of these students.
(C) Neither the median nor the mean is affected by the relatively small number of top students, and so both measures of center are equal in this case.
(D) The relatively small number of top students puts the mean below the median. The typical score, or the median, increases by the presence of these students.
Answer: (B) The relatively small number of top students puts the mean above the median. The typical score, or the median, is not affected by the presence or absence of these students.
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