Situation: The text describe a paradox--even though business schools are less successful during recessions, they nonetheless attract a greater number of students. Reasoning: We would expect that when schools are less successful at improving students prospects, they would be less attractive to prospective students. However, there are a number of other factors that could play into this, counteracting that downward pressure and making school more attractive during a recession. This is an EXCEPT question; four wrong answers will explain this discrepancy, while one correct choices will either be irrelevant or deepen the mystery.

Answer choice (A) explains the mystery by pointing out that non-degree holders are even worse off during a recession than business school graduates.

Answer choice (B) suggests a reason for business-school enrollment--students have no choice, as their skills in their previous industry are no longer marketable.

Choice (D) suggests that business schools capitalize on the poor recession as a marketing tool, which could explain increased enrollment.

Finally, choice (E) explains that the poor job market is the motivation for some to catch up on the studying that previously had too high an opportunity cost.

Choice (C) is irrelevant. Paid internships are unlikely to significantly defray the cost of tuition, and the short-term internships are at best a temporary solution to the poor job market. Since it doesn't address the mystery in the stem, it is the credited answer. C is the correct answer.