text: A second reason that these summer assignments should be student driven is because students vary a large amount in how prepared they are for the class ahead. This issue is seen extensively with the summer assignments for harder classes, as students may be looking to improve in a subject area or challenge them self, but not have the proper knowledge or skill set to properly learn the content that the teacher wants them to know. For example, a friend of mine wanted to take AP US History this year, but had taken only Academic World History last year. When it came time to complete the AP US History summer assignment, he was out of his depth and did not understand how to properly outline the chapters that we had to read. If we let students design these summer assignments, it will be easier for these kids to access new material and challenge themselves while expanding their knowledge, without overwhelming them.