text: A major problem with student-designed projects is the students' lack of knowledge about the coursework they will be studying in the next year. Although a student project may be fun, it is unlikely to adequately prepare the students for their classes. The purpose of summer projects are to prepare the student for the next year's work; the teacher knows what will be studied and is therefore better able to prepare material for the summer. Teachers are also more aware of how much time it takes for students to complete a project and therefore will create a project better suited for the time over the summer.