text: Teachers are well versed in their respective subjects, and have a good understanding of what information is necessary in order to succeed in a specific course. They are able to structure summer assignments in correspondence with key information, helping students start a course off strong. My AP Biology teacher illustrated such a well-directed summer assignment last year. She included information that was necessary for the transition into an AP science course, leading to the majority of the class being well-versed in key concepts by the beginning of the school year. This was reflected by the class average of an A in the first quarter. The alternative of a less directed student-designed project would lack the benefit of being structured by an individual knowledgable in key topics and would likely prove detrimental to both grades and overall understanding.