Let teenage student weigh in on plans, goals for summer
Q My husband and I have been debating whether to enroll our daughter in an academic program offered by a nearby college this summer. She is a junior in high school who has done well and could handle the college-level course being offered. I think she should take a break from schoolwork, find a part-time job, and do some volunteer work. My husband thinks that attending an academic program will help her get into a good college next year. What do you think?
N.C., Newton A I think your daughter's voice needs to be heard. If her academic year has been sufficiently taxing, time away from the classroom seems best. If the summer school offerings allow her to delve into a subject she truly enjoys, not just one that might impress an admissions committee, enroll.
Sure, with competition for the top schools as keen as ever, it's tempting to plot a path of distinction: volunteer work, college-level courses, exotic hobbies, world travel, etc. Resist the temptation. Admission committees have a knack for winnowing activities that are consistent with an applicant's character and experience from those undertaken for the sake of novelty.
Ask your daughter what she most values and let that be a guide. Volunteer work, when the motivation is genuine, is fruitful for all involved. Traveling to connect with a family's cultural traditions or to deepen an appreciation of, say, ancient Rome trumps mere sightseeing. Also, these sorts of experiences often provide great material for the personal statement portion of the college application. More important, they continue to matter whether or not they impress an admissions committee.
Q My son is on the waiting list for a college he desperately wants to attend. I have friends and professional colleagues who are alumni of the school in question. Do you think that letters from them will help or hurt my son's chances of admission?
J.J., Hanover A It's a gamble. A connection could impress one admissions director and improve your son's spot on the waiting list, while another might think that calling in a favor reflects poorly on a candidate.
Admissions committees receive many unsolicited recommendations from prominent alumni; often, though, they're too vague or general to shed any light on the applicant's candidacy and reveal little more than a social connection. If one of the folks you mentioned can recount specific experiences that speak to your son's character, accomplishments, and potential, have him or her send a letter. It can't hurt.
More important, encourage your son to write on his own behalf. Have him provide an update on his recent progress inside and outside of the classroom and a more informed rationale for seeking admission.
Q I'm a student who has often turned to on line study guides for help with reading assignments. I know it's not the thing to do, but they sometimes help me understand the important themes of a book. Should I feel guilty about doing my work this way?
Anonymous, Boston A You should feel a jot of guilt about forfeiting a chance to form your own understanding of what matters in a novel, poem, or play. Plot summaries, clipped character descriptions, and lists of motifs may help you pass a quiz but they do little to exercise your mind. Nor do they make you a better reader of the complications and conundrums any worthwhile work presents.
More, your approach will fail to prepare you for the next difficult reading. I understand that the proliferation and ease of online help tempts even the most independent and scrupulous student. In a perfect world, student and teacher would work together on the challenging ideas and language of "Hamlet" or "The Odyssey."
But, if you've made a genuine effort to wrestle meaning from the text and your teacher's instruction has left you in the dark, consider turning to critical commentaries rather than the barebones of SparkNotes or MonkeyNotes . Check with your librarian for credible scholarly guides. For example, Harold Bloom has edited a series of study guides that illuminate, rather than flatten, the classics.
Ron Fletcher teaches English at Boston College High. To submit a question, e-mail asktheteacher@globe.com. Include your name, town, and e-mail address. Questions, upon request, can be printed anonymously. Ask the Teacher runs on alternate Sundays with Campus Insider, a roundup of higher-education items. 
