{"id":"hs-summer-plans-decision","audience":"high-school","category":"decisions","technique":"context","title":"Get a straight answer on two summer options","task":"You're choosing between two summer options, and you want a straight answer, not 'it depends'. Your two priorities: save $1,200 toward a car by Aug 20, and get there on your own, since you can't drive until your license comes July 15 and your parents work days. Get a one-line pick first, then at most 3 bullets of reasons tied to those priorities, under 70 words, plain text. The AI only knows your priorities if your prompt says them.","free":false,"materialLabel":"The two options (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"OPTION 1: Lifeguard at Cedar Lake Park\n- Pay: $16/hour, about 25 hours a week, June 9 to Aug 15\n- Shifts 10am to 5pm, mostly weekdays\n- Must be certified first: certification course May 30 to June 1, costs $275 (you pay)\n- Cedar Lake is 9 miles from my house. No bus goes there.\n- Posting says \"great for college apps, leadership experience\"\n\nOPTION 2: Summer Tech Start at Riverside Community College + weekend job\n- Free 6-week intro to web design, Mon-Thu 9am to 1pm, June 16 to July 24\n- $600 stipend if you finish all 6 weeks\n- City bus #12 stops right at campus (15 min ride, free with student ID)\n- Plus: Mia's Bakery (4 blocks from my house, I can walk) offered me Sat + Sun 7am to 1pm, $14/hour, all summer (June 7 to Aug 17)\n\nOther stuff:\n- my friend Tasha is lifeguarding too and says it's super fun\n- Mom said she can't drive me anywhere on weekdays, she leaves at 7am\n- Dad works nights, sleeps days","rules":[{"type":"maxBullets","max":3},{"type":"maxWords","max":70},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Asking \"which should I pick?\"","why":"Without your priorities, the AI lists pros and cons of both and ends with 'it depends on your goals'.","fix":"Tell it what matters: \"My goals: save $1,200 by Aug 20, and get there without a car until July 15.\"","checks":["r1","r0"]},{"title":"Letting it hedge","why":"AI avoids choosing for you unless you ask it to commit.","fix":"Add: \"Pick one in the first line. No 'it depends'.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over.","fix":"Cap each part: \"first line under 12 words, each bullet under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"No limit on the reasons","why":"The AI writes a full pros and cons table for each option.","fix":"Add: \"Then at most 3 bullets of reasons.\"","checks":["maxBullets"]},{"title":"Forgetting the hidden costs","why":"The AI does the pay math from the headline rate and skips the fine print.","fix":"Add: \"Use only the facts listed, and count every cost.\"","checks":["r2","plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"States the savings goal","patterns":["1,?200","save","car"]},{"label":"States the ride problem","patterns":["license","can't drive","cannot drive","july 15","ride","get there"]},{"label":"Asks for a clear pick","patterns":["pick","choose","recommend","no .?it depends","commit"]},{"label":"Limits the reasons","patterns":["\\b(3|three)\\b.{0,15}(bullet|reason)","\\d+\\s*words"]},{"label":"Asks for plain text","patterns":["plain","no bold","no markdown","no formatting","no headings"]}],"hint":"The right choice depends on what you care about, and the AI can't guess that. Put your goals and limits in the prompt, then ask it to commit to one answer.","rubricLabels":["The first line clearly picks Option 2 (Summer Tech Start plus the bakery job), with no 'it depends' hedging. Picking lifeguarding fails, since the student has no way to get to Cedar Lake before July 15","The reasons are tied to the student's priorities: the $1,200 car savings goal by Aug 20, and being able to get there without driving or parent rides before the license on July 15","Uses only facts from the material, and if it mentions lifeguard earnings, it accounts for the $275 certification cost"]}