DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 years old and I can honestly tell you that I get very, very good grades. I've always been quite interested in school, so I do all of my homework early and prepare extensively for every exam.

I have dreams of becoming our class valedictorian at some point during my high school career and of course I'm very interested in trying to achieve a college scholarship to a good university somewhere near my hometown.

There are a few good friends I have who are also excellent students, and their parents take a tremendous interest in their academic pursuits. However, ironically, my parents are proud of my grades, but they don't take much more interest in my grades than that. They never ask me about college, and they don't fawn over my 4.0 grade-point average at all.

I think this may be because I come from a decidedly middle-class family. My mother is a waitress at a pretty good restaurant here in our town and my father works as a laborer on various construction sites.

My father, in fact, has told me a few times not to get my hopes up too much about college since he does not feel our family would be able to afford it. This is why I'm so driven to try to earn a scholarship if at all possible.

My mother often encourages me to work a few shifts at her restaurant on the weekends, so that once I graduate high school, I can get a full-time job there. It's true that she does earn some nice tips at that establishment, but my dreams go far beyond becoming a waitress in my hometown.

Should I continue to believe that I may someday earn a college scholarship, or is it now time for me to downshift my expectations so that I won't feel crushed if I don't achieve my goals? — Studying Hard and Dreaming Big, via email

STUDYING HARD AND DREAMING BIG: I wholeheartedly encourage you to continue on the path you are currently on! You are a serious student who is achieving excellent grades, no doubt due to your diligence and the time and effort you put into your studies.

As long as you maintain that diligence, I feel opportunities exist to achieve your dreams. Be sure to speak to some of your favorite teachers about your goals and seek advice from guidance counselors on your campus. Engage as many knowledgeable adults as you possibly can to help you prepare now to apply for scholarships in your area as early as you possibly can.

It's understandable that your parents don't wish to get your hopes up, but also realize that your dreams are not their dreams — so it's up to you to pursue what you wish to accomplish in life. I trust that your parents will be very proud of you no matter how things turn out, so I encourage you to stick to your dreams and keep working hard because I feel your chances are quite good to become a successful college student in the very near future.

NOW I CAN'T SEE THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS!

DR. WALLACE: I'm a 15-year-old guy and I met the girl of my dreams when our family took a vacation to the beach area of San Diego over the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. She and I had a full week of fun together as both of our families were vacationing at the same hotel and our parents let us attend outings together with each family on alternating days.

But now I have a big problem! I can't get her out of my mind, and I wish I could take her out on dates every weekend, but I can't. I live in Iowa and she lives in Tennessee! We both feel it was fate that we met in California but now we can't be together. How will I ever be able to function in my high school when I can't ever see the girl of my dreams? And I should mention that she feels the same way about me and she's the same age I am. — I Miss Her So Much, via email

I MISS HER SO MUCH: I'm very happy to hear that you met a special girl and that you enjoyed a wonderful vacation week in San Diego with her.

However, reality has now set in for the two of you and I recommend that you both enjoy social lives while you are in your respective high schools in your respective states. There's no reason why you can't keep in touch with her via phone, text, email, social media and any other way that the two of you would like to maintain communication. Within three years you will both be 18 and maybe interested in attending college or entering the workforce.

So, at some point you may wish to see each other socially again, but for the meantime I suggest that you each do not put your social lives on hold for such a long period of time.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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