Some students crave a class that their school doesn’t offer. Others want to fortify their high school transcripts before college-admissions officers review those records. Jessica B. Byerly, 17, had ...

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a question students hear throughout their childhoods, without more than a vague notion of career possibilities and their required skills and knowledge.

Different class sizes present their own advantages and disadvantages. Small classes offer more opportunities for student-teacher interaction, while larger classes can lack engagement, for example.