L4L/2024-09-14 | Aryaan Geisler (white section)

Aryaan Geisler had just finished sixth grade, and he was ready for a challenge. Specifically, he wanted to start middle school strong by enrolling in his school’s advanced math class. Could he uplevel his math skills over the summer and achieve his goal?

To come up with a game plan, Aryaan and his parents met with the middle school principal. The principal recommended online learning as a great way for Aryaan to advance his skills before the start of the school year. He offered two options: Brigham Young University (BYU) Independent Study or another provider. Ultimately, Aryaan and his parents settled on BYU Independent Study because the courses seemed “engaging and hands-on.”  

Algebra 1 was a success! Aryaan completed the Independent Study course and enrolled in his school’s advanced math class that fall. He liked the Independent Study courses so much that he decided to continue taking them to supplement his public-school education. Now age 13 and ready to enter eighth grade, Aryaan reports that he loves how BYU’s online courses help him feel challenged at school while still allowing time for the things a middle schooler should be able to do, like “riding bikes and playing video games with friends.” 

Aryaan says that when he took English 8 through Independent Study, it “completely changed my experience” with studying English. The assignments were “engaging and different every time” and included hands-on projects such as making posters and maps. He also discovered a knack for writing poetry: “I would have never thought that it could be fun, but I felt like the next Edgar Allen Poe when I tried it out.” 

Among Aryaan’s favorite features of Independent Study courses is the flexibility they offer. For example, he takes online courses during summer break so that he has extra room in his school schedule for his favorite electives, like woodworking and orchestra. Getting ahead in his studies has also given him time to participate in 4-H, a program that teaches youth through fun activities and community involvement. In 4-H, Aryaan discovered his love of shooting sports, and he has fun attending club activities. 

Aryaan seems to have found the best of both worlds by working diligently at his coursework, both online and at his middle school, and experiencing the many activities and friendships that come with being a teenager. He says that he “would definitely recommend” Independent Study courses to other students.  

It’s never too late to level up your or your child’s education. In 2023, BYU Continuing Education served 175 students in Wyoming. With any of BYU Continuing Education’s amazing programs you too can discover that, as Aryaan says, “It’s fun to learn!”

L4L/2024-09-14 | Aryaan Geisler (blue section LBP)

Aryaan Geisler holding 4H ribbons

L4L/2024-09-14 | Aryaan Geisler (blue section text)

Meet Aryaan

Aryaan Geisler loves a challenge, especially when it comes to education. After graduating from sixth grade, he made a goal to enroll in his middle school’s advanced math class. Could he level up his skills over the summer and achieve his goal?

To make a game plan, Aryaan and his parents met with the middle school principal. The principal recommended online learning as a great way for Aryaan to advance his math skills before the start of the school year and presented two options: Brigham Young University (BYU) Independent Study or another online education provider. Aryaan and his parents settled on BYU Independent Study because the courses seemed “engaging and hands-on.”  

Algebra 1 was a success! Aryan took the advanced math class in seventh grade. Several online courses later, Aryaan, now age 13, reports that he loves how Independent Study helps him feel challenged at school while still allowing time for the things a middle schooler should be able to enjoy, like “riding bikes and playing video games with friends.”

Aryaan’s BYU Independent Study Experience

Aryaan says that when he took English 8 through Independent Study, it “completely changed my experience” with studying English: “I loved it.” The assignments were “engaging and different every time.” He especially liked hands-on projects such as making posters and maps, which made the books he was reading come to life. Aryaan was also surprised to discover a knack for writing poetry: “I would have never thought that it could be fun, but I felt like the next Edgar Allen Poe when I tried it out.” 

Aryaan then enrolled in a financial literacy course because he wanted to learn about “how to manage [money] and taxes.” He’s excited about the real-life skills he learned from the course. “A lot of it was about budgeting and about tracking your expenses. And then the other half of it was more like ‘How does this fund work?’, ‘How does this loan work?’, ‘How does your credit card work?’, ‘What is an APY?’.” He says his parents want him to learn about these things while he’s still young, and he’s glad he did. Aryaan is currently enrolled in an Independent Study chemistry course so he can take more advanced science classes at school.

Among Aryaan’s favorite features of Independent Study courses is the flexibility they offer because they allow him to go at his own pace and help him prepare for more rigorous classes at school. He also likes the engaging activities that allow him to actively participate in the online courses: “I actually get to go to these websites and do my own research,” he says. 

Aryaan likes to take Independent Study courses during his summer break because, he says, “I can just do [classwork] at home and then be ahead in school. . . . So that means I have an extra elective.” With space cleared in his school schedule, Aryan can take electives like woodworking and orchestra, two classes he enjoys taking with his friends. He also has extra time for after-school programs like 4-H, which teaches youth through fun activities and community involvement. In 4-H, Aryaan discovered his love of shooting sports, and he likes attending club get-togethers. 

Aryaan seems to have found the best of both worlds by working diligently at his coursework, both online and at his middle school, and experiencing the fun activities and friendships that come with being a teenager. He says that he “would definitely recommend” Independent Study courses to other students.  

It’s never too late to level up your or your child’s education. In 2023, BYU Continuing Education served 175 students in Wyoming. With any of BYU Continuing Education’s amazing programs you too can discover that, as Aryaan says, “it’s fun to learn!”