Grades 9–12 , 5 CASELOADS , 20 CASES
After School
First jobs. Creator culture. Decisions with your name on them. Read what comes with the offer.
CASELOAD 1
Before you run with it
The transcript says more than the GPA
A senior opens a screenshot showing a 3.42 GPA and treats the number like an admissions verdict.
Explain what the GPA can and cannot establish.What can a recommendation letter actually do?
A student hopes a recommendation will repair an average grade.
Build a recommender packet that gives usable evidence without scripting praise.“Test optional” does not mean the same thing everywhere
A student labels colleges with short phrases in a notes app.
Create a comparison table with date checked.The aid offer is not the bill
Source A looks generous when every line is added: $18,000 in grants, $5,500 in loan eligibility and $2,500 in work-study eligibility.
Translate the offer into grants, loans, work-study, billed costs, and unknowns.CASELOAD 2
Read the fine print
My deposit is smaller than my hours times my rate
The first deposit is smaller than expected.
Read the paycheck line by line and draft a payroll question.Can my manager schedule me for that?
A sixteen-year-old sees a school-night shift ending at 11:30 p.m.
Write what is known federally and what must be checked locally.What do I document before I report?
A student worker receives repeated unwanted comments.
Build a factual incident record and identify reporting channels.The internship says “for experience”
A summer listing offers experience instead of pay.
Use factors to identify questions that need answers before accepting.CASELOAD 3
Find who’s responsible
Debit, credit, and “buy now” are not the same thing
A student comparing laptop payment methods notices every option ends with a checkout button.
Compare timing, fees, risk, and what happens if payment is missed.The subscription kept charging
The student remembers an introductory price and is surprised by continuing charges.
Create a renewal calendar and evidence file.The creator said “not sponsored”
You watch a creator try a product, save the video, and send the link to a friend who has been comparing options.
Rewrite the disclosure so the audience can understand the relationship early.The video is real. The voice is not.
A principal appears on screen, announcing a new policy.
Build a verification chain and draft a correction.CASELOAD 4
Put it to the test
Why did I get that ad?
Two teens browse college content and later receive different loan ads.
Map likely data signals without claiming certainty.Can the school stop the story?
The fictional student newspaper has drafted a story about cafeteria inspection records, with student comments included.
Separate constitutional, state-law, and school-policy questions.Register, preregister, or wait?
The school reminder is easy to repost: “Everyone can register at 16!” It sounds encouraging and gives students something concrete to do.
Build a neutral voting-information card that sends users to their own official source.City, state, federal, or school?
The group chat contains four complaints: a bus route changed, a graduation requirement is confusing, a passport rule affects a trip, and a classroom deadline feels impossible.
Build an authority ladder for the specific decision.CASELOAD 5
Take it public
Can I see the record behind the decision?
The club’s funding request was denied for “insufficient documentation.” In this fictional case, that phrase is the only explanation students initially have.
Write a narrow records request and identify what may be exempt.A petition is not the decision
The students have collected 1,248 signatures asking the city to add evening bus service.
Turn the petition into a decision-path plan.Turning 18 changes some things, not everything
A senior gets a new ID and starts thinking about what turning 18 changes.
Build a “check before you assume” adulthood card.Before you sign the lease
The apartment listing conversation keeps returning to one number: $1,150.
Annotate the lease and write five questions before signing.