Additional descriptors for products

My client offers classes. Each class is a product, with a SKU, a name, a price, an enrollment max. In addition, I'd like the client to be able to specifiy some other characteristics mostly from dropdowns. For example, they could choose from the list of instructors who work for them, which day of the week the class meets on, how many weeks long it is, whether there are any weeks when classes will not occur, age restrictions, and level of expertise expected of students.

I had thought I could use options to do all this, but they're not options the customer selects, their characteristics of the classes which the client wants to spell out because customers will want to know them.

Is there a work-around for how to give the client these options? I'm thinking I might have to add a custom page where they can specify them. Can't believe I'm the first person to face this issue, so thought I'd ask for suggestions.

barbara