possible traduction of the suspensive form/ と particle when I have to make a translation I always find hard to translate the suspensive form. I know that I can translate it with "and", but can I translate it in a different way? as in this case with "because"? **** **** and the particole, how can it be translated? "With"?

I translate as "Because they were busy preparing for their entrance exam, when they were in junior high school and high school".

I think literal translations are often unnatural.