For those who aren’t so eager to go to college, or for those who want a “fast track” in college here are some alternative methods along with listing some major differences b/w high school and college. I personally didn’t care for high school, but college was o.k..

HOW IS COLLEGE DIFFERENT FROM HIGH SCHOOL?

www.smu.edu/alec/whyhighschool.html

College Board Tests

www.collegeboard.com/testing/

SAT & Subject Tests

www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about.html

PSAT/NMSQT

www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

he Preliminary SAT®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a co-sponsored program by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It's a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test™. It also gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs.

The PSAT/NMSQT measures:

critical reading skills

math problem-solving skills

writing skills

You have developed these skills over many years, both in and out of school. This test doesn't require you to recall specific facts from your classes.

The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are:

to receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.

to see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college.

to enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (grade 11).

to help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT.

to receive information from colleges when you check "yes" to Student Search Service.

AP

AP can change your life. Through college-level AP courses, you enter a universe of knowledge that might otherwise remain unexplored in high school; through AP Exams, you have the opportunity to earn credit or advanced standing at most of the nation's colleges and universities.

Why Participate?

With 37 courses and exams across 22 subject areas, AP offers something for everyone. The only requirements are a strong curiosity about the subject you plan to study and the willingness to work hard. Here are just a few reasons to sign up:

Gain the Edge in College Preparation

Once you've decided to take the AP challenge it's easy to enroll.

Talk to an AP teacher or the AP Coordinator at your school about the course you want to take. Discuss the course's workload and any preparation you might need.

If you are a homeschooled student or attend a school that doesn't offer AP, you can still participate. Each year hundreds of students participate through independent study. Some states even sponsor online AP courses.

CLEP

Save Time. Save Money. Take CLEP.

The College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP) gives you the opportunity to receive college credit for what you already know by earning qualifying scores on any of 34 examinations. Earn credit for knowledge you've acquired through independent study, prior course work, on-the-job training, professional development, cultural pursuits, or internships.

How CLEP Helps You

Save time.

CLEP exam is free to eligible military examinees. Examinee is responsible for the college's exam registration fee.***

CLEP examinations cover material taught in courses that most students take as requirements in the first two years of college. A college usually grants the same amount

of credit to students earning satisfactory scores on the CLEP examination as it grants to students successfully completing that course.

Many examinations are designed to correspond to one-semester courses; some, however correspond to full-year or two-year courses. Unless stated otherwise in its description, an examination is intended to cover material in a one-semester course.

Each exam is 90 minutes long, and, except for English Composition with Essay, is made up primarily of multiple-choice questions; however, some exams do have fill-ins.

Each description now includes specific information on knowledge and skills required and study resources.

www.militarypay.com/DANTESACE.html

Ready to advance your education, preparing for a civilian career and potentially earning military promotion points (and more pay)? Good news! You may earn college credit for your military experience, thanks to the military's Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) and the American Council on Education (ACE). These programs help active-duty, reserve or veteran military service men and women get a leg up on their degrees, saving them both time and money.

Earn College Credit by Exam through DANTES

The DANTES Examination Program offers exams that allow you to earn college credits without enrolling in classes, and at absolutely no charge to you. The program is entirely self-paced, helping you prepare with videos, audio tapes, textbooks and study guides. These tests cover virtually all major college subjects, such as: history, economics, math, literature and more.

DANTES Exams: CLEF, DSST, ECE and Beyond…

If you're considering taking advantage of the DANTES Credit by Exam Program, you won't be disappointed with your options. There are a number of different tests to choose from, including:

The College Level Examination Program (CLEF)

The DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST)

The Excelsior College Exam (ECE)

Non-military standardized tests, such as the LSAT, GED, GRE and GMAT

Active-duty and reserve servicemembers should contact their Education Service Office to learn more. Veterans can often take these DANTES exams through local colleges or national test centers.

Earn College Credit for Military Experience with ACE!

The American Council on Education helps you transform your military training, experience and specialty into college credit, saving you both time and money as you pursue a degree. The result is similar to the DANTES credit by exam program, but without the testing.

ACE biennially publishes a "Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services." This guide gives evaluations, learning outcomes, course descriptions and recommendations for the type and amount of credit it believes should be awarded for military education and training. The ACE Guide is the standard reference tool used by the majority of U.S. colleges and universities to award credit for military learning.

Maximize Your ACE Benefit with Military-Friendly Schools

The ACE has a number of member schools that participate in this unique program. While the ACE guide may serve as a guide, each individual school determines the number of credits they will accept and how they will apply them toward your college degree. Unfortunately, not all schools will grant credit, so shop around for the most military-friendly school you can find.

challenge exams, life experience, armed services

What are alternate ways to earn college credit?

www.morainevalley.edu/PublicService/proficiency.htm

Proficiency Credit allows qualified students to convert vocational or noncredit courses or professional examination certificates to college credit.

www.education-1.net/NonTraditionalEducationDeptofLabor.htm

You can earn nontraditional education credits in many ways:

Passing standardized exams,

Demonstrating knowledge gained through experience,

Completing campus-based coursework, and

Taking courses off-campus.