Get a Head Start on College in High School

Many high schools offer programs where a student can receive dual credit. A credit for high school and a credit for college. These programs are associated with local community colleges in which a course taken at the college or on high school is credited both at the community college and at the high school. For instance an english 4 credit would be earned through taking English 101/102. Math credits are the same way, they will count towards high school as a credit and towards college.

Another way is by taking AP courses in high school if they are available. This is basically the same as dual credits except you will have a high school teacher but will be given a test at the end of the course to see if you will receive college credit for the equivalent college course. Credit in a AP Physics class in high school is a credit for Physics in college.

If you know you are able to take these courses which are usually harder than the regular classes in high school then you should talk to your counselor. But these classes are not always harder, for instance I took several dual credit courses in high school and I found the course load to be lighter since there aren't as many "projects" like there are in high school courses. In fact if you are tired of the typical work involved with high school courses talk to your counselor about what is available to enroll in. Oh, not to mention these programs are more than often free to the student or are at a considerable low price to what someone else would pay.