Many students find high school boring, an intellectual abyss. Perhaps you should leave high school, and go straight to college.

Many students are doing just that. Hundreds of universities and community colleges--including those I teach at--admit high school students to begin their college courses early. Several of my students had already earned enough college credits to enter their junior year of college by the time they officially graduated high school! Some colleges, such as Rock College of Bard, are developing programs that will allow full admission into college right after the 10th grade.

Some students just aren't cut out for four years of high school. They are bright and motivated but have academic interests beyond the high school curriculum and are more independent than most of their peers. To these sophomores and juniors, the idea of waiting another year or two to start college feels like a total waste of time.

If you're bored with high school, why not go ahead and take the next step?

(Photo: Gregory Robert Smith, 13-year-old college graduate)