As a homeschool parent, you may not choose to emphasize multiple choice style testing. But your student will face those hurdles with standardized tests for college admittance.

Starting with the PSAT as a warm-up - your child will take the ACT and SAT tests. These are tests of acquired knowledge, which are extremely important if your student is competing for scholarships.

Colleges and Universities set a minimum score for admittance as the level at which a student is likely to be successful in their school. Preparing for advance testing isn't about teaching the test - there's no time for that.

But it is about understanding how to approach the test. ACT and SAT prep courses are available in live seminars, books and online formats. Many high school students prefer the online or computerized versions that give timed practice.

It's extremely important that the student practice in timed conditions to experience what test day is like. You must also prepare your student to avoid test anxiety. Each question must be answered in under two minutes, so the student has to learn to move on rapidly and not get upset if the next three questions are puzzling.

Teach them to keep going to answer as many of the known answers as possible and then go back and make a reasonable guess at the unknowns.

Homeschool parents can give their children a wonderful education, but it has to be supplemented by testing if their child wants to head on to college.

Home school students have opportunities to accelerate their education that didn't exist a dozen years ago. More community colleges, colleges and universities welcome these bright, motivated high school students into regular classes.

For home school parents, this is a fantastic way for your student to take courses like calculus, chemistry or foreign languages that you don't feel knowledgeable enough to teach them.

These "dual enrollment" programs allow the high school student to earn college credit as well as high school credit for the same class. Students must score high on the regular college placement test to enter the program.

They're required to perform at college level, because the instructors don't offer lesser standards for dual enrollees. College classes may be taken online or live. Courses in the sciences with a lab may require classroom attendance - at least periodically.

As a college student, your homeschooler has access to the college library and other resources. With careful planning, your homeschool student can take mostly college courses.

Your child can actually have two graduations in one year - earning a high school diploma and an Associates degree at the same time! In states where dual credit classes are free, this is a major savings on a college education.

Now as a homeschooling parents of bright, gifted child, you have to decide whether to agree to your student's request for TWO graduation gifts!

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