Now you can take AP courses, or "Advanced Placement". Through my high school each test was about $80, you're graded on a scale of 1-5 which is on a percentage basis (X% of people get a 5, etc). Schools can determine what sort of credit they want to take, but general rule is 3 or higher. My college only took 5s in sciences, but it was an engineering school.

I skipped out on 26 credit hours of 140ish for the degree. It basically allowed me to change my major a year in without impacting my graduation date.