Contrary to what the local guidance counselor might have you believe,  a high school diploma is not always necessary to go to college.  In fact, you need not step foot onto a high school campus in order to find yourself roaming the grounds of the university of your choice. According to Blake Boles, author of “College Without High School: A Teenager’s Guide to Skipping High School and Going to College,” it is perfectly possible to make yourself an attractive candidate for an admissions office without sitting through History101.

If you think that means sitting on the couch, playing video games or constantly updating your Facebook page is going to get you into the school of your dreams, think again. Teens who want to bypass traditional high school will need to plan and research their way into college.

While the requirements differ from school to school, many private universities, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (which does not require a high school diploma) are happy to look at alternatives to a traditional high school education.  Boles, who runs the company Unschool Adventures, says there are five main attributes an admission officer looks for in a prospective student.

“Focus on results rather than volume,” he suggests. “Traditional high schoolers are more focused on pumping out volume. You know, GPA, SAT, community service; just doing more and more and sacrificing their lives in the process. I argue for showing the specific results that colleges want to see.”

Unschooled or homeschooled teens who want to prepare for college need to cultivate themselves in five areas, says Boles. They need to show internal passion, leadership, logical reasoning, a capacity for structured learning and background knowledge.

Boles suggests teens take classes at a local community college, which can show background knowledge, structured learning and logical reasoning. You need not take a full load each semester; a handful can show your ability to understand the material and fulfill the requirements. Teens can also prove their knowledge by studying for the SAT, CLEP or SAT subject tests.

Just don’t give yourself too long a period of time to prepare.

“Give yourself two weeks to study for that test,” he says. “It forces you to choose the practice problems in that CLEP testbook that are the most difficult for you. Hit your weakest spots. Get it done, don’t dawdle on the computer. Get it out of your mental space so you can enjoy the stuff that makes unschool worth it, not these little college prep hurdles.”

What to do when not studying for a standardized test? Get out and live life, says Boles, who is 26 and was traditionally schooled.  He knows of teenagers who spend their time on internships, jobs, individual studies or travel. A wannabe veternarian might volunteer at a teen program at the zoo or help out at the local animal shelter. A future business student might start their own yard service while a hopeful botanist might volunteer as a WWOOFer (world wide opportunities on organic farms) for several months. Interested in history? Study the Holocaust, Puritans or Ancient Egypt– just keep a reading list of all that you do.

Just don’t stay at home all day, busying yourself with the computer and television.

“If you are spending your homeschooling days at home in front of the computer or the TV, then maybe you are missing out on something, because you are not taking full advantage of your opportunities as a self directed student,” he says. “Get the heck out of the house and go find the people who are doing the same stuff that interests you, especially those who are doing it for money. Those are the people who are engaged in the real work in the world. Go volunteer for someone, go propose an internship or go get hired.”

You can learn more about Blake at his website. His book will be available for purchase in October 2009.