The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent colleges recognize college-level achievement acquired in nontraditional ways, their purposes for such recognition, the mechanisms they use, and the manner in which they handle course exemption and credit. The results were based on responses to a survey from a representative group of 141 institutions in the South. Some of the principal findings were: (1) two-thirds of all institutions, including practically all public 4-year colleges, grant advanced standing through course exemptions. Approximately one freshman in nine received such exemption in fall 1970; (2) public colleges tend to consider acceleration a more important rationale for granting exemption than enrichment, whereas private colleges hold the opposite view. In both types of institutions about one-half of the freshmen receiving course exemption also received credit toward graduation; (3) departmental examinations, Advanced Placement examinations, and USAFI courses are the mechanisms accepted for advanced standing by the largest number of institutions; and (4) although acceptance of each mechanism has increased at the institutional level since 1968, the proportion of freshmen involved has remained relatively constant. (Author/AF)