How to choose your high school without getting it wrong

Choosing your high school is the first big decision you make more or less on your own. The good news: with a method you get it wrong far less often. This guide gives you six concrete criteria and tells you which mistakes to avoid. No clichés like "follow your heart".

Start from yourself, not from the school

Mistake number one is starting from the school ("the classics are prestigious") instead of from yourself. Flip the reasoning. First understand who you are, then look for the school that fits you. That is why the first step is to take the orientation test: it gives you an objective basis to reason from.

The 6 criteria for choosing well

• Aptitudes. What comes naturally to you. Not grades: the way you enjoy reasoning.
• Real interests. The subjects that light you up even outside school.
• Outcomes. What you can do afterwards: work or further study. Look far ahead, not just to the diploma.
• Sustainable difficulty. A track too heavy for your method wears you down. One too light bores you.
• Distance and logistics. Two hours of bus a day for five years really weighs on you. Factor it in.
• The environment. Go to the open days. A place where you feel comfortable makes a difference to how you perform.

The 3 most common mistakes

The first: following your friends. You will change class, tastes and group within the first year, almost always. The second: choosing the "easiest" school for minimum effort; we talk about it in the guide on the easiest liceo, but in short, easy does not exist in absolute terms. The third: handing everything over to your parents. Their advice counts, the decision is yours.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to choose based on passions or on outcomes?
You need both. Passions get you through five years, outcomes open up what comes next. A solid choice holds the two together.

What if after a year I realise I got it wrong?
You can change, especially in the first two years. It is not the end of the world, but choosing well at the start saves you time and energy.

The next step

Take the test, then compare the high school tracks against the six criteria above. Bring your three shortlisted tracks to the open days and decide after seeing them in person.