The very first step is choosing the school they'll attend after Middle School and the first choice to make is whether to attend a vocational school to learn a trade or a High School.
High school is certainly the ideal destination for those who envision a career that involves university studies, such as law, architecture, or medicine but the choice, however, isn't so simple because there are six high schools, all quite different from each other.
The high schools in Italy are divided by field: classical studies, scientific, artistic, linguistic, music and dance, and humanities. All six last five years and are divided into two two-year periods and a fifth year. Upon completion of the latter, students must take a state exam.
Students must also complete 200 hours of apprenticeship starting from their third year. This way, even those who choose these schools will be able to gain work experience before completing their studies.
Classical Studies High School
The classical studies high school is the oldest existing and teaches the so-called humanistic subjects. These include Latin and Ancient Greek, as well as Italian literature, history, and philosophy.
If you want to be a journalist, writer, teacher, or a lawyer, this is probably the school for you.
Scientific High School
If you like numbers and math you should choose the scientific high school.
It focuses on scientific subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. A scientific major also provides a solid foundation for many university courses, from Economics to Engineering and Architecture.
Foreign Languages High School
Knowing foreign languages is the best way to understand the world and, for this reason, a foreign languages high school is a very good choice. It guarantees the teaching of multiple languages by native-speaking teachers (born and raised in the country where the language originates from) through the study of grammar and literature. In addition to Latin, three languages are studied, and these may vary from high school to high school from Asian languages to European languages.
Arts and Humanities High School
At this high school, the humanities are a major. If you enjoy history, art, and drawing, and dream of becoming an archaeologist or designer, the arts high school is the best choice you can make. There are many different majors (visual arts, architecture and environment, design, audiovisual and multimedia, graphics), and each of them delves into different disciplines to give you the best possible preparation in these fields.
Music and Dance High School
Music and dance are at the heart of the music and dance high school curriculum. If you choose this high school, in addition to practicing these disciplines, you'll also study the role they have played in history and culture. To enroll in this high school, however, you must pass an entrance test to demonstrate your musical skills.
Humanities High School
If your dream is to become a teacher or perhaps a psychologist, the humanities high school is the perfect choice. The core subjects fall within the humanities, but there are some that aren't taught in other high schools, such as anthropology and sociology, which study human behavior in society, and psychology. In addition to the normal major, there is also a social and economic major, which gives space to subjects such as law and political economics.
