Gymnasiums

Requirements vary considerably between countries and individual schools. Admission to academically oriented secondary schools, or Gymnasien, in Germany and Switzerland can follow different procedures depending on the region, programme and pupil’s preparation. Assess the requirements of the particular school, rather than simply whether it is private or state-funded.

A good Gymnasium provides both a strong academic foundation and a community in which pupils learn from one another. The people around us influence who we become, and connections made during education can play an important role throughout life.

Albert Einstein is a well-known example. After graduating from the Polytechnic in Zurich, now ETH Zürich, in 1900, he was unable to secure an academic position immediately. A recommendation helped him obtain a job as a third-class technical expert at the patent office in Bern in 1902. The position gave him stability and the opportunity to pursue his research. In 1905, known as his annus mirabilis, or miracle year, he published his celebrated scientific papers.