Germany's Secret School System: Are Kids Forced to Choose Their Future TOO Soon?

Imagine a school system where, by the time your child finishes primary school, you're already scrambling to find the *perfect* high school – much like hunting for a college! This isn't a futuristic scenario; it's the reality for parents in a highly-developed European nation, where children are channeled into diverse educational paths at an astonishingly young age. Are these early choices a pathway to specialized success, or do they risk limiting a child's potential before they've even truly discovered it?