[MTVN]

12 is too young imo, some people will start to prosper academically much later when they've had more time to hone their abilities and start to appreciate them more. Also at 12 kids will have only been in secondary school a year, they will all be at different levels of preparedness for that step up depending on their primary school and background etc. and it would be very hard to make such a big life decision on only one year of secondary education. From my own experience I certainly don't think a decision could have been made for me at that age and would not have envisaged myself taking the quite academically-heavy path that I have taken so far, I very much doubt my teachers would have either.