How to tell if your teenager is more 'sciences' or 'humanities' (and why the question itself is a trap)

It’s the question I hear most often from parents at the start of the orientation process: « Is our child more of a science person or a humanities person? » And it’s probably the most dangerous question you can ask at this stage, because it locks the child into a dichotomy that doesn’t really exist.

This article explains why the question is a trap, how to answer it anyway (because you do have to choose subjects), and what parents can concretely observe to help their child understand themselves.

Why the question is a trap

The world doesn’t split into « science » and « humanities »

The « science vs humanities » divide is a legacy of traditional school systems that has structured parental thinking for decades. But this divide doesn’t match the reality of higher education or the working world:

• A data scientist does maths AND communication
• A corporate lawyer does law AND quantitative finance
• A doctor does biology AND human relationships
• An architect does physics AND design
• An investigative journalist does writing AND data analysis

Most interesting careers live at the intersection, not in a single camp.

The label creates the profile (instead of describing it)

When a parent says « my son is a science person », they send an identity signal to the child. The child internalises the label, behaves accordingly (« I’m bad at writing, that’s normal, I’m a science person »), and the prophecy fulfils itself.

The same child, in another context, might have developed a taste for philosophy or history, but the label closed those possibilities before they were even explored.

What to observe instead

Rather than asking « sciences or humanities? », observe 3 dimensions in your child:

Dimension 1 — The type of reasoning they’re drawn to

Formal reasoning: your child likes problems that have one right answer, logical demonstrations, systems that work according to clear rules. → Natural orientation: maths, physics, computer science, engineering, quantitative economics.

Interpretive reasoning: your child likes open-ended questions, texts to analyse, debates where there’s no single answer. They’re stimulated when they have to build an argument, not find a solution. → Natural orientation: law, political science, philosophy, literature, history.

Experimental reasoning: your child likes to observe, manipulate, test. They prefer the lab to the lecture hall, practice to theory. → Natural orientation: biology, chemistry, medicine, engineering sciences, agronomy.

And often: your child combines 2 or 3 of these types. That’s normal and healthy. It means they have a multidisciplinary profile, and programmes that combine approaches (Sciences Po, engineer-manager tracks, medicine, dual degrees) will probably suit them better than a pure track.

Dimension 2 — Where they’re willing to work hard

Observe in which subject your child is willing to push through difficulty, even when it’s hard. Not the subject where they get the best grades (that could be natural talent without effort), but the subject where they persist when it resists.

A child who gets 12/20 in maths but spends 2 hours on an exercise they don’t understand, because it bugs them not to understand, probably has a scientific profile, even if their grades don’t clearly say so.

Dimension 3 — What makes them talk spontaneously

When your child talks about something they read, saw, or learned without anyone asking, that’s a strong signal. « You know, I read something about black holes… » « There’s a political debate that shocked me… » « I coded something last night… »

It’s not a sign of expertise. It’s a sign of authentic curiosity, and authentic curiosity is the best predictor of success in a field.

The most common hybrid profiles

Profile	What parents see	What it actually means	Suitable paths
Good at maths AND writing	« Good everywhere, can’t choose »	Multidisciplinary profile that will be bored in a pure track	Sciences Po, dual degrees, business school, engineer-manager
Bad at maths BUT passionate about science	« That’s contradictory »	Experimental profile that loves science but not mathematical abstraction	Biology, medicine, agronomy, environmental sciences
Good at maths BUT passionate about history	« They need to choose »	No, they don’t need to choose	Economics, data science applied to social sciences, political economy
Not great anywhere BUT passionate about one specific thing	« Not academic »	Early-specialist profile — global grades don’t reflect actual capability	Vocational tracks in the passion area, apprenticeships, specialised schools

What I advise parents

1. Stop asking « sciences or humanities? »

Replace with: « What makes you want to dig deeper? » It’s an open question that doesn’t force the dichotomy.

2. Observe, don’t project

Many parents project their own path (« I was a science person, so they must be too ») or their regret (« I should have done law, they should take advantage »). Observe what your child does spontaneously, not what you want them to do.

3. Don’t judge the grades — judge the engagement

A 12/20 earned with passion and hard work is worth more, for orientation purposes, than a 16/20 earned through ease and boredom.

4. Accept the hybrid profile

If your child doesn’t fit any box, that’s an asset, not a problem. Hybrid profiles are the most sought-after in the working world.

5. Test rather than theorise

A 3-day observation internship, an open day, a free MOOC on Coursera in the area of interest: these concrete experiences are worth infinitely more than an orientation questionnaire or an abstract dinner-table discussion.

Key takeaways

• The « sciences or humanities » question is a trap. Reality is more nuanced.
• Observe 3 dimensions: reasoning type (formal / interpretive / experimental), relationship to effort, and what makes the child talk spontaneously.
• Hybrid profiles are not anomalies — they’re highly sought-after profiles.
• Grades don’t measure compatibility with a field — engagement and curiosity do.
• Test concretely (internships, open days, MOOCs) rather than theorising at the dinner table.

Going further

• University, engineering school, business school: what really sets them apart
• Not sure what you want to do? 5 questions to ask yourself honestly

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Article written by Catherine Menay, orientation counsellor at Axiom Orientation. Catherine has been supporting families in understanding their child’s profile for over fifteen years — including when the answer is « both at once ».