A longitudinal investigation developed in the Regione Veneto has focused on the motivations which lead 2,500 young people per year to choose the nursing school and on the information on the school and the profession which are available for them. The ground motivations which seem to guide to choice appear to be mostly of the idealistic-humanitarian type, while the image of the nursing profession shares the characteristics of a low professional and social role. The investigation has also explored the motivations which lead 15% of the candidates to leave the school very early on, and provides a profile of those characteristics of the Regional Schools which are judged by the young candidates as positive or negative.