An effective transition into upper secondary education supports learners to identify how their talents and strengths can be supported by different learning pathways. By contrast, weak transitions can lead to learners entering programmes that do not promote their aspirations or deepen their interests, putting their engagement and motivation at risk. At a systemic level, when transition systems do not function effectively, they can amplify inequities, and jeopardise the formation of an appropriate skills mix for an economy. This Education Spotlight explores how countries manage transitions into upper secondary education and proposes policy pointers to guide transitions that support each learner to identify and pursue pathways that reflect and harness their personal talents and interests. It is based on the key findings from the OECD Education working paper Managing student transitions into upper secondary pathways.