The German school system is known as rigid. Only strictly defined qualifications open the way to the next level. The project 'lateral entrance to professional and academic education' has come up with and analysed new data on the issue. Using a qualitative study based on biographies, the experiences of graduates from external institutes and those with university degrees were evaluated. This included successful as well as unsuccessful participants from both educational systems. The book provides findings on obstacles, forms of support, scope for action and coping patterns as well as socio-economic effects. The final analysis identifies typical and non-typical cases and, using the available data, derives possible methods for the development of candidates from other career backgrounds.