Leaving the Collège Stanislas with outstanding achievements in Latin, Greek, science, mathematics and other subjects, he had to choose between studying at the École Polytechnique which, in principle, prepared one to be an engineer, and the École Normale, the more academic of the two. Duhem's father wanted him to study science at the École Polytechnique since he wanted his son to follow a technical career. Duhem's mother, on the other hand, wanted him to study Latin and Greek at the École Normale, principally because she feared that a study of science would turn him away from the Roman Catholic beliefs that she had instilled in her children.
Umaalis sa kolehiyo Stanislas na may natitirang mga nagawa sa Latin, Greek, agham, matematika at iba pang mga paksa, siya had sa pumili sa pagitan ng mga pag-aaral sa École Polytechnique na kung saan, sa prinsipyo, handa ng isa upang maging isang engineer, at ang École Normale, ang mas akademiko ng mga ang dalawang.