There are a few ways to approach this.
Basically, 90% of your work is done with three knives: A 9" or 10" chef's, a paring knife (a.k.a. petty), and a serrated bread knife. A boning knife comes in handy too.
The first way is to buy something inexpensive, but decent quality. Victorinox, a.k.a Forschner fall into this category as do a few others. I didn't say cheap, just inexpensive. After a few months you will find out what is comfortable for YOU, if you don't like them, they are pretty easy to sell off or give away, or to use as backups. You can use and abuse them, learn how to sharpen and hone on them, loan them out to friends (making you a hero to friends and the Chef), and afterwards, they still are begging to be used. After this period, you will have an idea of what you want in a knife, and how much maintainence you are willing to give them,
Although the basic styles of gripping and handling the knife are the same, everyone works different, has different hands and preferences, What works for me might not neccesarily work for you.
Also, knives get stolen quickly in culinary schools and at busy workplaces. In view of this, it is better to have inexpensive knives instead of $200+ knives.
The second way is to buy good quality expensive knives and learn to live with them. If they "fit" you, then it's great, if they don't then you will either have to live with them, or get rid of them. When they get stolen, you will have to replace them.