What factors might be preventing working class children from choosing to go to university?

Tony Blair has said his priorities are 'Education, education, education.' Both this Labour government and the previous Conservative Governments introduced policies to encourage children from working Class backgrounds to go on to higher education. Although, participation Has widened, children from the lower socio-economic groups are still Under represented at university. Question:Why is this? What factors might be preventing working class children from choosing to go to university? In the final essay I will …

…classmates. But, currently it is evident amongst working - class individuals that the decisions concerning continuation to university are shaped by fellow classmates. For a few, the classmates were of significant influence on decision making at the age of 16. For a majority of working - class individuals the reason for leaving school was simply because, fellow classmates were leaving. The same reason was applied when individuals were asked why they chose to go to university.