Cannot remember any teacher ever mentioning University when I was at school. No-one was encouraged to study for it, it was never spoken of, and I for one, at that time, had no idea that it was free. It just was not on the radar of kids educated in a Secondary Modern School in North Hull. The careers advice was non existant too. You left school and you got yourself a job, everyone did it, because as Chazz says, it was what was expected of you and the peer pressure to pay board. (pay towards your upkeep, for you young 'uns)