LSAY research has concentrated on pathways taken by young people and on relationships between outcomes and various background factors. Socioeconomic status (SES) has been one factor of interest, although there has been no consistent identification of SES across all reports, especially in light of the multidimensional nature of SES and components of occupation, education and wealth (Ainley et al., 1995). Of course, because these studies began before these young people entered the labour force, student SES is based on parent occupation and educational attainment. Two reports have examined participation in higher education among the Youth in Transition and LSAY cohorts, and they have identified SES in different ways. These reports form the basis of the present paper.