Higher education choice has been a central theme in sociological research in recent decades, especially following the policies for the widening of participation adopted in many countries. Research has shown a relationship between social class and higher education choice, and this is a reason why the expansion of higher education does not reduce social inequalities. This article is based on quantitative and qualitative research on first-year university students, and examines the higher education choice of students from different socio-economic backgrounds, but with similar levels of performance. The findings provide evidence that, even when high performance provides students with a wide range of choices, higher education choice is a different experience for middle-class and working-class students. The authors argue that choice is a multifaceted process, the analysis of which needs to consider the general financial and societal context, and the specific labour market characteristics in each country. (Contains 1 figure.)