A very easy one for me to answer right now - while working into the late evening on the On line Engineering Course (Advanced Diploma) that I am in the process of completing!
Not only did they prevent me from going to university, but the local elders even stopped me from completing the apprenticeship that I subsequently started, as a telecommunications technician (I gave that away after just 12 months on the job). That is an example of what lengths they took things to in the pre-1975 hype, at least in this part of the world.
While I was later able to gain a trade by the "Mature Age Apprentice" route, that still none-the-less inflicted great hardship on my family, something I deeply resent to this day. While it is true enough that it is "never too late" to gain a qualification, it can still be too late for that same qualification to have an effect on ones career prospects.
This is why I elected to go for the two-year Advanced Diploma Course, rather than the Bachelor of Engineering Degree. By the time I completed the Bachelor Course (part time - so that would be eight years) I would expect to be well and truly retired from the workforce (at least, my wife certainly hopes so!)
So, yes, #!%^ them and their damn-fool ideas about "Higher Education."
Bill.