This paper discusses the contributions of variables commonly used within the status attainment and blocked opportunities models in addition to school context variables in predicting pupils' aspirations for higher education prior to the transition to differentiated upper secondary education in Croatia (14-15 years). The findings, arising from a longitudinal design, indicate that the school context does not contribute to the explanation of pupils' aspirations for higher education. In contrast, gender, parental educational aspirations for their child, maternal academic support, the pupil's possession of a work desk, pupil grades and school satisfaction predict aspirations. Arguably, pupils who attend different schools but have similar individual characteristics will likely have similar aspirations for higher education.