Class or order of importance can exist in families when adoption, step children etc become part of it, so it sure as hell can exist in society.
I grew up in the 80s and nobody I knew even considered they could opt to go to university, why didn't the adults / teachers inspire that thought in us ? Because we where the lowest and only destined to work in the mines, the factories, as infantry or if we where lucky learn a trade.
Things are more complicated today I agree, the class system is all mixed up.
Great line in a film, the Chinese gang leader said "You can't find any lads who want to kill people anymore, they all want to go to University"