However, BB's also had a choice on whether to apply or not

My mum is 66 born in 1945.
As a girl her parents would not support her to go to uni, but supported the boys.

you need to compare the opportunities available to determine an individual's own wealth-creating opportunities

I don't think women have had the choices you seem to assume they have had.
They equal pay act was 1970.

Don't get me wrong I think financially things are very bad for young people right now, however I don't think people had the choices you seem to think they did. Many from poor families could not have gone to uni, many women may not have been supported through uni. Many women did not have the same career choices as men. I'm sure many people had far fewer career choices than we have now. So whilst financially things may be tough, I think people actually have more choice now. I don't think you'd see people having gap years, or working their way round Europe or starting businesses or going to uni without parental support. Credit just wasn't available to do those things.

I don't disagree with you about the financials but I don't agree with your view on the choices that people have now and had back then.