Age differences in college values and perceived quality of college life

Research on age differences in college student satisfaction has not yielded consistent findings and has not been guided by theoretical frameworks. The present study investigated the influence of age, college values, and their interaction on perceived quality of college life, A convenience sample was drawn of 121 students enrolled in four sections of an introductory psychology course at a community college located in a metropolitan area in the Southwest. Partial responses resulted in an effective sample size of 113. Perceived quality of college life increased linearly with age. Older students valued quality of education more, and social life less, than young students. Valuing working conditions was inversely related to perceived quality of college life. When college values were statistically partialed out, the effect of age on perceived quality of college life was not significant. No evidence was found that the relationship between college values and perceived quality of college life varied with age.