How Students’ Views of the Good Life Change While in College: A Qualitative Longitudinal Analysis
Abstract
We know a minimal amount about how students’ views of the good life change during college. Using a previously developed grounded theory, we examined how 44 students from six universities articulated their views of the good life in the first month of college and a year and a half later. This study confirms 22 of the 24 ingredients identified in the previous theory that students use to create their understanding of the good life and extends our understanding of how students’ views changed or remained the same. Overall, students articulated less focus on self-achievement and more focus on moral ingredients.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Values and Moral Education
Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Higher Education Research Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of College and Character
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1–19
- Publication date
- 2 January 2026
- Language
- EN