Two samples of college students (Sample 1, n = 106 Sample 2, n = 107) completed self-report measures that assessed their perceptions of their university's mission and values along with their tendency to seek social approval. With Sample 1, global social desirability was not predictive of any student perceptions related to institutional mission and values. With Sample 2, however, impression management tendencies were predictive of perceptions of the institution's mission and claims for live-long commitment to value growth. Results suggest that student perception of their university's mission and values are "clouded" by their desires to impress others. Future research on student development must include control procedures that take into account social desirability tendencies and perhaps other impression management motives.