Perceptions of life experiences and academic performance among adult students at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, were examined. The following research questions guided the investigation: What life experiences did adult students have? How did they perceive these experiences? Was there a difference in the perceptions of life experiences of students who received grades of A and B and those who received grades of C and below? The sample consisted of 158 adult students enrolled in two foundation courses at UWI, Mona. Responses from the Life Experience Survey and grades in two courses provided data for the environment during the academic year that they perceived as stressful. In addition, whereas students receiving grades A and B in the courses reported approximately the same frequency of life experiences as students receiving grades of C and below, students in the former group were likely to perceive these experiences more positively. The implications of the findings are discussed.