Lifetime fitness and wellness or similar classes have been offered as general education for undergraduate students to prepare their full dimensions of well-educated citizens and competent professionals in many colleges and universities (Robbins et al., 2006). However, the study concerning motivation of students to meet such requirement appears to be limited (Screws et al., 2006). Do the students with previous athletic experience differ from the students without any athletic experience in their perceptions toward lifetime fitness and wellness classes? If so, what are the preferences of students regarding detailed motivational factors affecting their considerations? The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was perceptual difference toward participation in lifetime fitness and wellness classes offered by the institutions of higher education. After receiving approval from the institutional review board, a sample was drawn among the students of enrolled in such classes. The voluntary participants (N = 255) of this study were 160 men and 95 women. The instrument used for collecting data was 3-factor Scale of Attendance Motivation (SAM) containing 13 motivational items with acceptable reliability and validity (Still et al., 2006). The independent variable was athletic experience containing the groups of students with (n = 63) and without (n = 192) athletic experience. The researchers used independent group t-test to examine the mean difference on the 3 dependent variables of motivational factors (Knowledge, Confidence, and Socialization) between two experience groups. While there were no significant difference on the variables of ‘Knowledge' and ‘Confidence', the t-test explored a significant (t = 2.143, p < .05) difference on the factor of ‘Socialization' between the students with and without athletic experiences. The students with athletic experience (M = 5.32) scored significant higher than those without such experience (M = 4.70) on the factor of ‘Socialization'. The result showed that the students who used to play sports appreciated more the benefits of socializing with their classmates of lifetime fitness and wellness classes compared to those who had no such experience. The study indicated that the motivation of students who attended lifetime fitness and wellness classes varied based on their previous experience of participating in physical related activities such as sports. The researchers suggested that the formation of class organization and creativity applied in the lesson plans are critical and should not only rely on the curriculum standards but also on different motives of the students. Keyword(s): active participation, exercise/fitness/physical activity, professional preparation