This paper presents a reflection on students' levels and types of motivation at a college of health sciences in Saudi Arabia and highlights the social and cultural factors possibly contributing to the differences in motivation among those students. The results of this study, which followed a mixed-methods approach, indicate a multiplicity of contributing factors and values, namely: gender stereotyping, appreciation of early graduation, stereotypes regarding career status, family background, and parents' educational levels, value attributed to education, ultra-conservatism, and social image and prestige. From these factors, a number of key implications and recommendations are deduced, some of which are general while others are more college specific.