The polarization dependence of two-photon absorption is used to determine the excited state symmetry of solute molecules dissolved in room temperature liquids. Perturbations of excited state symmetry are interpreted as solvent induced state mixing in the solute. Using a first-order expansion in the zero-order system wave functions, an expression is derived which describes the effects of solute–solvent electric dipole interactions on the symmetry of the solute excited state. Measurements on the S0→S1 0–0 band of fluorene in nonassociating polar and nonpolar liquids are fit well by the derived expression, using continuum reaction field models. Deviations from the derived expression are found when fluorene is dissolved in liquids capable of self-association or complexation with aromatic solutes. In n-alcohol solvents, perturbations on the excited state symmetry of fluorene are adequately accounted for using Kirkwood g factors for the solvent.