This purposes of this presentation were to: (1) document the gap between self-assessment and faculty assessment of students' writing ability at Saginaw Valley State University; (2) analyse possible causes for the gap; and (3) suggest four ways to review the gap. Survey data were gathered from introductory history, political science, management, philosophy, and sociology classes as part of a pilot project. While the particular survey differed in different courses so that results cannot be compared exactly, these surveys clearly indicated that student perceptions of their writing abilities were greater than faculty perceptions of those abilities; and that while most students agree college students have inadequate writing skills, the individual student does not appear to believe that he/she is one of that majority. A primary cause for this gap is that students and faculty differ in what they understand to be required to write successfully in college courses. Findings suggest how the gap might be closed: (1) educate faculty outside of English about incoming students' entrance level skills in writing; (2) provide students with some detailed assessments of their writing ability in several courses; (3) explore with faculty their contrary but necessary roles as coach and judge; and (4) help students perceive and apply approaches to writing learned in one context to new contexts. (RS)