University counseling center clients' (N = 52) perceptions of precounseling functioning were highly correlated with their actual well-being scores at intake. The magnitude of change based on perceptions of precounseling functioning to current well-being was approximately double of what is found from the difference of actual precounseling well-being to current well-being scores. Retrospective methods for assessing precounseling functioning are best suited for comparison among clients or counseling processes.