A study was conducted at California's College of the Canyons to determine whether evidence existed of disproportionate impact by age, gender, ethnicity, or disability in placement recommendations made based on the college's writing sample assessment test. The sample consisted of 617 students who took the writing test and writing sample test for the fall 1995 and spring 1996, while the standard for disproportionate impact was taken from Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines that the selection rate of any given subgroup should not be less than 80% of that of the majority group. Study findings included the following: (1) no significant disproportionate placement was found for gender; (2) due to the small size of the disabled population, no determination could be made; (3) there was a significant disproportionate placement found for students age 25 or older in the English preparatory course preceding the college level course; and (4) there was a significant disproportionate placement found for Hispanic students for the college level English course. Since placement is advisory rather than mandatory, the college advocates the use of other measures to determine students' placement. Future research is recommended to determine why differences exist for older and Hispanic students. Includes the essay evaluation guide and data tables of placement results. (TGI)