This study, conducted by the San Diego Community College District in fall 2002, aims to answer the following research questions regarding student preparedness for courses in writing, reading, study skills, and composition: (1) Is there a relationship between instructor perception of preparedness and student performance? (2) Is there a relationship between student perception of preparedness and performance? (3) Is there an agreement between instructor and student perception of preparedness? Instructor and student surveys were sent to instructors of 121 randomly selected courses during the fifth week of the fall 2002 semester. Instructors were given a list of students in their course and asked to rate their preparedness. Instructors from 89 (about 74%) of the 121 sections participated in the study. They distributed surveys to their students, asking them to rate their placement in the level of the course they were in and their expected grade. Instructors felt 79.3% of students were in the level class they should be in, while they felt 16.9% of students should be in a lower class. Eighty-seven (87.4%) percent of students felt they were in the class they should be in, and 8.3% felt they should be in a higher level course. Only 4.3% of students felt they should be in a lower level course. Most students expected a grade of A or B, but most did not receive those grades. The study found there to be virtually no correlation between the student and instructor perception of preparedness. (Contains 18 charts and 85 tables.) (NB)