The scholarship about assessment for placement is extensive and notoriously ambiguous. Foremost among the questions that continue to be unresolved in this scholarship is this one: Is a writing sample necessary for "accurate placement"? Using a robust data sample of student assessment essays and ACCUPLACER test scores, we put this question to the test. For practical, theoretical, and conceptual reasons, our conclusion is that a writing sample is not necessary for "accurate placement." Furthermore our work on this project has shown us that the concept of accurate placement itself is slippery and problematic. (Contains 3 figures.)