Over the last twenty years, colleges and universities have invested considerable effort and resources in programs that are designed to improve undergraduate learning and enhance student success. These programs range from first-year seminars and learning communities to service-learning programs and capstone courses. Given the costs associated with these programs and the resource constraints faced by most colleges and universities, it is not surprising that institutions are increasingly interested in assessing the outcomes of these programs so that costs and benefits can be determined. In this column, Pike argues that the assessment designs we most frequently use can lead us to overstate the successes (and failures) of our education programs.