This article attempts to help EFL writing teachers in Japan become more aware of the previous L2 writing experiences that their students may have had. Specifically, it discusses students' experiences preparing for the English composition question on university entrance exams and compares these with the writing experiences they are likely to encounter in a university-level EFL writing classroom. It will be shown that these two different writing experiences share some basic characteristics in common, but that they also differ in important ways. It is hoped that an increased awareness of these similarities and differences will help teachers reflect on and refine their approach to EFL writing instruction.