Do Not Take Accuplacer Tests!!!

[cookderosa]

A lot of students don't know that they need to study and prepare for Accuplacer, so they walk in to the testing center, take it cold, and end up in remedial math. So sad.

Ding ding ding! You can add 1-2 semesters (or more!!) of math in front of your degree plan, and those DON'T count!

On the other hand, let's be more creative. Let's this is your school's placement tier (this is not taken from any specific school)
Math 085
Math 099
Math 105
Math 118
Math 121
Math 128
(and up into calculus)

If you test in at the bottom, you'll be enrolled in 085 (mandatory!) and then you'll keep going until you hit your program's math requirement. Let's say it's 121- college algebra. Yes, that means you must take 4 semesters of math that won't count toward your major, and two of those (being under 100 level) can't even be used as electives. 4 semester!!! That's over a year, and how much $ wasted tuition/books???

Now, let's say you really ARE able to test in at 121, so you do. Sad fact is, most school (UNLIKE the big 3) don't let you "go backward" and earn those lower level credits. So it you test in at 121, you start at 121. The 118 and 105 are off limits to you.

I'd agree with the OP 100%. It's much more valuable to rock out and earn all of the maths rather than starting at the non-credit placement test.
Even if your degree requires the calculus series, you still might be able to use lower level maths for general education electives.

Of course, this isn't always the case, and your advisor may not be 100% transparent with you regarding how this situation works. In a nutshell, you need to find out if you can earn "introductory course credit when you've taken a higher level, more advanced course" and if "credit in a subject allows you to waive the placement test" and if both are a yes, you can start your math sequence before applying.