From the Star-Tribune:

When students enter the University of Minnesota, they take a placement test to determine the level at which they should begin their study of mathematics. As a professor of developmental mathematics for the past 34 years, I have talked to thousands of students who thought their placement was too low (e.g., they took precalculus in high school, but the test placed them into elementary algebra). Sometimes the placement is just plain wrong, and we can easily fix that. Often, however, after talking to the students and finding out what they really know, I can convince them that they are not ready for college-level mathematics and that they need a review of elementary or intermediate algebra. Thankfully, the U offers such courses through the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning (formerly the General College). Taking a review course costs the students time and money, but it generally pays off in the long run when they move on to college-level courses that use mathematics.