Yes, you have to take a placement test. Placement testing is a much more accurate way to place you in the best course than simply relying on how many years you studied, how long ago it was, or how you evaluate your own abilities. Remember, the point of the requirement is to learn something — to come out of your foreign language course or courses with more abilities in the language than you had going in. You won’t achieve this if you take a course below your true level to get an easy grade, and you won’t achieve it if you take a course above your true level and struggle to pass.