<p>As I am applying to colleges, I am looking through potential courses that I might take at a certain university.</p>
<p>A few minutes ago, I was looking at Cornell's ILR program, and I saw that within the ILR curriculum for freshman year was a phyical education course.</p>
<p>So I am wondering what is up with this? I understand that pysical fitness is important but at a school like Cornell I didn't think there would be gym class. Actually, I didn't think that colleges in general required gym class - the closest thing being to a gym class would be an optional athletic center.</p>
<p>So do all colleges require a physical education class or is this specificall to Cornell?</p>
<p>I also heard something about Emory requiring gym class/focusing on physical education.</p>
<p>(P.S.: Is it true that Cornell requires all its students to swm there before graduation or else they won't receive their diploma?)</p>
<p>At Cornell you have to take a swim test Freshman year. Random for upstate NY, I know (I would expect this at like a SoCal school or something). If you choose not to take the swim test or if you cant pass it, you have to take some sort of health or P.E. class, but you don't have to swim.</p>
<p>I don't know how common it is--I think not tremendously so--but some colleges do have a PE requirement. My college, for example, does. However, here, one does not generally take a generic gym class. Rather you can sign up for PE classes in various sports, take dance classes, play a varsity sport, or earn PE credit from a few club sports. So it's really not very onerous to fulfill.
And some colleges do requuire a swim test, but in recent years, the number that do so has gotten very, very small. I don't know whether Cornell is one that still does.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure Cornell has a swim test during freshman registration day. I went to visit this summer, and they told me about it. I'm not sure about the other P.E. classes though. Other schools like Columbia and MIT also require swim reqs, just not on the first day.</p>
<p>i visited Reed College, and three semesters of PE are required. but like pinnipotto said, they are fun classes, like kayaking and stuff like that. not like high school PE classes.</p>
<p>Cornell does require a swim test during freshman orientation, and two semesters of PE. They have a great assortment of classes that qualify, things like conditioning, dancing, team sports, outdoor adventure classes like rock climbing and kayaking, and you can even fill the requirement by taking a week-long biking or climbing trip during spring break. Cornell</a> Physical Education, Phys Ed ,PE</p>
<p>You would be pleasantly surprised that colleges have more offerings for their PE requirements than the usual HS PE fare. Some colleges have horseback riding, riflery, sailing, hiking, yoga, etc. If you make a varsity team, your PE req. may be waived.</p>