<p>I know that all incoming freshmen must take a mandatory swimming test which requires students to swim four 25-meter lengths. I want to ask, is there a time limit on this test? Are there specific strokes that students have to demonstrate?
I'm really not good at swimming, so all I hope is to pass.
Also, what's going to happen if you don't pass?</p>
<p>Check out this website-it should answer most of your questions!</p>
<p>[ND</a> Department of Physical Education and Wellness Instruction](<a href=“http://www.nd.edu/~physedu/pe_swim_mov_lg.html]ND”>http://www.nd.edu/~physedu/pe_swim_mov_lg.html)</p>
<p>I can’t remember what strokes they had you do, but if you don’t pass, you take swimming for two physical education cycles. It’s not bad - it’s just annoying because you go to class feeling disgusting and smelling like chlorine.</p>
<p>^lol - tell me about it, i have been a swimmer for over 8 years. I am used to it by now, but won’t be swimming at ND. Just hope your roommate doesn’t swim - your room will smell like chlorine and you will have towels and bathing suits drying all over the place. On the good side, you won’t ever see your roommate because swimmers don’t have much time to relax.</p>
<p>If you fail the swim test it’s not the end of the world. I have been swimming my entire life and I failed because the proctor didn’t like my stroke technique. (By the way, whether or not you pass or fail really depends upon the person who administers the test to you.) If you fail you are automatically enrolled in two swimming PE cycles. So that is from August to around the end of October/beginning of November. You will have some opportunity to pass out of the first cycle if you choose. Most people in my group didn’t try to pass out because it was actually a lot of fun. You are in the pool for about 35 minutes each session. Some sessions we didn’t even go in the pool and just watched a bunch of videos. Other times we just jumped off the diving boards and simulated sinking ship evacuations. Some of it was fascinating. But a lot of it was tedious. </p>
<p>If you are worried about the chlorine smell it really isn’t too bad. ND keeps the pool fairly cold. So that means less chlorine in the pool and less smell.</p>
<p>The swim test is always an interesting affair.</p>
<p>You’ll be scheduled for a specific date and time to take it. There’s always that caveat not to eat anything for a period of time before swimming. On the OTHER hand, be sure to eat something earlier, especially for those of you who have the early morning tests (8 am).</p>
<p>The system they used when I took the test was pretty lax and not carefully supervised. I know some people who failed and took advantage of that fact… ended up not taking the swimming class. They might have changed the system since then, though. Not that I’m encouraging lying or anything… haha!</p>
<p>The PE requirement CAN be fun. If you get the chance to take golf for a rotation, DO IT. Coach O’Sullivan teaches it and he’s the best. I hate golf and I thought his class was fun. Plus he’s one of those teachers everyone wishes they had. Only thing is, don’t be THAT KID who brings his/her own clubs to the class. You don’t want to be that kid.</p>
<p>I took fencing, which was kinda cool, but a bit exhausting for the first thing in the morning. If you aren’t big into PE classes there’s a class called “Self-Paced Fitness” where you can quite seriously sit around on a stationary bike and read a book the whole time just as long as you keep your feet moving.</p>
<p>Yeah, the whole swim test supervision thing is pretty poor. I took the test four years ago and I could have easily walked out without them knowing I failed the test. They may have changed things recently, but knowing the PE department, I would tend to doubt it.</p>
<p>What uhh choices do you get for each rotation/cycle? haha</p>
<p>Pretty sure the options depend on the time of year. Unless they’ve changed anything, one or two of the rotations are filled by a class called “Contemporary Topics” which is basically a class about maintaining a healthy lifestyle while in college. It can actually be a little interesting if you have a cool teacher (I did), but sometimes it gets preachy and irritating.</p>
<p>If you don’t have to take swimming, there are options like golf, weight lifting, racquetball or handball (or both), fencing, yoga, self-paced fitness, and a few others I’m definitely forgetting. I bet there’s a full listing of them on the phys ed website.</p>
<p>PE might literally be the least significant part of your entire freshman year experience (unless you have Coach O’Sullivan for something, which is awesome). Do not worry about it.</p>
<p>I think they ask you to do freestyle (it’s like the universal stroke).</p>
<p>I only know how to swim the breast and back stroke, so can anyone confirm gunit5’s post?</p>
<p>The test is to ensure that if someone pushes you into a body of water, you will not drown. Get across the pool - you will be fine.</p>
<p>If you will look at my previous post (#2), the link shows a video of what is required for the test as well as examples of strokes. It basically has all of the info you need for the swim test!</p>
<p>50 yards freestyle, 50 yards backstroke</p>
<p>Swimming test? I’ve never heard of this at ND before…
Do you know of any other schools that require you to pass a similar test?</p>
<p>MIT, and of course all of the military academies. I sure there are others; try googling!</p>
<p>UChicago also requires the test.</p>
<p>I believe Cornell requires PE and the swim test as well.</p>
<p>if i remember correctly, i think ND still does it b/c they are a big ROTC school (and used to be a really big ROTC) and the PE and swim test were to honor that commitment to ROTC. </p>
<p>gym isn’t bad at all and i am actually looking forward to taking it (especially golf)</p>