<p>I am very bored, so I have decided to create a thread about the placement tests. Actually, one in particular, the phys ed test. </p>
<p>How hard is it? Is the swimming test really difficult, because I can't swim very well. Is there any way I can get out of it?</p>
<p>Sorry about wasting your time.</p>
<p>Hmm... I hate swimming too, but I just took it. Maybe if you made a big enough stink about it, or if you're otherwise handicapped or have some kind of phobia, I'm sure you can get out of it, but I promise you, it will be easier just to take it than to file the paperwork to get out of it.</p>
<p>From what I remember, you'll get an "appointment" for your swim test, but you can really show up whenever it's convenient for you, because no matter when you go, there are fifty bazillion people there. It really isn't bad, and you can swim as slowly as you want and whatever strokes you want, you just have to make sure you keep moving. The students who run it aren't watching you all that carefully, but if you can get yourself moving, you're in good shape.</p>
<p>there's a phys ed placement test? woa</p>
<p>what the HELL is the big deal about doing s phys ed thing? Even if you aren't athletic it's important to do physical activity. Also, swimming is one of those basic things that if you don't/can't do it, it is very important/useful to know how. It would be any institution's duty to teach one how to swim. I intend to stay active physically at U of C even if I am not on a team there. Ratner... I'll be there</p>
<p>The phys ed test actually kind of sucks, you can be in excellent shape and ace all the cardio/strength tests while still getting low enough scores on the flexibility that you miss the cutoff by ONE point and have to take a semester of PE (I'm still kind of bitter about that because I have no idea how I'm going to do a thing of PE on top of track). </p>
<p>And I just skipped the swimming test because I had a new piercing and didn't want to irritate it, I'm planning on just saying that I did it when time comes to graduate and hoping for the best.</p>
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I'm planning on just saying that I did it when time comes to graduate and hoping for the best.
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<p>Is this a serious statement? o_O;;</p>
<p>Jack, you can take it with the new first years next fall. Your piercing should have healed by then. ;)</p>
<p>The phys ed test does kind of suck, as Jack said. I got all the points for every strength test (which isn't easy... they had me benching 75 lbs, which is not even close to 1/3 my body weight, which I think is what they have girls do), 3/4-ish points for the cardio, and 0 on the flexibility. The tests they have you do are a little strange. The cardio is stepping up and down on and off the first step of the bleacher to a metronome for a certain amount of time, and they give you points based on your pulse at the end. My hearing is crap, so I had trouble hearing the metronome. The strength tests are crunches to a metronome, bench press, and grip strength. The flexibility is the "sit and reach," this weird thing where you lie on your stomach and lift a bar over your head with your hands out stretched, and maybe something else. It's obnoxious.</p>
<p>The swimming test is 100 yards any way you'd like. There's no time limit, but you can't stay still for long. It doesn't have to be pretty, but you do need to finish. If you skip it without a medical reason, you will be required to take a swim course. Many medical reasons (like healing bones and such) will only get you out of testing that year, and they'll ask you to test with the first years during your second year.</p>
<p>The swim test is as easy as it can be. If you can swim at all, you will pass it. There is no time limit, there is no technical requirement as to what you much do, except that you can't stop. Unless you really think you will drown before you make it to the end (it's not really that long, either, if I remember correctly), I guarantee it's easier to spend 30 minutes doing it (and 30 minutes included walking to and from the pool from your dorm) than either trying to get it waived or making it up later.</p>
<p>The PE test is a little arbitrary, I think, but the worst thing that happens is you have to take a quarter of PE or two, which means basically you have to go to the gym at a specific time two or three times a week.</p>
<p>So the quick answer are don't worry about them, and you can't get out of them unless you have a special circumstance (and I would venture to guess that it's easier to just do them than to mess with trying to get things waived, unless you have a compelling reason).</p>
<p>I'm not going to be around during o-week though!</p>
<p>My S is graduating this year and finally took his PE requirement Winter Quarter this year. He had tested out of everything but "flexibility" first year and finally took golf. You are exempt from the swimming if you are a lifeguard (bring your cert card) or, if I remember correctly, if you are PADI certified (scuba divers). Jack, talk to your advisor and see if your file is flagged. My son's advisor was on his back to finish the PE because otherwise he wouldn't be certified to graduate.That would have resulted in one very unhappy mother!</p>