<p>is it true that you have to pass swimming to graduate from cornell?</p>
<p>that genuinely blows - i should learn to swim</p>
<p>yes its true but if u can't swim, u have to take a swim class. i can't swim either</p>
<p>Spend the summer trying to learn; it's probably the best time in the year for it :D</p>
<p>It's true that there is a swimming test. My interviewer told me it was pretty easy, and you only have to swim 3 laps (one side, back, and then the other side again or something like that).</p>
<p>Many students will tell you that people that shouldn't be passed end up being passed anyway. If you can swim relatively ok without drowning, you should be able to pass.</p>
<p>I believe the swim test was started due to a Cornellian who actually drowned. The victim's family donated a sum of money to Cornell with the understanding that they would administer the swim test and provide any necessary swim tests.</p>
<p>Strange, but I think I can do it already. Though I've never tried formally swimming laps, I love to just aimlessly cruise through the pool for hours.</p>
<p>what happens if have hydrophoia???</p>
<p>what happens if u fail the swim test even though you don't have hydrophobia???</p>
<p>what happens if u fall ill on the swim-test day???</p>
<p>Arjun, I have a cousin who came here from India who said that they just throw you in the pool when you try learning swimming in India...they say you either drown or swim. Of course, they don't let you drown...they save you before that....</p>
<p>hahahaha!!!!</p>
<p>well...yeah...when i learnt swimming, my dad threw me into the pool tooo...so i guess ur cousin's speakin the truth</p>
<p>anyways, what happens if u fail the exam?</p>
<p>If you fail, then you take a swimming class for PE requirement.</p>
<p>If you cannot pass the test for medical/psychological reasons, then they'll let you take a first-aid class or else find you an appropriate substitute to fulfill your PE requirement.</p>
<p>If you fall ill on the test day, then you can request to have it on another day. I can't remember if you have to pay extra or not for that.</p>
<p>are there any other non-academic tests like 'swim test' at Cornell???
<em>man...would i love apple pie eatin test</em></p>
<p>transfers luckily don't have to pass the swim test</p>
<p>Well, if you want a pie-eating competition, I suppose you could organise one yourself, with sweepstakes and all for the extra incentive.
Failing that, you could always time yourself or challenge someone for a duel.</p>
<p>I hate swimming pools. People spit and do other **** in there. <em>Wonder if people </em>* in there as well*
Frankly, I quit swimming when I learnt that a kid had crapped in a pool I had visited. Of course, you wont be finding many kids at Ithaca. But I dont wanna take any chances. (Hmm... "psychological reasons")
Also I cant really do the backstroke. Guess it's swimming lessons for me then.</p>
<p>Lol. My HS friend, who was the swimming team captain, once asked me if I had time to kill. Bored as hell, I said yes. And he stuck me in the swimming team because they had fill a certain number of entrees. So I've learned to live with that.</p>