<p>What is the PE test like? I know there's a swim test but what else?</p>
<p>I swear to god, it's the most manageable thing in the world, considering that I'm the least athletically gifted person in the universe. I don't remember that much about it, but....</p>
<p>-- Swim test: swim a lap or two. Did you drown? No? Pass.
--Cardio step test. Don't squeeze the gadget that reads heart rate too hard.
-- Back flexibility test.
-- Strength test
-- Curl ups.
--Other stuff</p>
<p>You will be given this huge sheet when you sign in at Opening Day and it will give you a time for your swim test and your PE test. You will be told that you can take it whenever, though-- the appointments are not rules, more like guidelines, really so that not everybody crowds into Ratner at the same time on the same day. </p>
<p>I seem to remember about 15-30 kids at each station, and with all of the waiting around, the test took about 45 minutes. It won't be the most thrilling moment of your U of C education.</p>
<p>I should mention that there's no real way to fail the gym test. If you perform well, you don't have to take any gym, and if you perform terribly, you take a year of gym. If you fail the swim test, you have to take some swimming. Most people (i.e. athletically ungifted me) placed out of two quarters of gym and had to take one quarter.</p>
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I should mention that there's no real way to fail the gym test. If you perform well, you don't have to take any gym, and if you perform terribly, you take a year of gym. If you fail the swim test, you have to take some swimming. Most people (i.e. athletically ungifted me) placed out of two quarters of gym and had to take one quarter.
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<p>Not so sure about this. I'm probably in the top 20% athletically here, and I only tested out of one quarter. Admittedly, I would've undoubtedly tested out of 2 were it not for the horribly confusing curl-up test, which no one around me really understood either. Most people I know tested out of only 1 quarter of P.E. and the swim test.</p>
<p>Supposedly, athletes occasionally only test out of 0-1 quarter whereas people who have no athletic ability whatsoever occasionally test out of both. It's a flawed system, and it would be much more accurate if some of the tests were explained better.</p>
<p>My daughter tested out of two -- had to take one. She took something where she walked on a treadmill and lifted weights. No big deal.</p>
<p>This may be a stupid question.. but does gym actually count as a class? I mean, is it possible to actually have 1/3 or 1/4 of your classes be gym for a quarter? That sounds really fun- why would you want to test out of it?</p>
<p>Nope, gym doesn't count as an actual class. You can take 4 classes and a gym class and still pay regular tuition. The conditioning class I took was quite nice. Got me up in the morning to exercise and taught me some well-rounded workouts in addition to a nice 5k run 3 times a week. </p>
<p>Wanted to try out a modern dance class this quarter, but forgot and it filled up.. ah well, always next year :P</p>
<p>The reason I, and I'm assuming many others, would want to test out of it is so that you aren't spending literally thousands of dollars to go to gym class.</p>
<p>^Fair point but keep in mind that there are people who pay thousands of dollars to go to college just to party. Better to waste it for gym.</p>
<p>Gym isn't worth any credit -- you take your four classes plus gym -- so you're not paying for it, really.</p>
<p>I read that one of your three quarters has to be a 'personal fitness' class, ie, weight training or conditioning. If you place out of one or two quarters, does one of your remaining quarters have to be a personal fitness class?</p>
<p>My S was exempt from swimming (lifeguard and certified PADI diver) and one quarter of gym and took golf his final quarter. I told him that failing to graduate for not taking his gym class was NOT an option! My D (first year) was also exempt from swimming (same reasons) and managed to pass out of both quarters of gym. Though she'd run cross country for 4 years, that sure surprised me.</p>
<p>My totally non-athletic S somehow placed out of swimming and all PE. Maybe he has some sort of genetic predisposition to cardiovascular fitness and flexibility --it's certainly not from working out!</p>
<p>I don't know what happens with two quarters, but if you only need one quarter of gym or gym+swimming, you can take any elective. Social Dance was fun, and I hear good things about Archery.</p>