I am a HS junior interested in Cornell.I know there is a swim test, but I can’t swim. How are the swimming classes? I’m not scared of swimming, but I have a horrible build for swimming and I have trouble even floating when I am completely calm and still. Another problem is I can barely see without contacts/glasses which is pretty embarrassing when swimming, The other swim threads seem to focus on the test itself, but how was your experience with the beginner swimming class? What happens if you can’t swim by the end of it?
Just a suggestion, why don’t you take swimming lessons while you are still in high school? Then you can breeze through the swim test. Swimming is a life skill. It seems like you still have time to learn before you get to Cornell. Probably worth it.
My daughter knew how to swim, so she just took the test and passed. It’s three lengths of the pool, one on your front, one on your back, and one of your choice. No stopping in between. If you fail, you will be enrolled in beginning swimming. My daughter knows two girls who did not pass the test and are taking swimming classes for their gym credit and they don’t mind it at all. You’ll probably be in good hands. If you can’t swim by the end of the class (doubtful) then you can retake it.
@TiggyB62 I don’t have much time right now to consistently go for swimming lessons. I will try in the summer but IDK, I tried for 2-3 times per week for a few weeks and barely made any progress.
Get goggles so you can wear your contacts.
@intparent I don’t know how true this is but I’ve read that it could still be dangerous to swim with contacts even with goggles. I’m nearsighted so after I get in the pool it’s not too bad but it’s kind of embarrassing when I can’t recognize people from the other side of the pool.
You can get basic prescription swim goggles for around $20.
@twicemama In the past, this was true. However, now it’s very prescription specific. If you have a very high prescription, similar to mine, they are now expensive.
@twicemama thank you, I didn’t know about this. I’ll look into it.
@Classof2017 Look at Swimoutlet.com Look for Optical Goggles.
They go to negative 8 and are under $20. If your eyes vary, you can buy two pair, and mix and match the lens strength. These will not necessarily match your actual prescriptions but will be better than swimming blind.
My D is a competitive swimmer and has used these in the past, but for many years, just uses disposable contacts and regular goggles. Good luck!
@twicemama Thank you! I’m much lower than -8 so it should work fine. I didn’t know it would be so cheap either when normal glasses are well over $100. But if you order swim goggles online how do you know if they fit you well?