<p>So what's the deal with this swim test thing?<br>
I'm not worried about it ( i play water polo) I just think it's funny that you have to take a swimming test to go to Cornell. I've never heard of anything like it and it made me laugh.</p>
<p>I think it's "to graduate" from Cornell?</p>
<p>haha MIT has one too!</p>
<p>lol columbia has one too. seriously lol, wonder how many people can't swim.</p>
<p>cornell says that it has to be passed to enter (otherwise beginner's swimming has to be scheduled first semester). But i've really never heard of any school having this and apparently a good amount do. I just think it's funny</p>
<p>I thought all the Ivies had it...</p>
<p>pjv- water polo is sweet :) I don't play on a team (there are none in my area), but I lived in NJ for 14 years, and we used to play for fun... It gets nasty though!! haha, it's such a blast!!!</p>
<p>yeah, i'm one of the only ones among me friends who hasn't broken their nose</p>
<p>lol, good for you!! that's a pretty common injury... I haven't broken my nose, but we weren't extremely competitive... there was certainly the fair share of black eyes and bloody noses though.</p>
<p>I'm ashamed, I can't swim two thirds of my way across the pool, okay I swam a third to a half the length before, after I learned about many Ivies have the "swim test" last summer so I practiced a little, but I have never swam across a full sized , regulation pool on one account before. I like to jog so my lung vital capacity is good and I can hold my breath long enough to swim that far now. I think I understand the mechanics, but swimming isn't something you can learn by reading an instruction manuel. Btw, if you are wondering , I grew up in northern China, near a desert, with almost no water body unless you consider a small pond and little stream one, and the public facilities in my hometown don't amount to very much, so no free, public swimming pools. I live in Phoenix, AZ now, not much water here either. I'm working on how to change my breath while swimming now so I don't have to hold the breath while swimming under the water across the whole pool. I'm afraid my lungs would definitely burst. It's only a few months to Cornell if I attend, any quick tips??</p>
<p>Please tell me I only have to learn how to swim by graduation, as in college graduation not high school..</p>
<p>I completely thought it was a grad requirement. Maybe it's an entrance requirement.....</p>
<p>This concern comes up periodically... read CC archives for the scoop on the swim test: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=17026&page=2&pp=20%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=17026&page=2&pp=20</a></p>
<p>The test is a graduation requirement. You can wait till you are a senior to take it if you want to (its not recommended). If you don't pass the swim test you don't have to enroll in the swim class. You can wait a couple of semesters to do that or you can not take the swim class at all and just try to take the test again at a later date. They offer the test a few times a semester (at a fee) but taking it during orientation is the only time that the test is free (unless you take the swim class then you will be tested by your instructor and that is free).</p>
<p>For the test you have to do three laps of the pool. The first on your front, the second on your back, and the third doing whatever stroke you want. There is no time limit, so you can take as long as you want.</p>
<p>shawn33402- Try doggy paddle... They do not require that you have perfect form so try to use the doggy paddle, that way you do not have to try to learn how to do rythmic breathing, you just hold your head above the water. If while you are at Cornell you wish to learn how to swim properly, I'm sure you can do that, but if you just want to pass the test try doggy paddle, it works.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice blackferrari, the type of stroke while swimming on my back may give me some trouble, for lap two. I 'll get a friend to teach me that in the summe rmaybe.</p>
<p>How do you swim on your back? That's crazy.</p>
<p>the same way you swim on your front...with your arms and legs</p>
<p>So its just one lap front, one lap back, and one lap any style?</p>
<p>I thought I needed to do butterfly....whew!!</p>