<p>From cornell's site: "All entering Cornell first-year students are required to pass a swimming test, conducted during Orientation."</p>
<p>When I was at cornell for their tour, the guide told us that the test is going 50 yards ANYWAY you want. You can doggie paddle, do fly, etc for two lengths of the pool.</p>
<p>I still don't understand the purpose of the test...I mean, if it really is to make sure we won't drown sometime in the future, then shouldn't they also make us pass tests on how to cross in crosswalks, avoid meteorites, not eat moldy food when we come across it, not bash our heads in with rocks, etc?</p>
<p>(And yes, I can swim fine...I just think it's a bit pointless!)</p>
<p>course it is. but if I can go fifty yards ANY WAY I WANT, i suppose it gives me the opportunity to be creative...</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>I think the swim tests at a number of elite colleges were a result of the disastrous fire on the General Slocum, a ship that burned on the East River in NY in 1904. Over 1,000 people died, mostly poor German immigrants, within sight of land.
After that, a number of colleges started to require a swimming test for graduation. I believe a lot have dropped the requirement, but, as you have learned, it does still exist.</p>
<p>when my dad was a student (graduated '74), they had to take the test naked. or so he says. i'm glad we get to wear suits...</p>
<p>The swim test is very easy as long as you can swim. It's not a technique or endurance test, just a competence test. If you can swim decently, you take it at sometime during your first couple days at cornell. The guys take it at one place and the girls at another.</p>
<p>The requirements are:
1. Feet first entry into the pool (i.e. jump in feet first; yes, it's the deep end)
2. Swim 1 length on your front
3. swim back to where you started on your back
4. Swim 1 last length any way you choose.</p>
<p>that's it.</p>
<p>If and only if you have a medical issue that prevents you from learning to swim, like missing limbs, paralysis, alergy to chlorine, etc., you write a paper on CPR or some substitute like that, but 99+% of cornell students aren't medically exempted.</p>
<p>If you can't swim but are not medically exemptable, you still don't have to take the test. You instead sign up for swimming lessons for your PE. You have to take 2 PEs anyway at cornell, so this way you're killing two birds with one stone. You'll go into an introduction to swimming class, and at the end of the class you'll know how to swim, have one of your PE credits done, and take and pass the test.</p>
<p>ah, thanks for clearing that up, sparticus</p>
<p>time to drown. and i was looking forward to girls in bikinis =(</p>
<p>comeon! swimming is easy! just flap your arms and kick.</p>