4 ms·
The physical education requirement was pretty fun. I mean, if you can take 'pistol' to satisfy it, how much can you really complain. On the other hand, I didn
by cadr 15y ago
The physical education requirement was pretty fun. I mean, if you can take 'pistol' to satisfy it, how much can you really complain.
On the other hand, I didn't understand why we had to pass a swim test.
- whamill 15y agoIn case you ever fall into deep water?
- evoxed 15y agoWhen I interviewed for Columbia University, the guy told me one of the more farfetched theories was that it was required in case students had to evacuate the island and swim to New Jersey. Georgia Tech used to (still?) have a swim test... I wonder where they're going...
- astrange 15y agoNo swim test, just a mandatory health and nutrition class. I use it to find out what the popular websites are for freshmen who don't want to pay attention to lectures. Turns out people who won't stop talking in class really like 9gag.
- gwillen 15y agoAs I recall the story, it's because some large donor many years ago demanded it as a condition of a donation. (And of course so that students don't die if they fall in the Charles.)
- Symmetry 15y agoThe story I heard continued on to say that the donor's husband had died on the Titanic when it sank, and hance her concern. EDIT: And incidentally, I got 2 of the 4, and Kendo really ought to count as well.
- duskwuff 15y agoIt's a pirate certificate, though, not a ninja certificate...
- cadr 15y agoYeah, but I feel like I've heard the same story every university that has the requirement - their spouse/child/dog died in the river, so they donated money with that condition. Either it is all urban legend, or rich people need to learn to swim/stay away from water.
- freehunter 15y agoMy university in Michigan used to have a swim test as mandatory admission. The college is build on a river known for a notable handful of students and children drowning. To get into the school you used to have to pass a swim test because "you're living in Michigan which is surrounded by and filled with water". Not sure why they dropped it.
- chimeracoder 15y agoColumbia does too, and I believe Harvard does as well. (Interestingly, Columbia College has to take it, but the engineering school abolished the requirement about a decade ago. Most people incorrectly believe it's because 'engineers can build things; they don't need to swim', but the truth is that there was a miscommunication, and the engineering school removed the requirement because they thought that Columbia College already had.).