Question
Passage 1
PASSAGE 1: To Play or Not to Play
By Jon Hoang
In her article for the Illinois-based newspaper Daily Herald, Patricia Babcock McGraw focused on some parents’ concerns about paying for their children’s college education. “[W]e’ve been worrying about our kids’ health, safety, and well-being since the day they were born,” she said, “which is about how long we’ve been worrying about college.” Not all students go to college, but for those who do, scholarships can help pay for costs like classes, books, and housing.
McGraw suggested that many parents whose children plan to go to college secretly hope that their child might be lucky enough to earn an athletic scholarship. Experts advise that luck has little to do with obtaining a scholarship. For ultimate success, students must plan in advance, starting from the ninth grade or before. To obtain an athletic scholarship, kids must focus on both their sport and their education. Plus, to have the greatest success, students should attend college games or matches to meet coaches and players.
Players Experiencing Gaming Disorder
Males
Females
8.5%
3.5%
From “Prevalence of Gaming Disorder: A Meta-Analysis.” Percentages are an estimate that come from a combination of 61 studies across 29 countries.
In short, obtaining an athletic scholarship represents a huge commitment on the part of a family. As an alternative to such a scholarship, a student could instead strive for a scholarship earned for playing esports: video games. Scholarships for playing electronic sports started around 2014. Today, video game players may earn college money by playing real-time
strategy games, fighting games, sports games, first person games, or multiplayer games. A skilled high school esports player may be offered a place on a college esports team along with a scholarship.
Is awarding college money for playing video games a smart move? There are risks associated with esports. One such risk is known as “gaming disorder.” This mental health issue happens when game players prioritize game play over other activities and interests. Those with gaming disorder may skip meals, become antisocial, and lose interest in work or school. The results can be life altering for those who don’t get help. Relationships may suffer, grades may fail, and if that’s the case – any esports scholarship could be lost. Does it make good sense to offer money for something that is potentially harmful?
However, there are other scholarships that are awarded for a variety of activities that make video game playing seem quite traditional. Consider the Stuck at Prom Scholarship. High school students earn money for college by creating a dress or a tuxedo out of Duck® Brand duct tape. Winning entries are based upon originality, workmanship, use of colors, accessories, and use of the correct brand of duct tape. A first-place prize winner receives a $10,000 cash scholarship.
The National Marbles Tournament offers a chance for marble shooters, or mibsters, to earn money for college. The group has awarded thousands of dollars in college scholarships to winners of the game. Zombie fans may earn college money by submitting an essay for the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship. Entrants must submit a plan to stay alive in a high school or college overrun with zombies.
Considering the wide array of scholarships available, esports may not be so far “outside the box.” But does that make it a good idea – or just another bad one?
Passage 2
PASSAGE 2: Video Game Scholarships
By Katie Jones
Francis Howell Central High School in St. Charles, Missouri has an esports team. In a September 2019 article for the NBC News website, Brian Seto McGrath described how esports—electronic sports—became an important activity at Francis Howell. Kris Miller, the school’s guidance counselor, was visiting a college in 2018 when he saw the college esports facility. Miller decided that his high school should start an esports team, too. In time, Miller invited college coaches to meet the new esports team. Two of the students were invited to play at a university tournament for a game called Overwatch. Later, they were offered $100,000 in scholarships by the university.
“If colleges are offering scholarships,” Miller said, “our kids should be competing for them.” Many parents became enthusiastic about high school esports when they realized that their child may be able to obtain money for college. Physical education teachers were less excited. They questioned whether esports are really athletics and should be eligible for scholarships. Esports promoters point out that, like traditional sports, esports rely upon reflexes, strategy, skilled execution, and teamwork.
There can be injuries from athletics, of course, and the same is true for esports. Gripping a controller for hours a day can lead to joint pain in the fingers and hands. Repetitive movements can cause inflammation in tendons. Staring at a screen for hours on end may cause eye strain. Football players would likely say that these injuries pale in comparison to what they experience, from bruises and broken bones to concussions.
There are some who believe that students who focus on gaming may develop unhealthy habits. Unlike traditional sports, esports require players to stay in one place without much movement. This can be unhealthy at best and cause blood clots at the most extreme level.
Video game scholarships are not just for game players, it turns out. Many schools offer tuition support for students who are interested in game design. For example, the New York University Game Center created a scholarship with EVO, the longest-running fighting game contest. The program supports students who want to study game design at the university. The Entertainment Software Association Foundation and the National Videogame Museum also offer financial aid for students interested in game arts. The awards are open to high school students who want to pursue a career in game design.
For technology-minded students, video game scholarships offer a chance to get paid to play, just like students who play traditional sports.
WRITING TASK
Some people believe that colleges should offer scholarships to esports participants. Others, however, believe that esports students should not be offered college scholarships.
Weigh the claims on both sides, and then write an argumentative essay about whether or not colleges should offer video game-related scholarships.
Be sure to use evidence from BOTH texts in your argumentative essay. Write your answer in the space provided.
Before you write, be sure to:
• think about ideas, facts, definitions, details, and other information and examples you want to use;
• think about how you will introduce your topic and what the main topic will be for each paragraph;
• develop your ideas clearly and use your own words, except when quoting directly from the source texts; and
• be sure to identify the sources by title or number when using details or facts directly from the sources.
Now write your argumentative essay in the space provided. Be sure to:
• introduce your claim;
• support your claim with logical reasoning and relevant evidence from the texts;
• acknowledge and address alternate or opposing claims;
• organize the reasons and evidence logically;
• use words, phrases, and clauses to connect your ideas and to clarify the relationships among claims,
• counterclaims, reasons, and evidence;
• establish and maintain a formal style;
• provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented; and
• check your work for correct grammar, usage, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation.
PASSAGE 1: To Play or Not to Play
By Jon Hoang
In her article for the Illinois-based newspaper Daily Herald, Patricia Babcock McGraw focused on some parents’ concerns about paying for their children’s college education. “[W]e’ve been worrying about our kids’ health, safety, and well-being since the day they were born,” she said, “which is about how long we’ve been worrying about college.” Not all students go to college, but for those who do, scholarships can help pay for costs like classes, books, and housing.
McGraw suggested that many parents whose children plan to go to college secretly hope that their child might be lucky enough to earn an athletic scholarship. Experts advise that luck has little to do with obtaining a scholarship. For ultimate success, students must plan in advance, starting from the ninth grade or before. To obtain an athletic scholarship, kids must focus on both their sport and their education. Plus, to have the greatest success, students should attend college games or matches to meet coaches and players.
Players Experiencing Gaming Disorder
Males
Females
8.5%
3.5%
From “Prevalence of Gaming Disorder: A Meta-Analysis.” Percentages are an estimate that come from a combination of 61 studies across 29 countries.
In short, obtaining an athletic scholarship represents a huge commitment on the part of a family. As an alternative to such a scholarship, a student could instead strive for a scholarship earned for playing esports: video games. Scholarships for playing electronic sports started around 2014. Today, video game players may earn college money by playing real-time
strategy games, fighting games, sports games, first person games, or multiplayer games. A skilled high school esports player may be offered a place on a college esports team along with a scholarship.
Is awarding college money for playing video games a smart move? There are risks associated with esports. One such risk is known as “gaming disorder.” This mental health issue happens when game players prioritize game play over other activities and interests. Those with gaming disorder may skip meals, become antisocial, and lose interest in work or school. The results can be life altering for those who don’t get help. Relationships may suffer, grades may fail, and if that’s the case – any esports scholarship could be lost. Does it make good sense to offer money for something that is potentially harmful?
However, there are other scholarships that are awarded for a variety of activities that make video game playing seem quite traditional. Consider the Stuck at Prom Scholarship. High school students earn money for college by creating a dress or a tuxedo out of Duck® Brand duct tape. Winning entries are based upon originality, workmanship, use of colors, accessories, and use of the correct brand of duct tape. A first-place prize winner receives a $10,000 cash scholarship.
The National Marbles Tournament offers a chance for marble shooters, or mibsters, to earn money for college. The group has awarded thousands of dollars in college scholarships to winners of the game. Zombie fans may earn college money by submitting an essay for the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship. Entrants must submit a plan to stay alive in a high school or college overrun with zombies.
Considering the wide array of scholarships available, esports may not be so far “outside the box.” But does that make it a good idea – or just another bad one?
Passage 2
PASSAGE 2: Video Game Scholarships
By Katie Jones
Francis Howell Central High School in St. Charles, Missouri has an esports team. In a September 2019 article for the NBC News website, Brian Seto McGrath described how esports—electronic sports—became an important activity at Francis Howell. Kris Miller, the school’s guidance counselor, was visiting a college in 2018 when he saw the college esports facility. Miller decided that his high school should start an esports team, too. In time, Miller invited college coaches to meet the new esports team. Two of the students were invited to play at a university tournament for a game called Overwatch. Later, they were offered $100,000 in scholarships by the university.
“If colleges are offering scholarships,” Miller said, “our kids should be competing for them.” Many parents became enthusiastic about high school esports when they realized that their child may be able to obtain money for college. Physical education teachers were less excited. They questioned whether esports are really athletics and should be eligible for scholarships. Esports promoters point out that, like traditional sports, esports rely upon reflexes, strategy, skilled execution, and teamwork.
There can be injuries from athletics, of course, and the same is true for esports. Gripping a controller for hours a day can lead to joint pain in the fingers and hands. Repetitive movements can cause inflammation in tendons. Staring at a screen for hours on end may cause eye strain. Football players would likely say that these injuries pale in comparison to what they experience, from bruises and broken bones to concussions.
There are some who believe that students who focus on gaming may develop unhealthy habits. Unlike traditional sports, esports require players to stay in one place without much movement. This can be unhealthy at best and cause blood clots at the most extreme level.
Video game scholarships are not just for game players, it turns out. Many schools offer tuition support for students who are interested in game design. For example, the New York University Game Center created a scholarship with EVO, the longest-running fighting game contest. The program supports students who want to study game design at the university. The Entertainment Software Association Foundation and the National Videogame Museum also offer financial aid for students interested in game arts. The awards are open to high school students who want to pursue a career in game design.
For technology-minded students, video game scholarships offer a chance to get paid to play, just like students who play traditional sports.
WRITING TASK
Some people believe that colleges should offer scholarships to esports participants. Others, however, believe that esports students should not be offered college scholarships.
Weigh the claims on both sides, and then write an argumentative essay about whether or not colleges should offer video game-related scholarships.
Be sure to use evidence from BOTH texts in your argumentative essay. Write your answer in the space provided.
Before you write, be sure to:
• think about ideas, facts, definitions, details, and other information and examples you want to use;
• think about how you will introduce your topic and what the main topic will be for each paragraph;
• develop your ideas clearly and use your own words, except when quoting directly from the source texts; and
• be sure to identify the sources by title or number when using details or facts directly from the sources.
Now write your argumentative essay in the space provided. Be sure to:
• introduce your claim;
• support your claim with logical reasoning and relevant evidence from the texts;
• acknowledge and address alternate or opposing claims;
• organize the reasons and evidence logically;
• use words, phrases, and clauses to connect your ideas and to clarify the relationships among claims,
• counterclaims, reasons, and evidence;
• establish and maintain a formal style;
• provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented; and
• check your work for correct grammar, usage, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
**Argumentative Essay: Should Colleges Offer Scholarships for Esports?**
In today's evolving educational landscape, the debate surrounding scholarships for esports participants has garnered significant attention. While some argue that offering scholarships for video game players legitimizes their efforts and promotes skill development, others contend that doing so may lead to unhealthy habits and undermine traditional values of athletics. After examining both perspectives, I firmly believe that colleges should offer esports scholarships, as they recognize the skills and dedication of players while also promoting educational opportunities in a rapidly growing field.
Proponents of esports scholarships argue that competitive gaming requires significant skill, strategy, teamwork, and dedication, much like traditional sports. As noted in Passage 1, Patricia Babcock McGraw emphasizes the importance of students focusing on their education alongside their sports. This sentiment is echoed in Passage 2, where Kris Miller, the guidance counselor from Francis Howell Central High School, points out the potential for students to gain substantial scholarship money through esports. If colleges are willing to invest in athletes who excel in traditional sports, they should similarly support students who demonstrate exceptional talent and commitment in esports. This not only fosters a more inclusive environment for diverse talents but also encourages students to pursue their passions, leading to a more well-rounded education.
Additionally, the rise of esports has opened new avenues for students interested in game design and technology careers. Passage 2 highlights scholarships available for those pursuing studies in game design, illustrating how esports can facilitate educational opportunities beyond mere gameplay. As the gaming industry continues to innovate and expand, providing scholarships for esports players aligns with workforce trends, preparing students for future careers in this thriving field. Scholarships for esports not only reward the commitment of skilled players but also endorse educational pathways in an essential and dynamic industry.
However, critics argue that esports may promote unhealthy habits and lead students to prioritize gaming over studies. The concept of a "gaming disorder," mentioned in Passage 1, raises concerns about the potential mental health implications of excessive gaming. It is indeed essential for students to maintain a balance between their gaming activities and academic responsibilities. Nevertheless, this issue does not invalidate the need for esports scholarships; rather, it underscores the importance of responsible gaming practices. Colleges can implement support systems and guidelines to help esports players manage their time effectively and ensure their overall well-being.
Similarly, the argument that esports do not qualify as "real sports" overlooks the fact that traditional athletics also carry risks of injury and unhealthy behaviors, as highlighted in Passage 2. Esports players face unique challenges, such as repetitive strain injuries and eye strain, which should be addressed with appropriate training and resources, much like conventional sports. Including esports under the umbrella of athletic scholarships would validate the hard work of these students while prompting institutions to offer necessary health resources to foster responsible gaming habits.
In conclusion, colleges should indeed offer scholarships for esports participants. Such scholarships recognize the dedication, skill, and potential career pathways associated with competitive gaming, ultimately leading to a more inclusive academic environment. While concerns regarding gaming habits are valid, they should not hinder the advancement of a legitimate and evolving field. By providing scholarships for esports, colleges can empower students and support their ambitions, preparing them for success in both their education and future careers.
In today's evolving educational landscape, the debate surrounding scholarships for esports participants has garnered significant attention. While some argue that offering scholarships for video game players legitimizes their efforts and promotes skill development, others contend that doing so may lead to unhealthy habits and undermine traditional values of athletics. After examining both perspectives, I firmly believe that colleges should offer esports scholarships, as they recognize the skills and dedication of players while also promoting educational opportunities in a rapidly growing field.
Proponents of esports scholarships argue that competitive gaming requires significant skill, strategy, teamwork, and dedication, much like traditional sports. As noted in Passage 1, Patricia Babcock McGraw emphasizes the importance of students focusing on their education alongside their sports. This sentiment is echoed in Passage 2, where Kris Miller, the guidance counselor from Francis Howell Central High School, points out the potential for students to gain substantial scholarship money through esports. If colleges are willing to invest in athletes who excel in traditional sports, they should similarly support students who demonstrate exceptional talent and commitment in esports. This not only fosters a more inclusive environment for diverse talents but also encourages students to pursue their passions, leading to a more well-rounded education.
Additionally, the rise of esports has opened new avenues for students interested in game design and technology careers. Passage 2 highlights scholarships available for those pursuing studies in game design, illustrating how esports can facilitate educational opportunities beyond mere gameplay. As the gaming industry continues to innovate and expand, providing scholarships for esports players aligns with workforce trends, preparing students for future careers in this thriving field. Scholarships for esports not only reward the commitment of skilled players but also endorse educational pathways in an essential and dynamic industry.
However, critics argue that esports may promote unhealthy habits and lead students to prioritize gaming over studies. The concept of a "gaming disorder," mentioned in Passage 1, raises concerns about the potential mental health implications of excessive gaming. It is indeed essential for students to maintain a balance between their gaming activities and academic responsibilities. Nevertheless, this issue does not invalidate the need for esports scholarships; rather, it underscores the importance of responsible gaming practices. Colleges can implement support systems and guidelines to help esports players manage their time effectively and ensure their overall well-being.
Similarly, the argument that esports do not qualify as "real sports" overlooks the fact that traditional athletics also carry risks of injury and unhealthy behaviors, as highlighted in Passage 2. Esports players face unique challenges, such as repetitive strain injuries and eye strain, which should be addressed with appropriate training and resources, much like conventional sports. Including esports under the umbrella of athletic scholarships would validate the hard work of these students while prompting institutions to offer necessary health resources to foster responsible gaming habits.
In conclusion, colleges should indeed offer scholarships for esports participants. Such scholarships recognize the dedication, skill, and potential career pathways associated with competitive gaming, ultimately leading to a more inclusive academic environment. While concerns regarding gaming habits are valid, they should not hinder the advancement of a legitimate and evolving field. By providing scholarships for esports, colleges can empower students and support their ambitions, preparing them for success in both their education and future careers.