Question
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.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?
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.
Please use two line spaces (using the "enter" key twice) between each paragraph.
_____
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.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?
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.
Please use two line spaces (using the "enter" key twice) between each paragraph.
_____
Answers
GPT-4o mini
**Should Colleges Offer Scholarships for Esports?**
The rise of esports has changed the landscape of competitive gaming and prompted a debate on whether colleges should offer scholarships for participants. Proponents argue that esports foster valuable skills and can provide substantial opportunities for students, while critics raise concerns about the potential harms associated with gaming. Despite these concerns, I contend that colleges should offer scholarships for esports participants, as they promote teamwork, strategic thinking, and can even lead to lucrative career paths in the gaming industry.
One compelling argument for offering esports scholarships is the development of valuable skills among participants. Just as traditional sports involve teamwork, strategy, and execution, so do esports. According to Katie Jones in "Video Game Scholarships," esports rely on reflexes, strategy, and skilled execution, mirroring traditional athletic pursuits (Jones). These skills are not only vital in gaming but also translate to many real-world careers, particularly in technology and design. Offering scholarships for esports recognizes these essential skills and allows students to capitalize on them effectively.
Moreover, colleges are responding to the growing popularity of esports by establishing teams and competitions, as seen in the example of Francis Howell Central High School and its successful collegiate scholarship outcomes (Jones). This indicates a legitimate and institutional recognition of esports as a competitive avenue worthy of financial support. Furthermore, colleges facing declining enrollment can attract a new demographic of students by supporting esports programs. This not only benefits students but also helps institutions maintain their enrollment figures.
Opponents of esports scholarships often cite the risks associated with excessive gaming, including gaming disorder and its potential effects on students’ academics and social lives. In "To Play or Not to Play," Jon Hoang discusses this concern, emphasizing the importance of balancing gaming with other activities (Hoang). While it is essential to acknowledge these risks, it is equally important to understand that many students participate in sports, including traditional athletics, with the potential for injury or unhealthy habits. Offering esports scholarships could encourage students to engage with their passion responsibly, while educational institutions can implement guidelines to promote a balanced lifestyle.
Additionally, the increasing scope of scholarships available for unique activities signifies that esports are not as "outside the box" as detractors suggest. Hoang references unconventional scholarships, such as the Stuck at Prom Scholarship and the National Marbles Tournament, demonstrating that financial aid for unique pursuits is already established (Hoang). If other unconventional activities can lead to scholarships, why should esports, which requires intense skill, dedication, and strategy, be excluded from this trend?
In conclusion, supporting esports through college scholarships reflects the evolving nature of education and the recognition of diverse talents. As esports resonate with a growing number of students and foster important life skills, colleges should embrace this new frontier as a legitimate pathway to higher education. While it is crucial to remain vigilant about potential pitfalls of gaming, the benefits of offering scholarships for esports far outweigh the drawbacks. By providing these opportunities, colleges can not only support their students' interests but also prepare them for successful futures beyond the virtual arena.
The rise of esports has changed the landscape of competitive gaming and prompted a debate on whether colleges should offer scholarships for participants. Proponents argue that esports foster valuable skills and can provide substantial opportunities for students, while critics raise concerns about the potential harms associated with gaming. Despite these concerns, I contend that colleges should offer scholarships for esports participants, as they promote teamwork, strategic thinking, and can even lead to lucrative career paths in the gaming industry.
One compelling argument for offering esports scholarships is the development of valuable skills among participants. Just as traditional sports involve teamwork, strategy, and execution, so do esports. According to Katie Jones in "Video Game Scholarships," esports rely on reflexes, strategy, and skilled execution, mirroring traditional athletic pursuits (Jones). These skills are not only vital in gaming but also translate to many real-world careers, particularly in technology and design. Offering scholarships for esports recognizes these essential skills and allows students to capitalize on them effectively.
Moreover, colleges are responding to the growing popularity of esports by establishing teams and competitions, as seen in the example of Francis Howell Central High School and its successful collegiate scholarship outcomes (Jones). This indicates a legitimate and institutional recognition of esports as a competitive avenue worthy of financial support. Furthermore, colleges facing declining enrollment can attract a new demographic of students by supporting esports programs. This not only benefits students but also helps institutions maintain their enrollment figures.
Opponents of esports scholarships often cite the risks associated with excessive gaming, including gaming disorder and its potential effects on students’ academics and social lives. In "To Play or Not to Play," Jon Hoang discusses this concern, emphasizing the importance of balancing gaming with other activities (Hoang). While it is essential to acknowledge these risks, it is equally important to understand that many students participate in sports, including traditional athletics, with the potential for injury or unhealthy habits. Offering esports scholarships could encourage students to engage with their passion responsibly, while educational institutions can implement guidelines to promote a balanced lifestyle.
Additionally, the increasing scope of scholarships available for unique activities signifies that esports are not as "outside the box" as detractors suggest. Hoang references unconventional scholarships, such as the Stuck at Prom Scholarship and the National Marbles Tournament, demonstrating that financial aid for unique pursuits is already established (Hoang). If other unconventional activities can lead to scholarships, why should esports, which requires intense skill, dedication, and strategy, be excluded from this trend?
In conclusion, supporting esports through college scholarships reflects the evolving nature of education and the recognition of diverse talents. As esports resonate with a growing number of students and foster important life skills, colleges should embrace this new frontier as a legitimate pathway to higher education. While it is crucial to remain vigilant about potential pitfalls of gaming, the benefits of offering scholarships for esports far outweigh the drawbacks. By providing these opportunities, colleges can not only support their students' interests but also prepare them for successful futures beyond the virtual arena.