Are There Any eSports Opportunities For College Students?
There are eSports opportunities for everyone. Regardless of whether you are in school or not, if you are very good at winning competitive video games, you may be able to succeed in eSports. That being said, there are certain opportunities that may only be available to college students, especially undergraduates.
Organizations Within Your School
Colleges have clubs and social organizations for hobbies and interests. If your college has an eSports club, you can look into joining it. Even if your college does not have an eSports club, most colleges allow students to file a petition to form a club. You may need to find some other students who are interested in joining the club to fill the requirements to officially create a club, then you can create an eSports club in your college. Check with your undergraduate institution or academic advisor for more details.
eSports Competitions For College Students
If a club is too casual for you, or if the club is not enough to fulfill your eSports ambitions, then you may want to look into some national championships. Every year the national eSports scene changes for college students. Some programs, like Heroes of the Dorm, were active in the past but are no longer active and have been discontinued. You can also look into the Riot Scholastic Association of America as well as the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE).
Scholarships And Financial Aid
The price of a college education has been continuously rising against the present day inflation, and if you are able to get a scholarship based on your eSports ability that may play a role in determining if a college is right for you. eSports is only one factor when you decide to go to a specific college and it does not work out for everyone. It’s important to have a back up plan especially if you’re a college student. There will always be opportunities in eSports, and colleges are only one of many places that you can find them. Even if you don’t become an eSports professional competitor, you may want to major in some type of field like game design or artwork. Artists can create art for games, and game developers can produce their own games as a career. The barrier to entry for creating games is actually much smaller now than it was in the past. In the past, development costs were much more expensive, and people did not have the ability to develop their own ideas without giving up a lot of their creative freedom because they had to go through larger studios.
eSports In College Is A Growing Trend
If you were to go back a few decades, eSports in college was almost unheard of. This is a new phenomenon. If eSports is your hobby, you can expand your network and participate in eSports clubs in your college. There are many different careers available for people who are interested in eSports. Even people who do not actively compete can find something to do. There are commentators, analysts, and other support staff involved in the industry. College can be an opportunity for you to enter in the industry even if you’re not a competitor. You may also be able to earn some academic credits through internships. Check with your academic advisor and do not be afraid to be open about your plans and goals. Your academic advisor is there to help you. Even if they are not that familiar with eSports, they are familiar with the professional system and they will be able to point you in the right direction. Majors that you might not expect can actually be very very relevant for eSports. For example, English majors or journalism majors could write articles in the college newspaper about the eSports activities of the college. Economics majors could even analyze the choices that players make in eSports games and use or apply economic theory to their logic. The sky is the limit when it comes to eSports. If you are a college student, then you have many opportunities.