Best Dating App For College

One of the first “real world” life lessons I learned after graduating was that dating after college is a totally different ballgame.

In college, dating is relatively easy. Think about it: you’re surrounded by tons of people your own age and between parties, your classes, friends, sports and other on-campus social activities (did I mention parties?) it’s incredibly easy to meet people. Although many people do end up finding serious relationships during college, having fun and ‘keeping things casual’ is encouraged, which takes a lot of pressure off of dating. However, all of that changes after college.

As a recent graduate you’re trying to find your footing in your first “real job” while adapting to all of the other changes that post collegiate life brings. If you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself working in an organization that is full of other recent grads that you can socialize with (and possibly date); however, for many of us, this isn’t the case – making meeting people post college more challenging. As your life has become more established, so have your dating goals: you’re not ready to get married or anything, but you want to meet someone who can be more than a fling. So, what’s a recent grad to do? Easy: go online.

Like being a college student, online dating immediately opens you up to thousands of other post-college aged singles looking to meet someone. Not sure which dating site is right for you? Here’s our list of the best dating sites for recent grads:

Plenty of Fish –. PoF is by far one of the best online dating sites for recent college grads for one big reason: it’s completely free to join. As a recent college grad who is likely juggling rent, car payments and paying off pesky student loans, an online dating service that you can access for free is definitely a plus for many people. The demographic suggests that, although the age group is a tad older than college students, Hinge is the best dating app for college students, at least one of the best – especially for those who are looking to get their love life in order after graduation. 15 Best Dating Apps for College Students in 2021 Paid and Free - The best dating apps that college students and people use for free to connect for hookups or relationships include Tinder, Match, and Friendsy. Dating apps are the go-to approach for people in 2018, especially for college students looking to date, hook up, and meet new people. If you’re one of them, check out these dating apps that you can download and try out today! If you are looking for a meaningful relationship, then Match and eHarmony are the best college dating apps for you. If you aim to seek casual fling or hook up, Tinder is your best shot. There are some other college dating apps like Friendsy which connects only college students. Features and Credibility of the College Dating App.

Plenty of Fish –

PoF is by far one of the best online dating sites for recent college grads for one big reason: it’s completely free to join. As a recent college grad who is likely juggling rent, car payments and paying off pesky student loans, an online dating service that you can access for free is definitely a plus for many people. However, unlike other dating sites where a free “membership” is extremely restricted (ie. you’re only allowed to browse matches, not contact them), PoF’s free service includes every feature you would expect from a dating site (plus a few fun bonuses). With a free membership you get full access to the site, including searching, testimonials, favorites, and communication with other members. You’ll also gain access to PoF’s highly detailed personality assessment tests, including their “Relationship Needs Assessment Test” – which are great tools for helping you better understand your post college dating personality. Keep in mind, if you like the service there’s always the option to upgrade to a premium membership that will allow you to access even more features at a very minimal monthly cost.

With over 32,000,000 members and 2.4 billion page views every month on PoF, you can’t argue with the numbers. Whether you’re looking for something casual or a serious relationship, Plenty of Fish is a great place to go if you want to meet lots of diverse singles with little to no financial commitment. Sounds like a win/win, right?

Zoosk –

If you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for relationship wise, but want to stay in the dating loop by connecting with as many other singles as possible, Zoosk is another great option for recent college grads – especially if you’re the kind of person who loves using social media and wants to connect with other singles on the go. Used by over 25 million people worldwide, Zoosk is a unique online dating service because it not only connects you with a massive network of other singles, it also allows you to find potential dates within your existing social circle. One of Zoosk’s main strengths is it’s fun and easy to use mobile app. The sign-up process is incredibly simple and quick, allowing you to cut to the chase and start meeting people almost instantly.

To use an analogy, Zoosk feels a bit like you’re at a really awesome college party minus the awkwardness that comes along with potentially hitting on people who aren’t interested in you. Zoosk’s Carousel feature allows you to swipe through profiles to see if anyone catches your eye. If you want to interact with them, you can connect instantly using Zoosk’s in house, unlimited chat program. Whether you’re looking for a casual dating experience or something a bit more serious, Zoosk a great app for recent college grads who are super busy and want to date and/or hookup on the fly. With a variety of affordable and flexible membership plans, you can find what you’re looking for on Zoosk without blowing your budget.

Plus, as an added bonus, Zoosk also connects to Facebook and several email programs, working similarly to a social networking site by “finding” people you already know. After all, maybe your next great date will be with someone you’ve already met….in college.

By Andrew Leung

For better or for worse, Tinder is a dating app popular among college students. Testimonials reported by USA Today seem to suggest that dates resulting from the matches on the app, much like those initiated through physical person-to-person interactions, can go either way.

Part of the Tinder charm is its simplicity – swipe right if you're interested, and left if you're not – but that simplicity can be a double-edged sword, resulting in superficial matches. Another explanation for the app's popularity might be due to the fact that it's free; college students are already bogged down with student loan debt, so much so, that the crushing weight of monthly loan payments come before finding love (or something like it). However, Tinder isn't the only free dating app on the market; here are five equally free and convenient dating apps geared toward college students.

Read more: There's Finally Something More Annoying Than Unsolicited Dick Pics on Tinder

1. Friendsy

Best Hookup App For College Students

Friendsy has been billed as the 'Tinder for college students' because you need a .edu email in order to become a member – in that sense, TechCrunch notes that Friendsy is 'Tinder meets vintage Facebook.'

Similar to Tinder, swiping left means you're not interested, but swiping right prompts a user to choose either to friend, date or hook up.

Furthermore, unlike Tinder, users can filter searches – from class year to gender to even college major.

2. Coffee Meets Bagel

Coffee Meets Bagel is built on the idea of everyone's favorite quick date idea: grabbing a coffee. 'Most of our members are busy young professionals,' the creators of the app write on their website. 'We know that one thing everyone looks forward to daily is coffee breaks.'

Connect with Facebook, and every day at noon, the app will send you a prospective match, prompting the user to like or pass. Coffee Meets Bagel also prides itself on being discreet, you're not likely to ever match with your direct Facebook friends.

3. Happn

'Why should we go on dating websites when we meet so many new people every day, in real life?' the founders write on their website.

Unlike Tinder and similar apps which shows you all user profiles within a designated radius of your location, Happn takes GPS a little further by showing you all the users you've physically walked past throughout your day. Profiles are organized by time and place of your encounter and if you like a user, you can secretly like their profile – they won't find out unless there is mutual interest.

4. How About We

How About We has a very simple premise: user profiles consists of a date idea. The creators of the app emphasize 'OFFline dating,' discouraging the typical back-and-forth chats that occur via mobile devices. 'Just say what you want to do, find someone who wants to go (or let them find you), and get offline,' they write on their website.