It started, like Facebook, at an elite university. Like Facebook, membership is free. However, unlike Facebook, DateMySchool is marketed as an exclusive dating site, with enrollment restricted to clients who have an active .edu address at participating schools. As of early August, Wesleyan is one of these schools.
Last November, two Columbia University Business School graduate students, Balaza Alexa and Jean Meyer, launched the dating website after listening to a straight female acquaintance grumbling about the lack of male students in her nursing school. Noting that the Business School had a dearth of female students, the enterprising friends saw a solution and an opportunity.
“In one week, 1,300 Columbia students registered,” DateMySchool Public Relations Director Melanie Wallner wrote in an email to The Argus. “Extensive press coverage—including CNN, The New York Times, The Huffington Post and Time Out NY—have helped us reach over 31,000 members. Taking the cue, DMS launched at 350 schools nationwide on Wednesday, August 17th.”
DateMySchool has tried to differentiate itself from other dating websites by placing a strong emphasis on privacy and security, focusing on insuring anonymity, safety, exclusivity, and control.
“Our members love how safe DMS is,” Wallner wrote. “They feel comfortable trusting the other users because everyone has a .edu account, similar backgrounds, and ambitions. And with our advanced privacy features, they only see the people they want to contact and who want to be contacted by them.”
One of the unique features of DateMySchool is its “hubs.” This feature groups schools according to geographical area, allowing students to easily meet people nearby, or to choose to “filter” them out.
“For example, as Wesleyan is part of the Connecticut hub, you may filter departments from the following schools: University of Connecticut, Central Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, Western Connecticut State University, University of New Haven, Yale, and, of course, Wesleyan as well,” Wallner wrote.
According to Wallner, students often request DateMySchool to open a site for their college.
“Incoming freshmen and transfers tell us that DMS is easing their transition into their new schools, helping them make friends on campus,” Wallner said. “And upperclassmen and grad students tell us that they actively use DMS to branch out to new people across departments and campuses nearby. Alumni tell us that they depend on our platform to meet folks in the areas they’re working. We’re responsible for many new friendships, study partners, and dates, including a recent marriage.”
In the past, numerous dating sites have been filtered in and out of Wesleyan with little success. Will DateMySchool be different?
“It’s really hard to meet people here,” said Natalie Sacks ’14. “Especially getting to know someone at a party, it’s really hard. So I think that having the ability to find someone who has the same interests as you is great, no matter how you go about doing it.”
Scotty Shoemaker ’13 thought the site could appeal to those students who are not huge fans of the typical college dating scene.
“If people actually used [DMS], it could be a good thing. The hook up culture isn’t for everyone, and this could give those people who prefer the alternative the opportunity to go on dates,” he said.
Some students were more dubious about DateMySchool’s prospects.
“We’re in college,” said Zoe Broad ’14. “Part of college is about learning how to interact romantically. If you don’t learn now, you’ll be behind in the game.”
Will Durney ’14 also felt that Wesleyan would not benefit from a dating site.
“I don’t think it would be successful,” Durney said. “I think that these big dating websites work on the assumption that out of this huge pool, there must be at least one person who is perfect for you. That kind of principle just can’t work on such a small scale and with such an exclusive pool.”
DateMySchool hopes to shake up the Wesleyan social scene as much as the infamous CollegeACB. However, at this point in time, only one Wesleyan student–aside from this reporter–has registered an account. And while mega-sites like Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter took years to accrue their extensive membership pools, one has to wonder if DateMySchool is really unique enough to make the cut.
Meanwhile, Balazs Alexa and Jean Meyer have high hopes for DateMySchool’s future and are planning to eventually expand overseas.
To check out DateMySchool, go to http://datemyschool.com.