If you are a college student or someone who is attending college soon, then you most certainly need to know the top five dating apps to check out. Online dating has skyrocketed in popularity in the last decade. College students almost always tend to favor the online dating scene, versus meeting someone offline.
With as many online dating apps that are available for use, it can be confusing at times in regards to which will land you the best results. Some apps are better suited for long-lasting relationships, while others are better suited for those looking for shorter term relationships.
Today we will cover the top five apps that we know will help land you your top choice, specifically apps popular among the college community. Whether you’re looking for short-term or long-term, let’s dive straight into the top five online dating apps.
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Best Dating Apps for College Students: Our Top Picks
Tinder
Tinder is, without a doubt, the most popular option for those in college looking for their next love. Tinder has millions of daily users, making it one of the most popular dating apps in the world. Sign up is an easy process, only requiring a phone number, password and email; keeping this process quick and easy.
Tinder, the Godfather of online dating apps, is extremely feature-rich. These include super likes, messaging options, and a plethora of other features available for your pleasure. Tinder also has a modern interface, and is quite simple to use, making it a breeze to find your next lover.
Pros:
- The Free Feature Ie Good
- Plenty Of Users
- Nice Interface
Cons:
- High Competition
- Limited Swipes Without Premium
- Sometimes It’s A Rating App
Match.com
Match.com is another extremely popular online dating app — and with reason. This app is regularly used by college students. The Match app has tens of millions of users online in any given single month, with plenty of useful features. They even have a wink feature, which could be used as something of an ice breaker!
We looked at the feedback of Match.com users, and most of them stated that they loved the seriousness of the users, and that most are looking for something long term. A con to some; but definitely a pro among most. You will also appreciate their great anti spam feature, a system that helps protect you from spam profile.
Pros:
- Great interface
- Lots of Users
- Great Anti Spam Feature
Cons:
- Customer Service Average At Best
- Pricey Premium
- Could Include More Free Features
Zoosk
Widely used by those attending college and pulling in well over 30 million users, Zoosk is definitely an app to be considered. Zoosk uses a smart system designed to learn the user, instead of requiring a quiz upfront. This helps Zoosk learn who you want to date by watching who you like, message — and by observing other user actions.
Zoosk has a lot of cool features too, such as the messaging and location. Don’t forget the ability to only see those of a certain age or sexuality either, and we can’t help but to praise their easy to use system and modern user interface. According to most users, the app delivers satisfying ending results. We highly recommend this app!
Pros:
- Popular Among College Students
- Great Premium Price
- Updated Frequently
Cons:
- Not Updated Regularly
- Basic Plan Isn’t Great
- 25% of Users under 25
OkCupid
OkCupid is a proven app released to the public over a decade ago. Because of this, they have had time to refine their app multiple times. Sign up is a super easy process here; and profile creation is both fun and exciting. When you are setting up your profile, you will be prompted to fill out a brief questionnaire, which will help match you with others who have similar interests.
According to the feedback we have seen, most users loved this feature and admitted that it works better than most other apps. College students love OkCupid, probably because of the insane customization or modern style; regardless, it’s definitely an app that we proudly recommend to try.
Pros:
- Proven Match Success
- Millions of Users
- Modern UI
Cons:
- Lacks Great Spam Filters
- Phone Number Needed
- Questionnaire Needed
CoffeeMeetsBagel
CoffeeMeetsBagel once appeared on the popular TV show Shark Tank, quickly growing into a multi-million dollar company. They offer many features and aim to help those seeking love; long-term relationships that last. They attempt to do this by slowing down the ability to browse, by only allowing a limited amount of swipes.
No worries, though. After you sign up for their service, CoffeeMeetsBagel will then know your taste and match you with those more likely to match with you. If you’re looking for something long-term with a happy end, then CoffeeMeetsBagel is definitely worth a shot. We bet you won’t be disappointed with the results!
Pros:
- Very Customizable
- Great Match System
- Loved By College Students
Cons:
- Pricey Premium
- Spam Profile Occasionally (Rare)
- Set-up Process takes Longer
Things To Consider
Wear Protection
Dating is inevitable in college, which means you’ll likely have more than a few nights in bed with a lover. If you plan on sleeping around and having a bit of fun on the weekends to cool off from exams, make sure that you wear protection. Not only does this help prevent the possibility of catching diseases, this also helps prevent the potential unexpected pregnancy.
Dress Nice
College is a place to learn and make friends in the process, and when you find yourself going on a date, make sure that you dress for the occasion. College students are used to being around those who are dressed nice, especially out in public. So when you go out on that next date, make sure you are dressed well and smell nice.
Be Confident
This can be a touchy subject, especially if you have social anxiety. We don’t mean that you have to walk into the date location acting like a version of The Rock or Cat Woman, more just that you should be confident in yourself and your own abilities. Projecting that you lack confidence could cause further dates with the person to be at stake. No worries, however; after you both speak for a bit, then you’ll likely loosen up and become more open.
Consider Purchasing Premium
Online dating apps often have a premium option available for purchase, allowing you to use a plethora of different cool and useful features. This could be anything from an unlimited messaging option, video chats, or even unlimited likes. Purchasing premium is definitely not required, but if you are serious, this is probably a good option to consider.
Don’t Say “I” Too Often
Oftentimes, those going on a date may not know what to talk about, so they simply began mentioning what they do, such as hobbies or accomplishments. This is not necessarily a bad thing in itself — just make sure that you ask about them too. You don’t want to sound like you are completely self-absorbed, but this is easily fixed by asking them about themselves instead.
Remember These Things
Make A Stand Out Profile
Most users on online dating apps make an extremely simple profile that lacks character. First, make sure that you have a clear photo of yourself, and if it’s a group photo, ensure the person checking you out will know who is who. Next, make sure you fill in your bio with a few hobbies and goals; an individual may see something you both have in common and feel inclined to contact you!
Never Send Money
On almost every occasion, scammers will may ask you for money. This will likely start small, and usually happens within the first few weeks, although it can happen after months have passed. If you are asked to send money for any reason, this should immediately raise a red flag. Never send money to anyone online, especially those who you have never met in real life. This could lead to very negative consequences.
Keep Personal Information Private
Online dating scammers may not ask for money, but instead ask for personal information. They will usually create a fake scenario for why they need such information. You should never give anyone online, particularly within a dating app, because this could lead to many legal issues, such as bankruptcy, identify theft and beyond. Stay cautious!
Pay Attention To Keywords
Oftentimes, online dating scammers use certain keywords that help them reel in and groom a victim, so it is crucial to be aware of these. These keywords typically consist of words such as “Destiny” or “Fate” and when encountered, you should stay vigilant.
Analyze Their Profile
Users on online dating apps can at times, receive an excessive amount of messages and likes, especially those who identify as female. When you are ready to let someone know you’re interested, make sure that you analyze their profile first. For example, if they like visiting historical locations, mention that you think it’d be fun to go along on a trip to a local site nearby. This makes you seem much more interested than most other people, who likely send an ice breaker message similar to “Hi!”. Lame!
Verdict
College is a place to learn and further your education, but at times when it gets a little boring and repetitive, it can be nice to break away and search for a companion to love and gossip with. That is why we have created a top five list with the most popular online dating apps used by those attending college while keeping user feedback and demographics in mind. Whether you are looking for something short-term or long-term, or even a potential hook-up, these give apps should give you a great head start. Make sure that you implement our proven advice too.
You definitely don’t want an unexpected pregnancy which would not only obviously change your entire life, but change the way you attend school and take time away from class as well. Make sure you dress nice and throw on some nice smelling scents before you meet up with a date. The last thing you want is denial because you’re poorly dressed, while also smelling like you’ve just finished football practice.
While taking advantage of the apps we have mentioned, make sure that you are aware of different online dating scams as well. To keep yourself safe, never provide any personal information or do anything online that you may regret in the future. We hope you have learned a lot from our guide and we hope you do the best with finding the perfect match to enjoy the golden years of college. Best of luck!
