Whether you’re looking for love or someone to share a friendship with, Tinder helps you in your search. It’s a good thing, as not everyone has the time to go out and meet that special someone. That’s why Tinder was launched and why it has left a mark on the dating world. With a few swipes of a finger on a smartphone, a user can view potential dates and “like” or “pass” based on what they see. When they find a person that catches their eye, they hope their potential love interest likes them back and it becomes a match.
What is Tinder U?
Now, Tinder is launching a new twist on their popular dating app – a version of Tinder for college and university students only. Appropriately enough, it’s called Tinder U. As the name implies, this app is for guys and gals in a college or university setting. For the first time, college students looking for a prospective date or love match can view only students enrolled in a 4-year institution of higher learning. According to Tinder, this includes 4-year, accredited, not-for-profit schools in the United States.
To join Tinder U, college students must have a .edu email address and be “geolocatable” on a college or university campus for verification. Plus, as of now, participants must be an Apple iPhone user to join the service, although it’s currently being rolled out for Android as well. Once signed up, a student can view and swipe to his or her heart’s content from the convenience of their phone.
Will this service catch on? Tinder is wasting no time getting the word out to get college students to sign up. The company enlisting the help of undergraduates on college and university campuses across the country to spread the word and encourage young people to sign up and try the app. They’re also encouraging student evangelists to throw parties as a way to introduce the app and create buzz.
Will college students embrace this innovative concept? You can argue that students at universities already have tons of opportunities to meet new people, including potential dates. Between fraternities, sporting events, parties, and classes, there’s no shortage of ways students can make friends or hook up with a potential love match.
Why Use Tinder U?
But, the beauty of Tinder is its simplicity. With the swipe of a finger, students can quickly “screen” potential matches without taking too much time away from their studies. Plus, with the college only version of Tinder, they only see photos of people who are also pursuing a 4-year degree and can view students from their own campus as well as neighboring campuses. Students who don’t mind traveling can even view potential matches on campuses nationwide. It certainly broadens dating horizons! When viewing potential candidates on the app, a banner with the name of the university the guy or gal attends pops up too, so a user can quickly see what school the person is attending.
Downfalls to Looking for Love on Tinder U?
Are there drawbacks to the new Tinder for college app? The app makes things, maybe too easy to find a match. Swiping right to left or left to right to find a date doesn’t always lead to the highest quality picks. Using an app like this means making a snap judgment based on appearance only. You can’t tell what a candidate’s voice sounds like, whether their face exudes kindness and compassion, or if they’re an engaging conversationalist through an app. Plus, people tend to post idealized photos of themselves and an actual meet-up can sometimes be a letdown. But, technology is all about saving time and making life easier, and the new Tinder app makes it quick and simple for college students to screen for potential matches, for a night, a few weeks, or potentially – a lifetime. Plus, the fact that only college and university students can sign up, it’s less likely that they’ll hook up with a serial killer.
Find New Friends on Tinder U
Tinder points out that the app can screen not just for love matches but can help users find a study buddy or a new friend, and if a student wants to broaden their horizons, they can easily toggle between the Tinder U app and the original Tinder app. It’s an extension of the Tinder app that will make it even easier for college students to connect.
Have a success story – or a horror story – using Tinder U? Spill all the details in the comments below.
