More coeds seek 'sugar daddies' for tuition help
An online service says a growing number of students want 'mutually beneficial arrangements' with wealthy older men and women.
Is it a sign of changing financial and moral perspectives or just a depressing economic trend?
A website that specializes in helping wealthy men date younger women says more of those women are looking for a "sugar daddy" to help pay for their college tuition.
SeekingArrangement.com bills itself as a dating site "for those seeking mutually beneficial arrangements," such as a relationship between a sugar daddy and a willing partner.
According the website's founder and CEO, last year saw a significant rise in the number of college students looking for male companions to help pay for higher education.
The website says it has more than 2 million members worldwide. In 2011, 40% of the site's total population was reportedly composed of college students. After a 58% increase in student signups last year, that number rose to 44%.
The website says its college-aged member profiles receive three times more inquires from potential benefactors, and with the uncertain economy, it expects more college students to be signing up.
"An important social fabric is broken in our society (when) individuals are taught to fend for themselves once they turn 18," Brandon Wade, the website's founder & CEO, said in a press statement.
"We can no longer depend on our government or our parents for our education. In the absence of these important social support systems, it's no wonder more and more college students are relying on finding a sugar daddy or sugar mommy to pay for college."
Miesha Stafford, a student at Georgia State University -- No. 1 on the site's list of top 20 colleges with student member signups -- says she isn’t surprised that some of her classmates might participate. "School’s expensive," she told WXIA-TV in Atlanta. "And who wants to take all those loans out and be $20,000, $50,000 in debt after school?"
"Instead of having to choose between dropping out and getting a job . . . this is a viable option," a company spokeswoman told KNBC-TV Los Angeles. "You're paid to become a companion. And you're getting some business sense and contacts."
A 23-year-old college student in Los Angeles told KNBC she has no illusions about what's going on. "This is a business relationship," said the woman, who didn’t want her real name revealed and went by "Lyla."
The woman said she earned $3,000 a month during a recent relationship. "There are times I feel like it's not worth it," she said. "I feel like I'm losing my dignity each time I see a man. But it is worth it sometimes."
The company says it can determine whether new members are students if they open an account using a college or university email address that ends with ".edu." Using that metric, the company says it saw the fastest increase in new student members last year from the following schools:
1. Georgia State University, 292 signups (No. 11 in 2011)
2. New York University, 285 signups (No. 1 in 2011)
3. Temple University, 268 signups (No. 5 in 2011)
4. University of Central Florida, 221 signups (No. 14 in 2011)
5. University of Southern Florida, 212 signups (No. 7 in 2011)
6. Arizona State University, 204 signups (No. 8 in 2011)
7. Florida International University, 187 signups (No. 20 in 2011)
8. University of Georgia, 148 signups (No. 2 in 2011)
9. Indiana University, 131 signups (No. 17 in 2011)
10. Texas State, 128 signups
11. Kent State University, 123 signups (No. 15 in 2011)
12. Penn State, 121 signups (No. 13 in 2011)
13. University of North Texas, 112 signups
14. Florida State University, 111 signups
15.Tulane University, 109 signups (No. 4 in 2011)
16. Michigan State University, 108 signups (No. 9 in 2011)
17. University of Ohio, 103 signups
18. Columbia University, 100 signups
19. University of Alabama, 96 signups
20. University of California Los Angeles, 91 signups
More on Money Now
When we glorify "college" and tell kids that it is the only way you can make a living, when employer's require degrees despite the person having the required skills and knowledge, we ask for these problems.
Kids go to school and possible grad-school leaving with anywhere from 20-100 thousand dollars of debt. Debt that can not be dissolved through bankruptcy. This debt hangs like a noose around their neck until they can finally get a job to start paying it down. Like the mortgage crisis, we can place some of the blame on the student for taking loans they can't repay, but don't we push them into schools, don't we tell them that it is the only way to get a high paying job, don't we tell them that it is for their own good?
We need more trade schools and colleges that are meant to educate students on how to make it after college with a job. Stop with this BS that you need to take all of the literature and humanities to make the student a well rounded individual. Those students are hostages to the degree process and they still aren't given the skill they need to succeed.
On a different note - do I feel bad that these kids are in a position that they feel this activity is required so they can afford college? - Definitely. Should it be changed? - Definitely. But until it is, don't judge these kids because we have no leg to stand on judging others and they are just trying to get by.
A pathetic sign of the horrible morals and principles and general decline of our society. What do these college kids think their parents did to get through college? We worked, starved, struggled, and still had college to pay off after jobs. I suppose the biggest difference between then and now is that there were actual jobs back in the day. Still, our society has hit a new low.
This is why we need to come together and pray more then ever. If we focus on Jesus and less of this world we can become stronger spiritually. Dear heavenly Father I pray for our youth that feel they have to come to this for an education. Lord I pray that you give them strength and understanding of what they are doing to your temple. Build them up spiritually that they know to trust you and not themselves. Matthew 6:33 But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Lord I rebuke the devour in the name of Jesus for the enemy come to steal, kill and destroy. The enemy come to seek death for our youth, But Jesus came that we might have life. Father God I ask that you send your gardian angels to comfort those that are in need right now. I pray for our leaders who have a difficult challenge in this world.
John 6: 35-40 Then Jesus declared, " I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever come to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not do my will but do the will of Him who sent me. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."
Situation is not that limited or that simple.
Parent who popped champagne bottle at the birth of a childe tell him/her 18 and out. I have butt head with many parents for not training kids for that future for 18 years. Parent raise kids for social status or personal desire or their sexual affirmation.
Lots of kids come our on their own without knowing what they are up to and cannot meet their needs. So for education or just survival they hook up with some one who is financially somewhat better off and starts dysfunctional life, relationship experience.
By any other name this is socialized prostitution and there is no talk about it. This is at all level of society.
When I say people should be free to enjoy sex as they like but when making babies there should be no freedom. There should be license needed to prove that they have ability to train and raise kids. They have means to do so. People get mad at me and say I am crazy.
I am just realistic. I see what is there and not what I want to see.
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