For many college students, working multiple jobs or accepting loans and scholarships are just a few ways to pay for the cost of tuition. But there is also another way; one many college students may have never heard of.
SeekingArrangement.com is a website which provides services for many as a way to pay for school. But this isn’t a loan, grant or scholarship fund.
SeekingArrangement.com is what is known as a “sugar daddy” dating site.
Leroy Velasquez, manager of public relations for SeekingArrangement.com, said the site is the fastest-growing sugar daddy website, with over two million members.
“We specialize in what we call mutually beneficial relationships with two benefactors, whether it be a sugar daddy male or sugar daddy female,” Velazquez said.
According to Velasquez, the increase in students, especially females, stems from the rise in tuition cost.
“They’re very dependent on taking care of themselves,” Velasquez said. “At the same time, they have to be successful with their academic lives.”
Velasquez said the site respects the fact that students are proactive in pursuing higher education.
According to a press release from Infostream Group Inc., the public relations group for SeekingArrgangement.com, four Michigan universities made this year’s list as a fast-growing sugar baby school: Michigan State University was No. 16 with a 133 percent growth, Eastern Michigan University came in at No. 24 with a 112 percent growth, University of Michigan ranked at No. 25 with an 82 percent growth and Wayne State University ranked at No. 29 with a 95 percent growth.
“They’re finding alternative ways to basically become self-sufficient and empower themselves,” Velasquez said.
He also said that instead of engaging in a part-time or full-time job, which can “impede on their academic life,” the students are joining SeekingArrangement.com and involving themselves with benefactors, who not only provide financial stability, but also a mentorship.
Some EMU students had mixed feelings about the site.
Stephanie Jeffries, an elementary education major at EMU, has a few friends who’ve talked about joining sites or engaging in sugar daddy relationships.
“I don’t really like that idea; I think it’s like some form of prostitution,” Jeffries said. “I don’t promote it.”
She does agree that it’s hard to go to school with the rise in tuition cost, but she’s taken out loans.
“I have three jobs, that way I don’t have to do something like that,” Jeffries said.
Velasquez said the benefactors have already established themselves in society and know how to help others. He also said the site is safe, and has a 24-hour moderator who keeps track of any illegal or suspicious activity.
“We explicitly state that we are against any form of solicitation or prostitution,” Velasquez said.
Users are able to flag those who try to solicit them. The site also provides a background security check feature.
Velasquez was quick to emphasize SeekingArrangment.com is not a prostitution site. He said he has spoken with many of the “sugar babies,” who have merely traveled the world with their benefactors and just spent time with them.
“No sex is involved,” Velasquez said, “but if both parties agree, sex is inevitable.”
“As with any relationship, there has to be some sort of chemistry and it can grow or it can cease. Our website enables people to engage in these unique relationships,” he added.
EMU dianetics student Jamie Campbell said the idea is wrong.
“But with some people that’s the only way to get to college, I guess. I would never do that. I support myself so I would never rely on a man, especially one that I didn’t know, to basically exchange services.”
