I have this pet peeve when people start dating someone new and mention where they went to college before they even mention if the person is hot, cool or fun. So when I heard about IvyDate, a new dating site for Ivy Leaguers and the singles that chase them, my initial reaction was to hate. But, after chatting with the two founders, and Harvard Alum, Phillip Triebel and Beri Meric, I was pleasantly surprised. What I thought would be one of the most superficial sites in the online dating spectrum, actually turned out to be one of the least. Here is a hint why: you can’t browse photos. For more details check out my Q&A with the founders below.Where did you get the idea for IvyDate?
We thought there was a gap in the market and wanted to create a dating site for the "scholastically oriented" focusing on the values of education and intellectual curiosity. We think these are great qualifiers for a potential mate.
What about The Right Stuff, isn’t that a dating site for people that went to top schools?
Ivydate is a little different for a few reasons. 1) In addition to Ivy Leaguers we accept interested singles who appreciate and value learning. 2) Our site is not set up as a searchable database. Once you're accepted onto the site, we match you with the people in your city that you are most compatible with.
The average acceptance rate for Ivy League schools is around 9%? How do you get accepted to IvyDate?
We have a membership committee that reviews applicants and then we send members matches like a matchmaker. People get in as long as they have an interesting and lively profile that speaks to who they are. On your application we ask questions about your personality, life goals, occupation, values, hobbies and passions.
So how do looks come into play? Your Getty images girl here is pretty much a smoke train.
We do not judge looks during the application or matching process. We match based on our proprietary compatibility software. Then once you get matches to your inbox you can decide if you want to reach out to them (three photos are included). This process gives our users a more curated and selective experience. Our database cannot be searched so users can also enjoy more privacy.
What do you say to people that think we are all too focused on resume dating? Like where people went to school and what they do for a living?
The qualities we promote are not exclusive to Ivy League alum. The reality is people want to find compatibility, get married and have a happy family life. On the path to that you have to start narrowing it down somewhere. If you are going online there are huge pools of people to choose from and it's overwhelming. We are trying to help users by connecting them with other people that have passion, determination and intellectual curiosity. These are positive things and important qualities for a mate.
You both sound adorable, are you guys single?
(Laughter). Yes. We are both single.
So you must be on the site then, right?
No we are not going to be included in the dating pool. We are focused on growing the user base in advance of our soft launch this spring. This is serious business after all.
IvyDate is accepting applications now and will be launching faster than a Winklevoss rowing for the Smith Cup. Apply here, just don't call it a soft launch.