CHICAGO — An Internet dating site that enables "mutually beneficial relationships & mutually beneficial arrangements" claims to be making inroads with Chicago coeds pressed for tuition.
According to SeekingArrangement.com, enrollment on the site matching "sugar daddies" with "sugar babies" more than doubled at the University of Illinois at Chicago last year to 99 coeds.
SeekingArrangement.com spokesman Leroy Velasquez said that placed UIC 54th nationally, with 52 new registrations last year, putting the state college on the list of "Fastest Growing Sugar Baby Schools."
"The population of college sugar babies in Chicago has steadily increased every year, with UIC leading all major universities in the Chicagoland area," said the website's founder Brandon Wade. "While some may argue that these women are just using men for their own personal gain, I believe that they are proactive in pursuing a higher education."
SeekingArrangement.com claims 2 million members worldwide and says its percentage of college students rose from 40 percent in 2011 to 44 percent last year.
Velasquez claimed the average college "sugar baby" takes in $3,000 a month. The UIC website estimates tuition and fees for the current school year at about $7,000 a semester.
UIC did not reply to a request for comment.
Georgia State, New York University, Temple, Central Florida and Southern Florida made the largest gains in registration last year on the site. Among Big Ten schools, Indiana placed ninth nationally, Penn State 12th and Michigan State 16th.
