College.com gears up to become new hot online social network
Getting sick of Facebook the same way you got sick of MySpace? Don’t worry, there’s a brand new online social network to get addicted to, College.com.
College.com was founded by CU alum Jon Davidman in October 2006 as a college-only alternative to MySpace and Facebook.
“When Facebook alienated their core user, the college student, and opened up their network, we saw this as a huge opportunity to provide a secure online social environment for college students,” Davidman said.
College.com requires users to register with an .edu e-mail address, which ensures that all users are enrolled at a college or university.
“Our site is geared solely towards college students,” Davidman said. “We have and are currently building tools that will enhance students overall college experience, both socially and academically.”
The new student-based site has attracted local CU students.
“I honestly think [College.com] would be such a better communication source for college students because Facebook is now primarily for anyone, not just college students anymore,” said College.com user and freshman pre-journalism major Sofia Raisanen.
As a Web site exclusively reserved for college students, College.com has a lot of university-related features.
The Greek section has over 900 registered chapters that users can look up. Students can easily find information on Greek events.
Other students particularly enjoy the wake-up call feature, where they can program in events and have reminders sent to their cell phones.
“We get a lot of thank you e-mails for helping students make it to their 8:00 a.m. classes,” Davidman said.
For the more academically inclined College.com user, there is an extensive courses section.
Once a user enters their current semester schedule, they have access to all kinds of tools.
“The student can interact online with other students, share notes, study and interact in any way with other class members,” Davidman said. They can also rate their professors and read their professors’ bios.
Of course, College.com has features that are typical of Facebook and MySpace, such as a photos section, blog and a profile wall for friends to leave messages on.
After all, it’s not an online social network unless you can stalk your friends endlessly.
Davidman is working to give College.com more publicity at CU.
“College.com representatives in the next few weeks will be all over CU showing students our site, giving away prizes such as free Spring Break Trips, and much more,” Davidman said. “We are also planning a party for all College.com and CU members. All a student has to do is sign up at College.com and we will send them details.”
College.com has all the resources to become a valuable commodity to today’s college student.
“If the word is spread out more, then I could definitely see College.com outrunning Facebook,” Raisanen said.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Julie Ryan at julie.ryan@thecampuspress.com
