Sign Up Process
The signup process is straightforward. You can sign up for free but similar to many dating sites, if you want to start communicating with another member you’ll have to upgrade to premium subscription. First off, fill out your gender and the gender you’re searching for. Next, add your email and create a password so your account remains secure. You’ll then be taken to a personality test where you’ll be asked to answer questions about your ideal match - try and answer all the questions honestly. The questionnaire will take you approximately 15 minutes to complete but once you’re done, the results will help the site accurately match you up with someone of similar interests.
With a standard account you’ll be asked to create a personal profile, listing basic details like age, education, city. You’ll also be asked to upload some photos. The more you write about yourself and the more photos you upload, the higher the chances that other members will make contact. The site will also ask you to create a welcome message so try and think of something friendly and smart to say as the message will be visible to all. Once you’re done with the questionnaire and profile, you’re ready to start searching!
Matchmaking & Search Functions
After sign up, you can immediately begin searching for your perfect match. To properly search you’ll need to fill out some filter options according to location, age, ethnicity and other attributes. You’ll also find that the site has already matched users for you and you can find their profiles on your homepage. These matches, approx 3-7 a day, are chosen based on the matchmaking algorithm following the personality test you filled out at the signup stage. You can then filter these matches, starting with the most compatible, located at the top of the list.
Features & Communication Tools
Once you’ve been matched with other members you can go ahead and message them! It’s best to do this immediately as there is no other way to get in touch with them. If you’ve only signed up to the free membership, here’s the time to upgrade to premium. You can send the first message for free but following this, you won’t be able to send them another message. A premium membership also allows you to see which members have checked out your profile, you’ll also be able to see photos of partner recommendations and add partner suggestions to your favorites list. Naturally you’ll also be allowed to send and read unlimited messages.
Safety & Security
Academic Singles takes its security seriously. Naturally, if you think you’re chatting to a fake profile, never make plans to meet face to face or give out any personal information. Academic Singles allows you to change your personal settings so you can chose which subscribed members see your personal photo or not. The site also protects all your personal information and never gives it out to third parties.
Prices
Like many dating sites it’s completely free to sign up to Academic Singles, but if you want the site to work for you and have access to its features like messaging, you’ll need to upgrade and become a member. The longer the membership you sign up for, the better the price per month for you. The 6 month membership probably makes the most sense commitment wise, but a full year membership works out the cheapest per month at $24.90. It’s important to mention, that once you’re subscribed, your membership will be automatically extended so ensure you cancel your membership once you’ve found a match.
What Users are Saying
‘’Looking for someone who is educated and motivated hasn’t always been easy for me. Still, I decided to give it a try. I had to play around with the settings a little, but the people I’m being suggested are precisely what I’m looking for- So far, so good’’ Clare, Sydney
‘’Expensive. Does not give u a chance to view anyone's pic or converse with anyone at all without paying.” Caricat C
Help & Support
You can contact Academic Singles through the contact section which can be found at the bottom of the site- unfortunately you can only contact the dating site via email. There’s a nice FAQ section where you’ll be able to find frequently asked questions regarding your account. Another common complaint is that it’s fairly difficult to terminate your account - you can currently only cancel via written letter or fax. If you don’t terminate your account your membership will automatically be renewed.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is Academic Singles is a great site if you’re looking to meet Australian singles with a higher academic background. The effective matchmaking algorithm is one of it’s strong points and both the app and website are simple to use. A nice bonus is that you won’t need to waste too much time creating a profile or filling out a lengthy questionnaire.
