Bring it!
By WENDY KALE Colorado Daily Music Writer
Thursday, December 7, 2006 10:13 PM MST
Graduating CU senior Jim Schwab doesn't have to worry about finding a job after college. The enterprising 22-year-old student is already sitting comfortably as the Chief Investment Officer of the Internet's newest college-based entertainment and social site www.collegetonight.com.
The site is gaining so much momentum, that MTV just contacted Schwab and his entrepreneurial team about doing a reality series based on College Tonight.
Look out MySpace and Facebook, College Tonight is about to invade your turf!
College Tonight is not your typical teen website. The site is set up strictly for college students that have a university e-mail address, and former FBI personnel were hired to monitor it. However, the major aspect of College Tonight is to provide students with a way to socialize and find out about events at local venues.
“I'm going to graduate in two weeks with degrees in economics and business,” said Schwab. “Business is already looking good for College Tonight. We're targeting a college market that's 18-24 and we did our research. This is a group that has a disposable income that runs in the billions plus - and kids are always looking to go somewhere.”
Schwab says his company's main concern is to keep its users' privacy intact - and his site has implemented some remarkable measures.
“We've kept privacy and safety as our number one concern - we even have a former FBI profiler as our security adviser,” he said. “In light of all the news coverage about pedophiles privacy is very important. This way, we keep membership to college-age demographics.”
Privacy issues aside, College Tonight was set up to be “party central” for college students. Users can log onto the site and find everything from pages that hook you up with your party posse to the very amusing “Drunk Dial” page.
“College kids want to know what the hot spot is on any given night,” explained Schwab. “College Tonight encourages them to go out and connect. Each campus has its own area on the site. If someone logs onto the CU account, they'll find out what's going on and about deals at the bars and venues in town.”
Schwab says there are several things that separate College Tonight's social scene from MySpace and Facebook.
The primary difference in sites is the fact that College Tonight focuses on nightlife in individual college towns. The new site also keeps its profiles very basic to allow for more privacy. In addition, College Tonight helps contribute to social interaction by encouraging students to step away from their computers and hangout with their peers.
“College Tonight is more of a social site. We want to promote interactions with students. On other sites, you just find out about one person, but our site encourages students to go out, interact, and hang out with each other,” said Schwab.
Students have a variety of social options to choose from on the website:
‘The Entourage'
This page tracks the clubs your friends are hitting.
‘My Venues'
Lists your favorite night spots.
‘My Polls'
Lets you and your friends vote on the best place to meet.
‘My Hook-Ups'
Lists your crushes and lets you set up blind-dates.
“You can use computers and cell phones to interact with College Tonight,” said Schwab. “Think of this site as your social sidekick. You could get a message from your friend visiting The Foundry in Boulder and check out the pictures he's posted. If you're on the edge about staying home, you might see the photos and decide to go and meet your friends.”
However, the ultimate College Tonight page is simply called “My Drunk Dials.
Yes, this College Tonight page lets you delete computer or cell phone messages you sent out before your hangover sets in. The only catch - you have to delete the message before the person you sent it to opens it up.
“Everyone wants to be able to take things back and this allows you to do that,” said Schwab. “Hopefully this will save a lot of people.”
Not content to stay on the Internet pages, College Tonight is already garnering a national profile. The website officially launched with a gala party in New York City on September 15. The bash was held at the glitzy N.Y.C. club “Bed” that was featured on TV's “Sex in the City.” College Tonight plans to host 25 more events around the country in the next year.
The College Tonight site has even intrigued the producers of MTV.
“A MTV series is in the works,” confirmed Schwab. “It would be a reality series about our company and College Tonight. We're also working with our campus rep program - we're now involved with 200 campuses and it's spreading. We're just going to keep developing the site.”
Schwab says College Tonight has collected over 7,500 users in the past few months. The young entrepreneur says the Internet company has logged in 120 CU users in the past two weeks and the numbers are growing daily.
As of last week, College Tonight went international.
“We just sold our first franchise,” explained a very excited Schwab. “Now French students will be able to log onto College Tonight in France.”
That may be the best graduation present of all for Schwab.
