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'Sugar Baby' Students Using Arrangements To Pay For University?

LOOK: Top 20 Fastest Growing 'Sugar Baby' Schools In Canada
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Is a 'sugar baby' relationship the answer to Canada's expensive post-secondary tuition?

Seekingarrangement.com thinks so. The site, which connects "generous" older patrons with young and attractive users, claims more women in Canadian universities are becoming 'sugar babies' to pay for school.

“College should be an opportunity to expand the mind and experience new things,” said Brandon Wade, the site's founder and CEO, in a press release. “Unfortunately, because of the of recent tuition hikes, the college experience has become greatly unbalanced.”

The site could be appealing to young students, who on average pay $6,186 for one year of study at a Canadian university, not including other costs like books or housing. Over half of post-secondary students who borrow to pay for their education expect to owe almost $20,000 upon graduation, according to a recent poll. Twenty-one per cent expected to have $40,000 in debt after graduation.

And while getting that amount paid off before embarking on the rest of their lives might sound great, the site raises safety concerns and moral questions. HuffPost Women originally reported in 2011 on a woman who "felt dirty" for receiving money, and another who embraced the opportunity ("I'm going to milk it for all it's worth").

Sgt. Matt D’Asti of the Windsor police even said the site could violate human trafficking laws, according to Canada.com. Wade, for his part, emphasizes that mutually-beneficial relationships are meant to "empower" patrons, the Toronto Star reported.

Flip through the gallery below to see if your alma mater made the list of 'top 20 fastest growing sugar baby schools' in Canada.

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