How to Get Accepted Onto Raya

What do Chelsea Handler, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, John Mayer, and Channing Tatum have in common? These are just a few of the famous faces who have reportedly been spotted on Raya, the uber-exclusive app that’s been called everything from Illuminati Tinder to the “you can’t sit with us” space of online dating. 

If you’re wondering how to get onto Raya, you’re not alone — it’s notoriously hard to break into, and truth be told, it’s supposed to be. After all, it’s the exclusivity factor that makes this app so attractive. 

Not only do you feel like a total boss when you’re accepted, but you’ll also potentially have access to more high-quality matches. If you had a choice between hanging with a bunch of randoms or a select group of accomplished and attractive go-getters, you’d probably go for the latter, right? Well, if dating apps were parties, Raya would be the latter. 

RELATED: Ben Affleck Is Using His Dating Profile on Raya for a Good Cause

In fact, your pool of options on this exclusive dating app may include A-list actors, high-fashion supermodels, well-known fashion designers and artists, and pro athletes alike. While apps like Bumble, Tinder, and Hinge allow you to use them by merely verifying your identity through a social media account and creating a profile, however, Raya requires a lengthy application process. The bad news? Only about 8% of applicants are accepted, a percentage lower than entry rates into ivy league schools like Dartmouth College and Brown University. The good news? You don’t need to be rich, or a celebrity, to get the seal of approval. All you really need is possession of a few key traits and assets.

Here are the necessary steps you’ll need to take if you’re looking to be accepted to Raya:

Get a referral from a current member

Sometimes it’s all about who you know, and that’s definitely true for Raya. Part of the application process entails selecting a current member from your contact list so that they can provide a referral. It could be a friend, coworker, sibling, or even an acquaintance you met at your buddy’s pickup basketball game. As long as you have their phone number, you’re golden. And while it’s not required, it will likely help your odds quite a bit.

In the app store reviews, one user said they were waitlisted for a full year before getting accepted. “I’m a pretty well-connected dancer/model,” they said. “Got a new gig, met a hot chick already on there. Got a referral and my approval was almost instant.”

Have an interesting career

Since Raya prides itself on bringing together creatives and innovators, having a cool job is undoubtedly one of the easiest ways to get approved. During the application process, you’ll be asked to describe your career field with a possible selection of two industries from a menu. You don’t necessarily need to be making a ton of money, but certain occupations that are considered desirable — successful photographers, designers, musicians, entrepreneurs, scientists, and researchers — are certainly a selling point. 

While we’re on the subject of your career, bragging about your wealth will not help you get onto Raya. In fact, it could hurt your chances. Raya states on the guidelines and values section of their website that applicants mustn’t “have consistent displays of excessive shows of wealth.” Meaning, you may want to delete those flashy photos and boastful captions about your new Benz and that trip you took to the British Virgin Islands. Not a good look, bro.

Rack up a serious social media following

Another aspect of the application process entails providing your Instagram credentials. Sure, they’ll be taking a look at your follower count (having at least a few thousand will likely give you an advantage), but they may also check to see if any other existing Raya users already follow you. Additionally, the kind of content you post can come into play in terms of deciding whether or not you’ll be an asset to the community.

Win over an anonymous committee

Raya notes on its official website that “algorithmic values” come into play while assessing applications … whatever that means. But now that you’ve gotten a referral, passed the Instagram test, and proved you have an awesome career, you’ll also need to get approved by “hundreds of members of the committee throughout the world.” 

Raya claims that the committee members come from diverse backgrounds, representing a wide range of races, ages, and sexual preferences and interests — in the interest of minimizing potential biases from impacting the approval process. 

According to Raya’s website, the best way to win the committee over is being known for or being an expert in something, and sharing a common bond with the Raya community. However, they also look for that “hard to describe ‘something extra’” that “would make the Raya conversation more interesting.” 

Interpret that how you will, but basically, it seems like they want members who have something to say, and perhaps a special or unique talent/skill.

Every single application is considered for admittance by Raya, but don’t be surprised if you’re left twiddling your thumbs on the waiting list for weeks or months at a time. In fact, it’s been reported that there are about 100,000 people on the waiting list at any given time. 

And if you are denied, don’t bother waiting for a formal rejection notification. Most members who were never accepted have said that even years after they applied, their applications still said “pending.” 

As enticing as flirting with the elite may sound, your love life isn’t doomed if you don’t get onto Raya. Even Demi Lovato was once rejected by the app, and “Bachelorette” star Hannah Brown has been on the waitlist for months. 

Luckily, there are plenty of other dating apps in the sea, most of which allow you to start looking for love the second that download is complete.

Download Raya here 

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