Correlations Between Higher Education and Longer Lasting Relationships:

Taylor I. Donnot

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree in
Bachelors of Arts in Communications and Media Studies
School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Thesis Advisors: John Duvall, Nnekay FitzClarke

Dominican University of California

San Rafael, California
April, 2017
This thesis, written under the direction of the candidates thesis advisor and approved by the Chair
of the undergraduate program, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the
Department of Communications and Media Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The content and research methodologies presented in this work
represent the work of the candidate alone.

Taylor Donnot May 8, 2017

_______________________________________ _____________________
Taylor Donnot, Candidate Date

Bradley Van Alstyne May 4, 2017

_______________________________________ _____________________
Bradley Van Alstyne, Chair Date

Dr. John Duvall May 8, 2017

_______________________________________ ______________________
Dr. John Duvall, Thesis Advisor Date

Nnekay FitzClarke May 3, 2017

_______________________________________ ______________________
Nnekay FitzClarke, Second Reader Date
 Abstract:

This research is focused on discovering a correlation between longer lasting marriages and

couples with equal higher education levels. The research question I am seeking to prove is, do two

people with an equal educational attainment level statically have longer lasting marriages? To

answer my question I am using previously researched quantitative data, looking at marital

perceptions (how everyone views marriage and relationships, starting at children throughout

adulthood), the education level of the individuals; how they met, whether they lived together

before marriage (cohabitation); and if they had kids. I also researched cohabitation and how that

affects relationships: how couples met, for example at school or at the bar, and individuals overall

thoughts regarding relationships. Based on my research, I have found communities that are less

educated have a much higher rate of divorce and for cohabitation (without marriage). Regardless

of age, demographic, or race, education is a factor to support longer lasting relationships and

marriages.
 Table of Contents:

Introduction: 5

Methodology: 6

Research Questions: 6

Literature Review: 7

Findings 22

Discussion: 36

References: 37
 Introduction:

Marriage and relationships are something that we all encounter at one point or another, and

as we grow up and experience them, our opinions about relationships change. Accordingly, our

family and our friends relationships, which constantly mold and change our ideas of what they

should be, influence us most. We are also strongly influenced by TV, movies, and all sorts of

media as we grow up; it is not until we experience relationships that we can form our opinions of

what we think, want, and need. Our personal attitudes have a substantial effect on each and every

relationship; this is often the reason for many separations, and that is something that cannot be

controlled.

The reason I want to research this topic is because I believe from personal experience that

education plays a vital role in relationships. From personal experience, my parents both have a

high school diploma; they did not have the same opportunities to attend college, but I do think

education and communication had an effect on their relationship.

In my research I am aiming to discover a link between college graduates and relationships,

determining if and how, education can statistically lead to longer lasting relationships. As a result,

the main research question Im looking to answer: is there a direct correlation between longer

lasting marriages and couples with equal educational levels? Many factors affect relationships that

it is hard to say that any can correlate directly, but there is compelling evidence suggesting that

college graduates that marry people of equal education levels have a higher probability of longer

lasting marriages.
 Methodology:

To answer my research question- Does the pairing of individuals of equal educational level

correlate to longer lasting marriages; I plan on researching relationship characteristics that help to

support successful marriages. To obtain a better understanding of what role education plays in

relationships, I will be using prior quantitative research from multiple academic sources, and

academic journals to investigate preconceived marriage and relationship attitudes, how couples

meet, cohabitation, education level of individuals in marriages, financial and socioeconomic

advantages education produces, and if education plays a vital role in the longevity of intimate

relationships and marriage.

Research Topic: Looking for correlations in committed relationships and higher education.

Key Search Words: college students, divorce and marriage rates, meeting place, cohabitation,

communication in relationships, marital attitudes, higher education and relationships, labor force

Research Questions:

Is there any correlation between people who have a higher degree (beyond high school) and

do they tend to have longer lasting relationships?

Is there higher divorce rate in people that have a high school education or less?

Do people who attain a higher degree have better communication skills that positively

affect their relationships?

Are there that any factors that directly validate that education can lead to longer lasting

relationships?
 Literature Review:

Amato, P. R., & Previti, D. (2003). People's reasons for divorcing: Gender, social class, the life

course, and adjustment. Journal of Family Issues, 24(5), 602-626.

Amato & Previti examined the reasons people got divorced and what factors affected them

most. Researchers look closely at age at marriage, social class, and race, trying to find the reasons

why people separate. They wanted to examine the relationships at individual levels to see if there

are categorical reasons for divorce, or if it was structural, (social class or gender roles), and lastly

to see what factors can be blamed for the separation- factors such as socioeconomic status and life

factors- age at marriage and the presence of children greatly affect divorce. This study focused on

how these things affect divorce, and tries to define which causes directly affect marriages.

I will use this article to get a closer look at divorces and the factors of why some divorces

take place. Significant factors that apply would be age at marriage, and it is interesting to see how

it affects marriages. There is no way to determine a single reason for divorce or even multiple

reasons. Every relationship and person is different; however this study shows some compelling

evidence for the factors that can disrupt marriages and cause divorce.

Breen, R., & Salazar, L. (2011). Educational assortative mating and earnings inequality in the

United States. American Journal of Sociology, 117(3), 808-843.

Breen and Salazars research indicated that when people attain higher degrees it correlated

to higher equality in household earnings, due to equal education levels and higher earnings

opportunities. Before people obtained college degrees the wage gap created much turmoil in their
marriage. It wasn't until after the 1970s that more women started to go to college and get degrees,

that things started to change. The research showed that because so many women started dings of

the study were interesting, because the greatest impact was reported by those that did not have a

college education. The couples that were college educated and stayed together reported an increase

in income. This results support that educational attainment level (pairing with someone with equal

educational level), is directly connected to the wage gap.

Breen and Salazars research supports my thesis. This is relevant to my thesis, because it

shows that in the past, when women were less educated and most men had degrees, I accidentally

deleted this-can you add that sentence here research also shows that educational assortative mating

not only leads to better equality in earnings, but less stress in the relationship, due to equal or close

to equal income. Lastly, this research mentions the importance of educational assortative mating,

and how it is beneficial not only for equality in income but shared common goals and interests.

Harknett, K., & Kuperberg, A. (2011). Education, labor markets and the retreat from marriage.

Social Forces, 90(1), 41-63.

Harknett and Kuperberg found a positive relationship between labor market conditions and

the effects it has on educational attainment and marriage. Their results show that parents that do

not have higher educations do not have the same interest in a strong labor market, implying that

the people that do have a higher education also have an interest in a strong labor market,

correlating to higher earnings, leading to better relationships both socially and economically.

Higher educated parents were more likely to be married, have kids, own houses, and work in a

strong labor market; opportunities afforded them due to their education. The research states, which
 there is a general increase in divorce but it is the highest among people with a high school diploma

or less.

Labor market was not a topic I thought had a direct impact on my research, however

talking about educational attainment and its access to a strong labor market, which correlates to

longer lasting relationships. This research shows me that people with higher-level education, work

in a stronger job market, making more money, and is more economically stable. It also shows me

that education is a big factor, for example divorce is increasing mostly with those that have a high

school education or less. This research shows me that college graduates are more economically

stable and that allows them to own a house, have children, and live a comfortable life. Published in

2011 this article can supply me with recent information on how higher education does correlate to

marriages, due to better financial, economic stability, and strong labor market.

Lundberg, S., & Pollak, R. A. (2015). The evolving role of marriage: 1950-2010. Future of Children,

25(2), 29-50.

Lundberg and Pollak write an academic journal that goes over the shift in marriage

behavior from 1950 to 2010, stating there has been an overall decline in marriages in all races and

all socioeconomic levels. This article begins by stating the overall decline of marriages and then

states that college graduates are the primary exception. Also, that lower income communities have

less economic prospects, and people with college degrees that are married, have higher incentives

to stay married. The statistics are based on higher income and lowered stress due to less financial

hardship, an indication that a higher education level correlates to higher paying jobs. Getting a

degree allows for more opportunities to get better jobs that have higher pay, and this allows for

graduates to invest in their children's futures. The tendency is for people with lower levels of
 education to have higher levels of relationships complications, and their children living in

cohabiting households or two different households. This article is very compelling to my research

and I will frequently be used throughout.

This article nearly supports my opinion exactly, discussing how marriage behaviors are

changing. This allows people that are dating to look for people who have graduated in their class

or closer to their educational attainment level. Educational attainment leads to more successful

relationships because there are more similarities in income level, hours worked, and social status.

This article states the significance that children have on marriage, and how people are more

compelled to stay in those relationships to take care of their children. In regards to my research,

this also proves that higher educational attainment tends to correlate to longer lasting marriages in

comparison to those with lower levels of education. These things also correlate with the amount of

stress we face in relationships. For example, people with the same amount of educational

attainment typically have the same socioeconomic status due to higher paying job opportunities,

same relative level of stresses due to amount of hours worked, and a better ability to invest and

insure their children have good opportunities.

McClendon, D., Kuo, J., & Raley, R. 1. (2014). Opportunities to meet: Occupational education and

marriage formation in young adulthood. Demography, 51(4), 1319-1344.

McClendons research explains how having a degree positively correlates to marriage, and

the attractiveness of what a college degree means culturally and economically. In this research he

is explaining that not only is having a degree an opportunity for higher earning but also college is a

place to meet someone else whom will be equally educated or have more college education. One of

the focuses is work, and being a college graduate you are more likely to work at a place with other
 graduates. This research suggest that if a college student does not find a good match in college,

they are very likely then to meet a qualified match at work. This is under the impression that

college students have a wider range of college-educated people to pick from, and being surrounded

by so many people you have the opportunity see what you do like. Which also correlates directly

to the workforce, after school college graduates find a profession surrounded typically by other

college graduates, which is another great potential place to meet a match.

This research allows me to see from a different perspective more of how college graduates

meet, and the importance of where they meet. Being a college student's surrounded by thousands

of other students with similar goals is an attractive thought, college students have a pool of

potential daters to pick and choose from which they like and do not. Also showing me the

importance of after college and college graduates typically have jobs with other graduates,

assuming they picked a job in which their educational knowledge was needed. However this article

shows me the overall importance of just being in college and how many opportunities it sets up for

our love life, financial life, and our social lives.

Mitchell, L. & Syed, M. (2015). Does college matter for emerging adulthood? Comparing

developmental trajectories of educational groups. Journal of Youth & Adolescence, 44(11),

2012-2027.

Mitchell and Syed compare educational groups as they approach adulthood, to research the

trajectories of the groups in work, relationships, and overall happiness. The three educational

groups that are tested are: college graduates, those with some college experience, and those with a

diploma or GED. They then looked at how they were affected by their jobs, love life, hours

worked, financial independence, and socioeconomic status discussing the benefits and the
 statistics of people that go to college and the people getting jobs straight out of high school. This is

a very reliable and helpful source because it compares college students and non-college students.

Primarily because it was published in July 2015 meaning the information is very recent and will be

helpful.

This article helps me see the difference of both college attendants and non-college

attendants, looking at some of the differences and similarities of the struggles and benefits of

choosing each route. It also discusses how college grads tend to gravitate toward each other and

how it makes for longer lasting relationships. People that have similar interest and hobbies, that

come from the same place or have similar goals, are likely to have a stronger connection. If our

significant other has been through what we experienced in the college atmosphere, it becomes

easier to connect. Also, there is a higher probability that both will be able to communicate

effectively and works through whatever problems arise.

Nock, S. L. (1995). Commitment and dependency in marriage. Journal of Marriage & Family, 57(2),

503-514.

Nock writes a journal about the effects of commitment and dependency on relationships, in

a simple text that allows for anyone to read and interpret the message without having much

background knowledge. He simply states that commitment is based on a sense of what would

happen if the relationship would end, and dependency is described in what ways are you

connected, such as shared property, children, collective income, educational attainment level,

occupational route, and the general commitment to a shared life. Nock is able to simply focus on

two important fundamental relationship pillars.

 I love this article in the context of my research because the two characteristics in this article

commitment and dependency have enormous effects on relationships. Each person actually is

different but in most situations people have commitment issues and depend on other people based

on how they are raised and what they have experienced, in the terms of how people commit to

relationships, why they stay, and what each partner relies on the other for. A big key is when kids

are involved; reliance on making sure that children are taken care of has a key involvement in

dependency. Nock shows through his research that typically college graduates are committed to

each other, their shared assets and their families. However he also shows that non-college grads are

more often dependent on each other financially, and that causes a lot of relationship stress and can

lead to dissolution.

Sassler, S., & Miller, A. J. (2015). The ecology of relationships: Meeting locations and cohabitors

relationship perceptions. Journal of Social & Personal Relationships, 32(2), 141.

Sassler and Miller published an article in 2015 about the perception of how and where we

meet people, and how that can affect our relationships and support systems. This research is

looking into how we meet people for example, meeting at a bar or over the internet leads to

less peer support, while a relationship set up by mutual friends or at school is much more

supported. The assumption is that people have more successful relationships with people who have

the same hobbies, friends, background, or goals. Its easier to support our friends relationships

when we know our friends arent setting themselves up for failure. This article is helpful to me to

show that we tend to have more support and more successful relationships with people that have

similar interests or are in the same social circle. Also mentioning that when we meet people at
 school or work, these relationships are most supported by our families and friends; because the

people we work and go to school with have more similarities in education, income, and status.

This article shows the support levels and how they vary from friends and family, due to

how we meet our significant others. If we met our partner through a friend, at school, or work, we

would have more things in common and to discuss. Our friends and family typically have such a

great impact on our lives, so the support from our loved ones is important. Not only does the

support of our loved ones help us make good choices in who we chose, but also helps to create a

more trusting relationship knowing our partner is supported by our loved ones. This article will be

beneficial in seeing that there is a positive correlation between meeting place and success in

relationships, showing that meeting place has so much to do with who we meet and how much we

have in common. Meeting in college, work, or an event with shared hobbies can lead to more

successful relationships, which are supported by our family. This can prove that in my research

college students and graduates have more opportunities to meet their potential match at school and

work, and can lead to a very long and happy relationship, that even our mom and dad can be happy

for.

Schnittker, J., & Behrman, J. R. (2012). Learning to do well or learning to do good? Estimating the

effects of schooling on civic engagement, social cohesion, and labor market outcomes in the

presence of endowments. Social Science Research, 41, 306-320.

Schnittker is looking for the effects schooling has on volunteering, civil engagement, and

the overall socialization that college offers. Many factors influence these behaviors, such as

personality, family upbringing, and personal characteristics that allow us to engage in community.

This study tested unrelated people, identical twins, and other siblings based on how they were
 raised and there personalities, because college offers so many degrees and opportunities. The

question is who is most compelled to be successful and engage in not only school and community,

but also work, showing how graduates and people that engage in school often have the better jobs,

working more and making more money. The cases that were not successful were highly correlated

to lack of support and ability to engage in social interactions. The positive impacts from the

college experience help individuals in multiple fields and are found to help graduates with

commitment, social cohesion, relationships and work, as well as in personal independence and

reliance, thus helping interpersonal communication skills. This article is beneficial to me to see

how the college social experience can affect personal social outcomes.

The characteristics that are defined such as family upbringing, personality, and

characteristics motivate us on the path of life we want to take, and help us to decide what our

calling is or what we think we will enjoy doing. For my study its compelling to see that

personalities that engage and allow themselves to commit to the college experience typically have

better jobs and opportunities. Also, stating that support systems from friend and family strongly

correlate to the success of the students, allowing them to branch out and feel confident in doing so.

The reason why I enjoy this study so much is that it proves why having people with similar goals is

very beneficial in our relationships and at work.

Schwartz, C. R., & Mare, R. D. (2005). Trends in educational assortative marriage from 1940 to

2003. Demography, 42(4), 621.

Schwartz and Mare published an article about the trends of assertive marriage from

1940-2003. Writing about how educational homogamy decreased from 1940 to 1960 when women

were becoming more educated. In the early 70s college graduates were much more likely to marry
 someone who was also well educated. The more women were getting educated, they were looking

for men with equal or higher educational attainment. Meaning the less educated were splitting up

and women were getting book smart and in their relationships! There is a growing gap between the

amount of low level education and decrease in marriage and the growth of educational homogamy

in relationship satisfaction. Stating that the less educated are having increased marital disruption

rates, and the graduates are able to find someone with equal attainment levels, and are getting

married and staying married longer. This article is perfect for my research in allowing me to see an

about relationships and the effects of educational attainment over the span of 60+ years.

Assortative mating and educational homogamy are two similar terms that perfectly sum up

my study, and for me to see this article is striking gold. Its data ranges over a span of sixty years,

showing that college graduates are increasingly more prone to marry another graduate than

someone with some or no education. People with common educational attainment will tend to stay

together longer, while people with difference in educational attainment tend to separate more

often. This also supports my thesis that there have to be correlations between higher education and

relationships. This article is breaking down how the marriages rates shifted, primarily due to

women and their drive to become educated, work in better jobs, and make more money. Women

were also able to make equal or close to equal income as their spouses, making them less

dependent on their partner's money.

Trotter, P. B. (2010). The influence of parental romantic relationships on college students' attitudes

about romantic relationships. College Student Journal, 44(1), 71-83.

Trotter writes about the effects of parental relationships on college students and their attitudes

toward marriage. Not surprising the students that had separated parents suffered less positive
 attitudes toward marriage and positive relationships. There is a positive correlation between

successful marriages in parents and positive attitudes toward marriage in students, which is not

surprising. Students that have grown up in lasting and seemingly healthy relationships have a

better attitude toward marriage. This information published in 2010 is good information for my

study and is very easy to follow.

This article allows me to first look at the different college students ideals of what marriage

should be and their attitudes on marriage based on personal experience. This article shows that

kids that have grown up with separated parents have negative attitudes toward marriage and

possibly predicts a higher rate of cohabitation instead of marriage. Although not everyone can

grow up in a happy family, this study shows that different attitudes can possibly change their ideals

of marriage and what they think it will be like. Also even though our parents relationships have a

big affect on our attitudes with love, education can help teach us the characteristics we need to be

in a healthy relationship.

Wang, W. (2015) The Link between a College Education and a Lasting Marriage. Pew Research

Center. Retrieved from,

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/04/education-and-marriage/#

Wang researches the connection between education and lasting marriages, statistically

giving facts about who gets married and stays married. In her research, she has found that college

educated women have the highest probability of still being married after 20 years. She states that

about 78 percent of college educated women and 65 percent of men will still be married in 20

years. By contrast, she also gives the facts for the contrast, non college educated women have 40

percent probability to stay together and the men have 50 percent probability to stay together. Wang
 also researches how cohabitation before marriage affects the probability of staying together. She

states that cohabitation before marriage hurts the chances of longer lasting marriage, for both men

and women.

I will use Wangs research to support my thesis question using the statistics and charts she

provides. Her statistics show that college educated women and men have higher probability of

staying together. She states in her research that typically college educated individuals have longer

lasting marriages because they marry later in life, and are more financially stable. Marrying later in

life allows one to be more secure in a job, with finances that contribute to stability in marriage,

allowing the higher educated to have less stresses due to finances. She also discusses the effects of

how cohabitation before marriage or engagement, and how living together before marriage can

lead to a higher probability of divorce.

Whitton, S. W., Weitbrecht, E. M., Kuryluk, A. D., & Bruner, M. R. (2013). Committed dating

relationships and mental health among college students. Journal of American College Health,

61(3), 176.

Whitton and Weitbrecht examine relationships among college students and how they are

connected to mental health. Looking at how college relationships can help with depression and the

effects of alcohol and binge drinking. This article states, mostly for women that being in a

relationship decreases the probability for depression and drinking, but not so much in males. For

males relationships does not necessarily lessen their depression but there is a correlation with a

decreased need or want to drink, so this article is looking into the mental health of college students

and how relationships are beneficial. Published in 2003, this article still allows me to look at a

semi-recent article that allows me to see why some college students get into relationships and how
 relationships affect them. Being in a relationship in college with someone with the same goals

gives students the support they need to be mentally and physically healthy.

I find this very interesting in terms of how relationships can actually help college students

with stress and coping with the school environment. If someone experiences multiple years or even

periods of time with someone who knows what they are going through, or going through it with

them, it makes a huge impact in relationships and commitment if you can empathize with your

partner and genuinely understand. Also, in college if you are dating someone in the same major or

classes, you can study together and have more in common. Partying and experimenting in college

is going to happen, but when it comes to depression and binge drinking, its interesting to find out

that college students statistically benefit from relationships in those regards.

Wilkinson & Finkbeiner, LLP. (2016) Divorce Statistics| What Affects Divorce Rates? Retrieved

from, http://www.wf-lawyers.com/divorce-statistics-and-facts/

This source is a law firm website, that provide some very useful statistics about marriage

and divorce. It has compelling research about divorce: who gets divorced, what are the reasons for

some divorces, what makes some people more likely for divorce, etc.. This source has extensive

statistics and charts that explain when, why, and how divorces happen.

This source is extremely useful to me in backing up my statements with evidence. The

statistics help me understand if there really is a correlation between education and relationships,

based on why people get divorces. With all the information given, I will specifically look at the

section about education and intelligence, where people met, and looking at the overall divorce rate.
 These statistics are helpful in backing up some of my statements and to help prove the correlation

between education and relationships.

Woszidlo, A., & Segrin, C. (2013). Negative affectivity and educational attainment as predictors of

newlyweds problem solving communication and marital quality. Journal of Psychology, 147(1),

49.

Woszidlo and Segrin investigate the negative affectivity and educational attainment and

how it can affect problem-solving communication on newlyweds. This journal published in 2013 is

reliable in looking into how educational attainment seemingly leads to mutual problem solving,

personal commitment, and a lower likelihood of divorce. Based on how the couples can

communicate, be vulnerable, able to problem solve together, and based on their personal levels of

commitment, helps the researchers to find out if these newly married couples will be successful.

Couples who are unable to solve problems and communicate more effectively fail to stay

committed in their relationship, due to a lack of being able to be on the same page. Woszidlo

expresses that negative affectivity are feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, and negative emotions

that collapse marriages. He also states the higher educated have much less chances of negative

affectivity hurting their relationships, due to the shared socioeconomic weight, as opposed to one

person being the breadwinner in a relationship. This resource directly reflects on my research

concerning how people who have different education attainment levels have more difficulty

communicating and getting past hard times.

This article states that the first year or marriage is when you can tell what the problems in

the marriage might be. According to the research, resilience in marriage is based on socioeconomic

status, educational attainment, and personality; it covers some key points and is a direct article for
my research. It makes sense to think two people with nearly the same educational level would

make around the same amount of money, and have better communication skills and a better sense

of commitment. The article is stating that the higher educated have less chances for negative

affectivity hurting their relationships. Seeing statistics on how the education aspect can affect the

relationship quality.
 Findings

Everyone in the world has relationships, and they are a pivotal part of our lives; each person

and each relationship is extremely different. We, as social beings, surround ourselves with people

that we enjoy and like to spend our time with. There are innumerable types of relationships. For

this purpose, I will be focusing on romantic, intimate relationships, looking specifically into the

correlation between levels of higher education and marriage.

Every person grows up with a separate reality, different upbringing, set of morals, opinions

on relationships, and how we think they should be; based on what we have seen through personal

experience and through the media. Having different opportunities and resources strongly affects

our attitudes and behaviors toward relationships. For example, men who are more socially

advantaged (educated, wealthier) have more partners to choose from because of their ability to

satisfy the prerequisites deemed necessary for marriage. (Sassler and Miller, 2015, p.142) As

individuals, the people and relationships we are surrounded by influence us, and our interpretation

is based on personal experience. Another huge outside influence on our relationship perspectives

would be our parents; the people that have shaped our ideals of love most.

As children seeing how our parents treat each other and

how that correlates to the way we will treat our significant other,

concluded that the quality of parents' marriage has an impact on

children's marriages. Amato and Booth (2001) found that parental

marriages exhibiting poor interpersonal behaviors including being

jealous, domineering, critical, moody and angry predicted discord

in their children's marriages. In addition, children whose parents are

 divorced are more likely to divorce than those children whose

parents remained married, (Amato and Booth 2001 cited in, Trotter

2010).

Not only are we are strongly influenced by people, but also by social media. We constantly

see celebrities, our friends, and our families through the screens of our smart phones, computers,

and televisions that are constantly changing and shaping what we think a relationship should be.

Many of the sitcoms, commercials, and reality television shows promote a culture of pleasure

seeking, instant gratification and casual attitudes about relationships and sex. (Trotter, 2010) The

importance is knowing that the media is separate from reality, and making sure to pick someone

that we can be the most compatible with in school, hobbies, and goals - not someone based off a

portrayal of relationships we've seen in TV and social media. The majority of participants

(79.6%) indicated belief that the media (music, videos, television) influences relationships which

was higher than the 74% who indicated that the relationships that their parents have or had

influenced their views on their own personal relationships. Unfortunately, 31 % of those

influenced by their parents felt that the effect their parents' relationships have had on them was

negative. (Trotter 2010)

Knowing how important our friends and families opinions are on whom we are dating,

our connections with them have a huge impact in what we think and the decisions we make. The

relationships we have with friends and family help mold and influence us because there opinions

are from the people who know us best, and have our best interest at heart. That the largest

proportion of our couples met through friends or family highlights a major mechanism through

which educational homogamy among couples is reinforced.(Sassler and Miller 2014, p. 148)
 However, as college students, we are exposed to people who have similar interests and

goals as us. We are surrounded by other students everyday with similar interests, we also have

friends at school that help us to meet, socialize, branch out, and connect with students of similar

degrees, hobbies, race, age, educational goals, and similar personal life achievement goals -

showing that graduates who meet each other in a setting that they have more similarities, prove to

marry more often and stay together. In recent years, it is the college educated who are most likely

to get married and stay married. (Sassler and Miller 2014, p. 157) College graduates, the highest

earners, are more likely today to be married than are Americans with less education 69% for

adults with a college degree versus 56% for those who are not a college graduate. (Cohn and Fry

2010)

Finding a suitable and compatible mate in this world might seem like an endless task but it

is important to surround yourself with people of similar interests. Where we meet our significant

other and how we meet them has an enormous effect of the outcome of the relationship. Our

family and friends have a big impact on our choices and who we will end up with. In meeting a

potential significant other, the location and the occasion or event is very important to potential

connection. Meeting our potential mate through a friend, at work, or at a social event with friends,

there is more opportunity to meet people with similar hobbies and interests. According to this

study at least, if you met your spouse in high school, college, or grad school, you are 41 percent

less likely to get divorced [.....]The other major difference was couples who met in bars were 24

percent more likely to get divorced than expected. (Wilkinson & Finkbeiner, LLP, 2016.) This is

statistically proving college graduates have more success finding a partner in college or in the

workforce, and have a higher rate of marriages with fewer divorces. At the same time, the
 family-building behaviors of working- and middle-class young adults have diverged; those who

are college educated are more likely to marry, remain married, and bear their children in marital

unions, (Sassler and Miller, 2015, p.142).

Source: Breen & Salazar (2011). Educational Assortative Marriage and Household Structure[Table].

American Journal of Sociology, November 2011, Vol. 117, Issue 3, p. 808-843. University of

Chicago Press (Assortative mating is the process by which people of similar backgrounds, such as

educational attainment or financial means, select a partner. (Picker, L. 2014)

Many people follow the old adage, "opposites attract." They don't realize that the research

shows incompatibility, growing apart, and personality problems (indicators of dissimilarity) to be

common reasons for relationship dissatisfaction and relationship dissolution, (Trotter, 2010). Not

only does finding someone with similar educational attainment lead to more connection, but it also

leads to decreased marriage dissolutions, less economic stress due to less wage gap, less

discrepancies due to similar socioeconomic status, and far less stress due to gender roles and

expectations. With the expansion of higher education and its tight connection with social class,

many college-educated young adults are on a different economic and social trajectory from their

less-educated peers (Goldin and Katz cited in McClendon, Kuo, Raley 2014, p. 1320).
 Cohabitation is defined as living together in a relationship, having almost all relationship

qualities without actually being married. There are fewer incentives for college grads to cohabitate

because in cohabitation relationships there is a weak bond that holds the pair together, that does

not always end up in marriage or childbearing. College-educated individuals are less likely to

cohabit than those who have a high school diploma or some postsecondary schooling. When

college graduates do live together, they are more likely to marry when compared with their

working-class peers.(Sassler and Miller 2014, p. 145) Cohabitating couples dont always have the

intention to marry, but tend to live together and pay the bills as if they were together, without the

title of marriage. The decision to cohabit is often made out of economic convenience and

relationship inertia and, consequently, may depend less on partners long term economic potential,

(McClendon, Kuo, Raley 2014, p. 1325).

 College-educated adults are more likely to be married than less-educated adults. Among

those who were ages 25 and older in 2014, 65% of those with a bachelors degree or more were

married, compared with 53% of adults with less education, according to a Pew Research Center

analysis, (Wang 2015). When college grads do cohabitate it typically leads to marriage. For

college graduates, cohabitation is more a stepping-stone to marriage, being able to feel out and see

if they are compatible, and can live with their significant other, that typically leads to engagement,

marriage, and most of the time a family. The research on cohabitation proves that fewer college

graduates are in cohabitated relationships, not only because they lack a strong couple bond but

because they do not have much benefit for graduates. This shows that educated people pick

someone with the same or higher level of educational attainment that not only they can live with,

but can also have a family and share a life with. People with higher education are not only more

committed to their marriage and less prone to divorce, but their spouses are also more committed

and less divorce prone, even after statistically controlling for the couples initial similarity on

education, (Woszidlo and Segrin 2013, p.70).

 College students face an enormous amount of stress while attending college; there is the

fear of not picking the right degree, how to pay for college, how to afford to eat and live while

attending college, fitting in to school and classes, and if the degree will pay off the debt that it

created. This creates an enormous amount of pressure for students to do the best they can and be

successful. The stress of college can possibly lead to depression, anxiety, binge drinking and drug

use. Sarah W. Whitton and Eliza M. Weitbrecht, (2013) concluded, in a study of committed dating

relationships and mental health among college students, that males and females in relationships

have lower levels of depression and the urge to binge drink due to the stresses.

The findings conclude that students that are in relationships have lessened risk for depression and

binge drinking because they have support at school. They have someone that can understand what
they are going through, help them as best they can, be there for them, and support them. This is

another reason why college students that marry, remain in longer lasting relationships. Graduates

in homogamous relationships with people of equal or higher educational attainment understand to

a degree the amount of pressure and things that need to be accomplished in order to graduate.

Graduates have better understanding, respect, and appreciation for someone with whom they spend

their time, especially if they have the same major or some of the same classes; even being at the

same school can promote for healthier longer lasting relationships. Individual differences such as

educational attainment, socioeconomic status, and personality, have been reported to affect many

aspects of marriage, including the ways spouses communicate with each other, the amount of

stress each spouse experiences, and overall marital quality. (Woszidlo and Segrin 2013, p. 50)

The more similarities there are, the less the marriage dissolution rate is, because there are far less

economic and status issues in college graduates relationships.

People with less education generally have lower income levels, are less serious about

school, cohabit before marriage, and are more likely to initiate early sexual activity, get pregnant,

and marry young. (Woszidlo and Segrin 2013, p. 51) These people dive into adulthood without

really being adults. People that come out of high school or graduate high school have to dive right

into the workforce, not really allowing themselves to find a good job, more or less finding the first

job that pays the bills, not necessarily the best job that pays well and offers benefits. Since the

1970s, many young men, particularly those with low levels of education, have found it

increasingly hard to establish a stable career with earnings above the poverty line, and this seems

to have been an important factor in delaying marriage. (Lundburg and Pollak 2015 p. 34)
 Typically, people that do not attend

college have to get lower-paying

full-time jobs or are working

multiple part-time jobs. For

non-graduates, there is much more

economic stress, due to the

uncertainty of sustaining income

and being able to maintain. An

alternative way to consider the

relationship between education,

wealth, and marriage is to

recognize that part of the reason

that higher education may matter

for marriage, aside from the

realized economic benefits of

income, employment, and wealth,

is that education may reduce

uncertainty about future

employment and earnings. (Schneider 2011, p.657)

Research has shown that college graduates are more likely to be homogeneous with people

of equal or higher educational attainment because it allows for the most similarity and relationship
equality; for example, one person is not the leader of a household with a educationally

homogamous couple Further, educational differences in marital status are likely to add to the

economic disadvantages faced by children as a direct result of low maternal education and to

contribute to the intergenerational transmission of economic disadvantages. (McLanahan 2004

cited in Harknett and Kuperburg 2011, p. 41) Graduates tend to stay in longer lasting committed

relationships, have less socioeconomic stress, and are able to communicate more efficiently and

problem solve when issues arise. The statistics I found show that college graduates tend to get

married and stay married longer, have more incentive to stay together having similar education and

financial stability, and those lead to lower amount of economic stress. On the other hand, those

who dont have a degree divorce at higher rates, with higher levels of financial stress and less job

security. Most importantly people who attend college meet more individuals who have similar

goals, which is very important in romantic relationships. College graduates have different friends,

work at better jobs, and live in wealthier and more-highly educated cities and

neighborhoodssocial networks and environments that are ever more homogenous with respect to

education and income. (McClendon 2014, p. 1320) Being in a relationship with someone who

understands what youve had to go through, like graduating college, and has set an overall higher

standard for a jobs; can lead to longer lasting and healthier relationships.

For individuals with college degrees and the ability to get a good job, there are more

financial opportunities for investments and flexibility to potentially spend money, as that person

would want; with a partner of equal educational attainment there are many opportunities. To allow

that couple to have more potential to have sexual division of labor, one spouse may be the one with

the more education and the spouse that has a better job brings in a majority of the money, while the
other spouse does most of the house work; however, this can cause many unwanted and easily

avoidable arguments.

Source: Breen &

Salazar (2011). Educational Assortative Marriage and Household Structure[Table]. American Journal of Sociology, November 2011, Vol. 117, Issue

3, p. 808-843. University of Chicago Press.

Understandably it is not logical for couples to not have arguments; however couples that have the

same levels of education have a better understanding and are able to communicate and

compromise more effectively. Negative affectivity has repeatedly been linked with poor marital

quality and divorce, whereas higher educational attainment has been associated with a decreased

risk of marital dissolution. Negative affectivity is thought to be a stable personality trait that

wreaks havoc in interpersonal relationships. (Woszidlo and Segrin 2013, p. 50)

The ability for better and more effective communication can be due to the many years of

school and being able to communicate with professors and peers on a educational and professional

level. Education promotes more effective communication between couples, thus helping them to

resolve differences. (Amato & Previti 2003, p. 605) College students have the experience of being

able to communicate with the most educated people in their fields, whose main effort is to teach

and help educate their students. The benefit is the ability not only to learn to communicate with
more educated people, but it's also a great lesson of knowing that you are not always right. This

can directly translate to relationships because communicating with highly educated people helps us

to listen, be able to process information, and know when to speak. In contrast, higher educational

attainment is associated with a decreased probability of divorce. People with more years of formal

education also hold fewer dysfunctional relationship beliefs than those with less education. Faust

and McKibben (1999) suggest that higher education, such as college, teaches people how to

communicate and compromise, thus leading to better communication within marriage. (Woszidlo

and Segrin 2013, p. 51)

Education plays a huge roll in

relationships. High School dropouts are 13

percent more likely to get divorced.

Individuals who have attended college have a

13 percent lower risk of divorce.(Wilkinson

& Finkbeiner, LLP, 2016.) Furthermore,

people that are married, or in a relationship

with someone with equal educational

attainment have more opportunities for longer

lasting marriage. People who have achieved

higher levels of education appear to be more

receptive to their spouses needs and

acknowledge that voicing their concerns and

problems with their partners lead to better marital outcomes (i.e., reaching agreement and/or

openly addressing relational issues). (Woszidlo and Segrin 2013, p. 69) At the same time, work

is also characterized by significant educational stratification. In todays highly skilled labor

market, college graduates not only make more money and enjoy greater job security but also are

more likely to work in more prestigious occupations with higher occupational education.

(McClendon, Kuo, Raley 2014, p. 1320) Some advantages include the ability to get and sustain a

better job at a higher rate than a person with a high school diploma; and better opportunity for

better economic stability by having two people with higher and more reliable job that pays the bill.

Educational attainment is assumed to indicate something about an individual's ability to secure

gainful employment or to change employers, if necessary. Should one spouse have fewer years of

schooling than the other, it is assumed that this spouse is somewhat less "marketable," or would

have greater problems securing employment. (Nock 1995, p. 509) Two people that are in a

relationship and have graduated college have so much in common and relative understanding of

each other and what it takes to be successful, and most importantly the best opportunity to take

care of children and the investment of their lives. Over the past 50 years, rising returns to human

capital combined with diverging parental resources across the education, income, and wealth

distribution have increased the expected gains to investing in children, especially for

more-educated, wealthier parents. (Lundburg and Pollak 2015 p. 34)

The process it takes to get a higher education takes dedication, persistence, prioritization,

great risk, responsibility, competitiveness, and resilience for earning a degree in the field of your

passion. Being able to share experiences, or understanding with our loved ones makes for a much

deeper and stronger bond. Relationships are all about give and take, being able to compromise for
the needs of that persons significant other, and college is one of the best life's tests of being able

to persevere. If one can graduate college, go throughout the grueling nights without sleep, endless

hours of studying, all the things college kids regret doing, and making it out with a degree is a

huge indicator of having a successful relationship. However, remember that it takes a lot of work

and effort, and that is why the divorce rate is nearly 50 percent.
 Discussion:

Throughout my research I have found that there is a higher probability for successful

marriages in graduates, nonetheless it is increasingly difficult to pinpoint a specific reason why.

My hypothesis that higher education teaches better communication skills, commitment to follow

through with tasks (like graduating), dedication to one's future in completing college, developing

and maintaining relationships, and being able to work with others to complete tasks. I have found

this to be true. However, since relationships are specific to two individuals, and no two people are

the same, their personal attitudes and experiences often are the most impactful on their

relationship.

My research has found that graduates have roughly a 13 percent higher probability of not

getting a divorce, and this number was not as high as I expected it would be, however it does prove

education positively affects relationships. For example, the articles I reviewed statistically show

that college graduates have more access to higher paying jobs with benefits, have higher incomes

that allow for better financial stability, and are able to invest more in possible children. Even

though statics can lead to longer lasting relationships, each person experiences separate realities

and at any moment something can happen to change everything; so even though they can last

longer nobody is safe from personal hardships. There is not factor than can directly correlate to the

success of marriages, it is too difficult to test every person's interpersonal relationship and figure

out what factor caused the dissolution. To answer my initial question education does positively

affect relationships, however there is no direct correlation to a successful marriage; just a higher

statistical probability the relationship will be longer lasting.

 References:

Amato, P. R., & Previti, D. (2003). People's reasons for divorcing: Gender, social class, the life

course, and adjustment. Journal of Family Issues, 24(5), 602-626.

Breen, R., & Salazar, L. (2011). Educational assortative mating and earnings inequality in the

united states. American Journal of Sociology, 117(3), 808-843.

Fry, R., & Cohn, D. (2010). Women, Men, and the new Economics of Marriage. Pew Research

Center, accesed at,

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2010/01/19/women-men-and-the-new-economics-of-marriag

e/#

Harknett, K., & Kuperberg, A. (2011). Education, labor markets and the retreat from marriage.

Social Forces, 90(1), 41-63.

Lundberg, S., & Pollak, R. A. (2015). The evolving role of marriage: 1950-2010. Future of

Children, 25(2), 29-50.

McClendon, D., Kuo, J., & Raley, R. 1. (2014). Opportunities to meet: Occupational education and

marriage formation in young adulthood. Demography, 51(4), 1319-1344.

Mitchell, L., , & Syed, M. (2015). Does college matter for emerging adulthood? comparing

developmental trajectories of educational groups. Journal of Youth & Adolescence, 44(11),

2012-2027.

Nock, S. L. (1995). Commitment and dependency in marriage. Journal of Marriage & Family,

57(2), 503-514.

Picker, L. (2014). Assortative Mating and Income Inequality. NBER Digest, 5.

Sassler, S., & Miller, A. J. (2015). The ecology of relationships: Meeting locations and cohabitors

relationship perceptions. Journal of Social & Personal Relationships, 32(2), 141.

Schneider, D. (2011). Wealth and the marital divide. American Journal of Sociology, 117(2), 627.

Schnittker, J., & Behrman, J. R. (2012). Learning to do well or learning to do good? estimating the

effects of schooling on civic engagement, social cohesion, and labor market outcomes in the

presence of endowments. Social Science Research, 41, 306-320.

Schwartz, C. R., & Mare, R. D. (2005). Trends in educational assortative marriage from 1940 to

2003. Demography, 42(4), 621.

Trotter, P. B. (2010). The influence of parental romantic relationships on college students' attitudes

about romantic relationships. College Student Journal, 44(1), 71-83.

Wang, W. (2015) The Link between a College Education and a Lasting Marriage. Pew Research

Center. Retrieved from,

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/04/education-and-marriage/#

Whitton, S. W., Weitbrecht, E. M., Kuryluk, A. D., & Bruner, M. R. (2013). Committed dating

relationships and mental health among college students. Journal of American College Health,

61(3), 176.

Wilkinson & Finkbeiner, LLP. (2016) Divorce Statistics| What Affects Divorce Rates?

Retrieved

from, http://www.wf-lawyers.com/divorce-statistics-and-facts/
Woszidlo, A., & Segrin, C. (2013). Negative affectivity and educational attainment as predictors of

newlyweds problem solving communication and marital quality. Journal of Psychology,

147(1), 49.