Liam McGregor, a college student, has created a tool called the Marriage Pact to help young adults feel more confident about their future in marriage. The average age of marriage in 2022 was 30 for females and 32 for males, with McGregor aiming to provide an “insurance policy” for those who may not have found “the one” by that age. The Marriage Pact, started at Stanford University in 2017, matches students with a potential spouse based on a questionnaire they fill out, which includes questions about core values, communication styles, conflict resolution, smoking and drug habits, and more. This tool aims to provide students with a backup plan if they have not found a partner by the time they reach a certain age.
The algorithm of the Marriage Pact is designed using decades of relationship science research to match individuals with the person they are most likely to be compatible with in the long term. Students are only matched with others from the same school and the questions on the survey vary depending on the campus. The algorithm does not ask for pictures, height, or other typical dating site criteria, and the matching is done based on responses to the core value questions. The success of the tool is evident from the fact that many matches end up meeting in person and dating for a year or longer, with some even getting married. McGregor has seen about 30% of matches meeting up in person, with one in nine couples ending up dating long-term or getting married.
The Marriage Pact has seen widespread interest and participation since its inception, with over 500,000 participants across 88 college campuses in the United States. Initially released at Stanford, the tool quickly gained popularity with students from other schools eager to join. By the fall of 2020, it was being used in seven schools, and by the spring of 2021, it had expanded to 50. McGregor was surprised by the overwhelming response to the survey, with many students eagerly signing up to find their optimal marital backup plan. Some successful relationships from the Marriage Pact have resulted in couples getting married, such as the case of Max Walker and Melia Summers who will wed in June 2024 after having a match rate of 99.65%.
The Marriage Pact aims to provide a safety net for individuals who may not have found a partner by a certain age, allowing them to consider marrying their backup plan if both remain single. The tool has proven to be successful in matching individuals based on core values and compatibility, leading to many long-term relationships and marriages. McGregor, the creator of the Marriage Pact, has seen the tool expand to numerous college campuses across the country, with students showing great interest in finding their optimal marital backup plan. The success stories from the Marriage Pact highlight the effectiveness of the algorithm in matching individuals with their best possible partners, leading to meaningful and lasting relationships.
