The Marriage Pact, an annual matching ritual popular on nearly 90 college campuses in the U.S., has sparked many friendships and even led to some lasting relationships. Nearly half a million students have participated in the pact since it first began at Stanford University in 2017. The algorithm used in the pact rates matches based on core values and beliefs rather than physical attributes. Each student receives just one match along with a percentage indicating the quality of the match.
Max Walker and Melia Summers, two New York University students, are among the few couples who found love through the Marriage Pact. They matched in fall 2020 and after months of chatting online, they finally met in person for a pizza date nearly a year later. Their wedding is set for June 29, with the algorithm rating their match at 99.65%. Despite initially viewing the pact as a fun experiment, their shared interests and values brought them closer together, leading to their decision to move to Knoxville, Tennessee after the wedding.
The Marriage Pact began as an economics project at Stanford University and quickly gained popularity among students at other campuses. The 50-question survey used in the pact focuses on core values such as communication styles, conflict resolution, and personal habits, rather than physical appearance or personal statistics. Questions are tailored for each campus to account for variations in values among students. As the pact spread to other campuses, pandemic restrictions made dating more challenging, leading to creative ways of maintaining relationships for matched couples.
About 30% of matches in the Marriage Pact meet in person, with 1 in 9 of those leading to long-term relationships. While not all matches result in love, some couples have found strong connections through the pact. Many students participate in the pact just for fun, but some end up in serious relationships or even marriages. The success of the pact has led to its popularity on various campuses, with some engaged couples and long-term partners having participated multiple times.
The interest in the Marriage Pact exceeded expectations, with over 60% of students at Stanford signing up within a week of its launch. Participants find the idea of a backup plan or optimal match intriguing, leading to the pact’s widespread popularity. Engaged couples like Katie Richards and Miguel Corzo, who did the pact at Boston College, have found lasting love through their matches. Despite initial skepticism, some participants, like Paul Armstrong and Shelby Merrill from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, have had successful matches that have led to further plans and adventures together.
The Marriage Pact has transformed the idea of finding a backup spouse or optimal match into a popular and fun ritual on college campuses across the country. With its focus on core values and beliefs rather than superficial qualities, the pact has helped many students form connections and relationships that may not have otherwise been possible. As the trend continues to grow, more students are likely to participate in the pact, leading to more stories of friendship, love, and even marriage.
