I Found Online Dating Success by Departing From the Four Most Common Profile Requests:

Educational background, income level, common interests, and age range

I found this sidewalk painting on San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill. To me, it exemplifies the jigsaw puzzle nature of love and relationships. [photo by the author]

Introduction

I understand that many people see it as logical to date others with similar educational backgrounds, income levels, and interests, and within a narrow age range near theirs. I can attest to the fact that I am now in the most successful relationship of my 77-year-old life and that I found my guy by specifically rejecting these four common requests featured in online dating profiles and apps.

I’ll go through these one by one so that I can share both my rationale for ditching them as well as my results.

Education background

I am a product of public schools from kindergarten through Master’s degree. In 1969, with my B.A. in hand, I began teaching in urban public schools. It’s a career that I kept for 34 years until my retirement at the age of 56 in 2003.

undergrad graduation day, 1969, photo by author

Put these two facts together and you will correctly surmise that I am well aware of the value of education. At…