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Want to know your chances of finding true love in college?

Facebook’s Data Science Unit says that 28 per cent of married couples were in college with their future spouses.

We’ll tell you, it’s about 28 per cent. Facebook has been examining its data on married couples across the US to try and find out where people are most likely to meet their future spouses.

The results from Facebook’s Data Science Unit show that if you went to college it’s good chance you may have met your future partner there. A better than one-in-four chance to be exact with 28 per cent of married college-graduates attending the same college in or around the same four year period.

These findings did not specifically capture whether the relationship started while the two were enrolled or had started either before or after, merely that they were there around at the same time.

The type of college you attended has a major influence on your long-term relationship status however with demographics, as well as the college’s religous and political outloook  playing a key role

The stats were collated separately for men and women and found that women who attended colleges with a large male population were more likely to meet a partner there. Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana for example, it specialises in engineering and has an 88 per cent male population, women had greater than 7 out of 10 chance of being in that college at the time of their future spouse according to Facebook.

Colleges with a conservative ethos were also a more fertile breeding ground for budding relationships, over half of women in the US Air Force Academy attended the college at the same time as their spouse.

Facebook says the measurements did not distinguish whether spouses are of the same or different sex but said that the statistics reflect primarily heterosexual married couples.

High schools were also measured in terms matchmaking prospects with 15 per cent of married couples attending the same high school as their spouse. This is less likely for schools in densely populated areas according to the research.

Read the results in full here >

Read: Are Irish couples afraid to get married on Friday the 13th? >

Read: It’s now illegal to post nude pics online of your ex… in California >

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26 Comments
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    Mute Tiger Bayliss
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:01 AM

    Long shot here – Looking for the Pasty Kensit lookalike from UCD arts circa 1993. Answered by the name Claire/Cara/Ciara from . I’m the guy you snogged in the pink elephant and we dated for 3weeks over that Christmas.

    Just wondering Have you found your true love yet? pm me if not

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:10 AM

    You dated for three weeks and can’t remember her name lol true love alright lol

    165
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    Mute Tiger Bayliss
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    Oct 8th 2013, 1:10 PM

    How insensitive are you? – ya Batch. How would you like to be dumped on NYE because of ‘Focusing on my studies’ – of course you’re going to erase all memories of her out of your head.

    But I’m willing now to give Clare/Cara/Ciara one last chance. It’s up to her now to accept our true love and rekindle our passion.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Oct 8th 2013, 1:24 PM

    Well when you put it like that how could she refuse lol

    48
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    Mute Ciaran O Connor
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:54 AM

    I met my true love at college and no it wasn’t my wife

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    Mute Jonny Rigley
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:13 AM

    Your husband?

    88
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    Mute Hippocrateeth
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:17 AM

    Kaboom

    41
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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:59 AM

    I met the lust of my life in college , does that count ?

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    Mute Joe Cullen
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:25 AM

    I am in 2nd year of College and I have not had a girlfriend or relationship yet , but if this article is true then I will meet my true love in NCI.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:27 AM

    Joe I’d check your horoscope too just to be sure

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    Mute Martin
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:03 AM

    Most people in Ireland meets there spouse in the pub

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    Mute ohmadge85
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    Oct 8th 2013, 12:29 PM

    I met my boyfriend in college, together 5 happy years now! We got together graduation night (thank you cocktails for the bravery!) and it’s been great ever since

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    Mute Simon Power
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    Oct 8th 2013, 10:57 AM

    I would say that “stat” wouldn’t translate over here given the disparity between the average age of woman getting married in the US (26.9) and Ireland (32).

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    Cpm
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    Mute Cpm
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    Oct 8th 2013, 12:54 PM

    Doubt any student is looking for the love of their life in college, all they want, and quite rightly so, is to get their hole.

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    Mute Patricia Mc Cann
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    Oct 8th 2013, 3:15 PM

    Was thinking of going back to do a Masters, this puts a whole new light on things :)

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    Mute Lar G Rection
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    Oct 8th 2013, 1:09 PM

    When I was in college I was riding around left right and center. Still doing the same.

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    Mute Warren Collier
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    Oct 8th 2013, 9:37 PM

    Your hand doesn’t count mate

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    Mute Cathal Kelly
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    Oct 8th 2013, 1:13 PM

    Carcu, it’s called the HEAR problem, specifically designed to help those who want to learn, but can’t due to financial disadvantages, go to uni. It’s a flawed system undoubtedly, but its heart is in the right place. And if all else fails there’s a student loan. We are not defined by our parents.

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:04 AM

    Who the £uck can afford to go to college anymore?

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    Mute Hippocrateeth
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:18 AM

    Your mom goes to college

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    Mute cooperguy
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:33 AM

    Lots of people, especially since it’s so cheap compared to the UK or the US

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Oct 8th 2013, 11:56 AM

    Hipp – Unlikly she is dead almost 30 years.

    Copper – Thanks for reminding me about the kids of politicians, doctors, accountants, lawyers & senior civil servants.

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    Mute cooperguy
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    Oct 8th 2013, 12:20 PM

    Carcu, when I was in college I didn’t know a single person from one of those family types so your just kidding yourself if you think that all who goes to college. As I have already said, it is cheap by international standards

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    Mute Louis OConnell
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    Oct 8th 2013, 1:59 PM

    Cpm that’s a classic- I know a guy who had 3 women on the go at the same time in college and one at home at weekends who he subsequently married- so the theory is faulty

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    Mute Cillian Adamson
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    Oct 8th 2013, 5:44 PM

    Must have excluded the students from Bolton street!

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    Mute Wilbur J Phan
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    Oct 10th 2013, 8:14 AM

    Nice article

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