Wouldn't it be nice if all decisions could result in win-win (times n) scenarios? (Times n = any number of variables involved.) One decision that may not be win-win-win is that of deciding to be one of the few in your community to attend college. Sure, a college-degree is a win in terms of employment possibilities. But could there possibly be a drawback, a not-win?
It seems there can be. In somewhat of a bummer finding, sociologists at Cornell University discovered this correlation:
College reduces odds for marriage among disadvantaged
Darn. Go to college and you increase your chances for a good job. But you decrease your chances for marriage. That's not win-win.
The longitudinal study found a strong decrease in "marriage chances" for both males and females. For men, 38 percent, for women, 22 percent.
If this dynamic holds up, one might wonder, "Why the decrease in marriage rates for college-educated individuals coming from a community with few college-educated people?
Lead author Kelley Musick speculates:
Men and women from the least advantaged backgrounds who attend college appear to be caught between social worlds -- reluctant to "marry down" to partners with less education and unable to "marry up" to those from more privileged upbringings. Lower marriage chances appear to stem from men's and women's mismatched social origins and educational attainment.
That makes sense. Of course, it might not be the case (on average), but until ruled out, or until a better explanation is ruled in (supported by evidence), it's something to consider.
February 7th, 2012 at 4:26 am
That sucks