Dating someone much more educated than you?

Well to be blunt straight women rarely have the choice nowadays, men are chronically under educated so better find a "good hard-working fun one" as that's pretty much all there is.

Go for it!

I am the educated one in my relationship. My partner left school at 16 and works in a very male dominated trade. I am a director at work.

We both have a very strong work ethic , good morals and a great sense of humour. We enjoy the same music, food, fitness in our spare time. Amazing chemistry and a lot of mutual respect.

He is actually a lot more pragmatic and practical than me as I tend to over analyse. We balance each other out and view each other as equals.

I can take him anywhere and he is comfortable and personable. I am also happy chatting to the guys from his work. We are very lucky to have found each other .

Good luck x

I honestly think if I were starting out again, I wouldn't touch another academic with a bargepole! Two academics living together can be very unhealthy.

Very similar in my academic and professional circles - many extremely educated women in happy relationships with men with manual labour jobs.

I've dated loads of men with no qualifications (had relationships of over a year with 3), and it really doesn't matter, so long as they are intelligent and have active minds - a curiosity about the world and things going on around them.

I wouldn't date someone who was only interested in watching telly or scrolling on their phone, whatever their qualifications.

I have two female professor colleagues who are very happily married to builders.

Well I do. And we don’t know whether she will or not.

Take her for a coffee and tell her that you really like her and if if weren’t for the fact she is a high flying academic and probably wouldn’t be interested in someone like you, you’d have asked her out in a heartbeat. She how she responds!

You come across really well OP and I think you have done amazing with your business. Kudo's to you for building it from scratch.

Nothing ventured nothing gained, you will know more than most - it will do no harm to explore the opportunity rather than regret you didn't try at the very least.

If it doesn't work, she's not the one for you and no doubt you'll be snapped up soon by someone who is. Best Wishes and hope all goes well:)

Go for it! I have 3 degrees including a PhD and I have had research papers published in an academic journal, so I'm highly academic. My DH has never been to uni and has a military/ public service background - we've been together almost a decade and he's the love of my life! He has so many amazing qualities as a partner and a father, and we are very compatible in terms of life values and goals, despite our clear differences in educational background. It can work!

it sounds like you see some potential. The only way you’ll find out if she does, is if you throw your hat in the ring snd ask her.

Theoretically, if you have been a success at what you do, you will offer a lifestyle which may be equal or greater than what she is used to.

I can only imagine that her qualifications may be a barrier if she sees her area of expertise as a part of her self esteem. In other words, she may feel diminished if she is unable to speak about the arts/geography/sciences/politics/philosophy as that would be how she subconsciously flexes her worth.

I get the thing of wfh and working quite flexibly so sometimes I’m marking in the evening, etc.

but once I’ve finished work then I’ve finished work for the day. I don’t talk about my subject 24/7.

If she’s an academic, leaving work at work might not be that easy!

We definitely have professors in the uk. Some universities even call their senior lecturers associate professors. Sadly not mine. 😁

I agree. I'm more academically educated than my partner, who hasn't a qualification to his name. However he is so practically intelligent in ways I could never be. He can just look at a problem and find a solution, whereas I'd be having to employ someone to fix it.
He has an interesting job so in social situations people always want to talk about it (F1) so his lack of formal education is a moot point.
All my degrees did were take me to a job that led to a breakdown!

My ex was much less educated than I am, but it wasn't an issue because he was curious about things and open to learning. Plus there was stuff he knew about that I didn't. Respect each others differences and accept each other's different expertise.

I may have as many degrees as your lady friend. She will recognise that you are far more competent and skilled in many areas than she is. The more degrees a person does, often the more specialised they are in a very narrow area.

Personally OP I think it's character that matters not education level :)

@FrostyGlacier of course uk uses prof just that some lecturers aren't profs (yet?)

I actually don't think it's a good idea, lecturers are generally charming and polite and culturally sensitive because they are big on inclusivity to students from lesser advantaged backgrounds so they are generally good at talking to diverse people. Initially I too wondered about her subject area but really, someone so committed to education like her isn't going to bode well in a long term relationship with someone who sorry to say sounds like he feels inferior about his lack of education.
So i think your friends are right and she is just being nice. If this was a one night stand you'll never see each other again, fine go for it but this can be awkward if it flops.

I dated someone more intelligent than me, and it was great - having a fount of knowledge and insight always available, we used to talk non-stop. Give it a try, OP. If she is interested, you'll have a great time on your dates, even if a long term relationship isn't meant to be.

Education level isn’t an automatic predictor of intelligence levels, and you’re clearly a clever and capable man to have achieved what you have. If you can have interesting conversations, engage with her interests and show emotional intelligence there is no reason at all why you wouldn’t be compatible.

Also - different people value different things! You won’t know what’s important to her unless you see where things lead. As long as you’re respectful and decent about it (which it sounds like you would be) it doesn’t need to be awkward, even if she’s only interested in friendship.

So do I.

I think perhaps, @FrostyGlacier, discipline matters in your opinion.

Such a generalisation to make; a broad, sweeping statement.. backed up by nothing only 'speaking as a professor'

By “be with” I meant partner-wise, not just having a chat.