Dating someone much more educated than you?

I have a few degrees in philosophy and am happy talking to most people. I really don't want to discuss the meaning of life 24/7. I don't care if someone is 'educated' or not.

Op said he isn't a 'bookworm'.

Do you not use the word professor in the UK? That’s what we call ourselves in the US. You say “lecturer” instead?

Discipline matters because people in areas like philosophy tend to need to be with other educated people. While it’s less important for a professor of business management, for example.

Perhaps the @FrostyGlacier 'Professor' can enlighten us as to why the subject would matter??

'Speaking as a professor' 🤣

Really? Speaking as a senior lecturer I can’t think why the subject would matter. 🤷‍♀️. I keep work at work, I don’t come home and talk about research methods, etc to dh. My job is a job….i might moan about colleagues or workload or students to dh but not about the actual subject.

i agree with others that lack of education doesn’t equal lack of intelligence. Dh while not as educated as me is just as intelligent. For me a partner needs to be someone with some stuff in common, similar outlook and values and someone who is interested in the world and what’s going on. None of which you need a degree for.

I think there's a big difference between being uneducated and a waste of space(like my ex husband) and lacking the education and being successful. You sound like the latter. You have made a successful business so you aren't stupid or unintelligent.

Richard Branson doesn't have post 16 education either and look at him.

Why would starting off in scaffolding mean he’s likely to have a bad past and a criminal record?

I have three degrees and am an academic at a RG university. My DP of 10 years has no post 16 qualifications but he’s smarter than me, has much wider general knowledge, and earns a lot more than me. If you like her, ask her. If she’s the sort of woman who judges people only by their qualifications then she’s not the type of person you’d want to be with anyway.

Statistics do prove that OP is right to think that this kind of thing does influence many women’s choice of partner. I’m not sure why it is any more shallow than other considerations.

In that case, if the tennis club has some kind of coffee-or-tea place associated with it, ask her if she feels like having something after tennising. If she has to go wash her hair, well, a shame, but best to find out sooner. If not, there you are. Don't push. Us academics hate being pushed 🤓.

If you started off in scaffolding, do you have a past that could cause an issue down the line? Criminal record or anything like that?
If not- and if you are an interesting person, then education and the level of qualification doesn't matter.
Don't let this become an issue for you

Don't let her different background to yours get in the way. You already get on well and enjoy a laugh together so that's a very promising starting point. It honestly would not occur to me to enquire about someone's educational background: I would however quickly notice if they were generally a bit thick and hidebound and that would put me off, whether they had multiple degrees or not. Good luck!

Hmmm "rowdy" I might have a real problem with, does that mean sexist, racist or homphobic ? DH is in construction I am a public sector worker ( as were both my parents) and this is where there is the greatest disparity.

With respect, why do you assume that someone who doesn't have degrees doesn't like reading. I really don't get it?

Many women get turned on by men who wear uniforms and have to use their hands for work. Just saying.

You’re obviously very bright and successful. But it really depends what her subject is and her interests are.

Unless you were comfortable discussing Proust, Palladio, Paula Rego, Paganini, the Palatinate, I’d be flattered but I wouldn’t be interested.

Someone with multiple Oxbridge degrees here, including a PhD, now a professor.
I looked hard for a decent, hard-working man, who would truly love me and want to build a life with me. My husband, by chance, is also a professor (met at work, as lots of people probably do) but it was his honesty, integrity, humor and kindness that won my heart, not his degrees.
She may well be interested. And it really could work out.

Having a degree or any kind of higher education qualification does not make a person better than someone who does. More educated and maybe more book-smart yes, but not necessarily more intelligent.

It sounds like you’ve both made a success of your lives. And building up and running your own business is no mean feat. Go for it I say if you’re getting positive vibes.

The different kind of work wouldn't bother me as I like people who are entrepreneurial but what would bother me is if you didn't like reading. That just wouldn't suit me at all.

Just go for it don't listen to friends, having degrees in different ways , you have been to the university of life.

Formal education doesn't equal intelligence at all.

She can write a thesis herself, she doesn't need you to do that. She just needs you to be a decent guy.

It sounds like some of your friends wouldn't be a match for her but she's dating you not them. Stop listening to them and give it a chance. Why are you letting 5g covid conspiracists influence your self confidence?

At 40, she'll have a fair idea of what's agopd match for her. Don't screen yourself put when she hasn't.

Speaking as a professor, I think it depends on what her area is. Mind sharing what that is?

Unless you’re insecure about it I don’t see what’s the issue.

My DP and I have very different educations (not quite your situation) but he doesn’t mind it and we definitely keep the conversation going in a multitude of topics.

Being curious is what’s most important, IMO.

Go for it! I have a degree (not Oxbridge) and never dated anyone else with a degree. It’s never entered my mind to be an issue. I much prefer a practical man to a highly educated one who calls a handyman out to change a lightbulb (not saying that educated men aren’t handy, obviously).

Plus you both like the F1 so that’s a big plus 😁