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Twenty years back report showed that unmarried, college-educated women over 30 years had very less chances of getting married. This was due to cover story “Too late for Prince Charming?” published in Newsweek’s June 1986 edition. It published the study taken by Yale and Harvard universities researchers, who said that educated over 30 years single women had only a 20 percent chance of marriage.
Magazine further stated that at age 40, the chances for marriage further dips to 2.6 percent. Article was more hyperbolic and went further saying that “women with over 40 years, were more likely to be killed by a terrorist rather than land finding a mate. Perhaps this had made this article quite infamous.
However, Jeanne Moorman of U.S. Census Bureau demographer had challenged this statistics. According to her study, women of 30 plus age had 58 to 66 percent chances of getting married whereas 40-year-oldies had chances between 17 to 23 percent finding a husband. But some critics believe that Harvard and Yale study focused only educated, career-oriented women who are taking risks for either late marriage or remaining single for entire life and the stats showed in their study report are still creating deep ripples.
Census reports have showed that 10 percent of well-educated women now aging 50 to 60 have never been married. Even a quick evaluation of report published in Newsweek in June, 1986 have discovered that out of 10 elderly women, 8 had married and rest two remained single on their choices.
However, in today’s fast pace of life, study has showed that chances of marriage for elderly women have risen. Sharon Rice, Economics professor in a reputed university found that in 1980, women of age 40 to 44 with professional degrees were having 25 percent less chances of marriage than other women of same age group with just high school education.
“Education or career are no longer an impediment for over-aged women for marriage today”, said Rice
Michelle Goldsmith is a Regional Marketing Manager in New Jersey. At the age of 32 in 1986, she was interviewed by the leading women’s magazine. She admitted that she had a date with a man but things did not turn up satisfactorily. She remained panicky till the age of 39 until she found a handsome man from her area, who later married within a year.
“I’m in the place now, I was twenty years back,” Diana Will says. Fortune, however, was not so harsh on her. She had a short marriage life for eight years. She survived a heart stroke. She realized that she would not be going to bear a child in future. She says that she is contended with her single-status life now.
“Sweetie,” Diana says, “it’s never too late”
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