“This will be an everlasting love, this will be the one I've waited for, this will be...” sounds so familiar to most people. Of course, the lines are the words of a famous song but this tune is also the background music for the common commercial for the online dating service, eharmony.

Among other web sites such as yahoo personals and Match.com, eharmony is a popular site to search for a mate. Most dating sites are used for singles that are not looking for a lifetime commitment but just a “one night stand”. However, eharmony uses an in-depth questionnaire that explores people's values, interests, and what they search for in a mate. Putting away common stereotypes such as 'those sites are full of creepers” and “no one really finds a mate...” eharmony has been the first step for the success of many relationships. In fact, 90 eharmony matches get married everyday.

One of these successful marriage stories can be told right here in this school, choral director David Beck met his new wife Carolyn on the eharmony web site. Beck started out thinking the same thoughts as many others.

“I thought it was a swingers club...people that weren't looking for a long commitment.” Beck said.

Although all the misconceptions Beck decided to give eharmony a try because the process is not time consuming and there are many different people on the sites. Signing up in March of 2007, the special at the time was three full months for the price of one. A profile is first created by answering many multiple choice questions and open ended questions. Prospective matches are determined by the age and location qualifications placed by a user. Values such as not smoking or drinking, religious faith and education are explored and then placed in a level of importance.

After a profile is created a user will receive emails notifying them of their new matches and up to seven matches are given each day. After a match is given then 'closed communication' can begin. How the users interact with one another is controlled through a process of three steps and very different from other sites. Both yahoopersonals and Match.com feature an open communication instantly whereas eHarmony has a series of question sessions before a match can talk freely.

The first step is just five multiple choice questions provide by the eHarmony 'scientists'. After this step is short answer questions that can be created by the members, then the third step comes as both user approve to proceed. The third step is the open communication, here the users can speak freely to one another about any topics they wish. At anytime in this process a member can decide to stop the communication and no contact information is given until the users provide it themselves in the open communication step. Although Beck reached open communication with six woman it usually takes about a month to reach the final step. Beck reached open communication with Carolyn in just one week. After receiving matches for barely a month, Beck had developed a relationship with the woman who would become his wife in January.

As it turns out eHarmony is not just for those who have been divorced or are middle-aged, eHarmony has an array of users from first time love seekers, to even high schoolers. But commitment searching males may have more success with eHarmony than females do, the site has more woman looking for love than it does males. Of course, getting paired with the right match may not happen as quickly as did for Beck and Carolyn, but the right one can still be found.

“It was a quick process for Carolyn and I, but for others it may take time. I would still recommend eHarmony though...” Beck said.