A few months ago I watched “The Science of Sex Appeal” on the Discovery Channel. The entire program was great, but what I found most interesting was the portion on how we choose the people we date.

It has to do with the rating system – certain people are higher integers based on admirable characteristics. The experiment was fairly straightforward: everyone was randomly assigned an number and told to “mate” (hold hands, in this case) with the person who had the highest number. The catch was the participants had no idea which number was on their own forehead. Naturally everyone went after the tens first; when the tens paired up with each other, the nines were the obvious choice. So on and so forth until everyone had been paired up.

The results were fairly predictable but not uninteresting: we mate with those whose qualities we admire, attempting to mate with the the highest “number” possible.

Everyone wants to believe they’re a ten. There are great qualities in everyone, and I believe there is someone out there for every person. But just because you think you’re a ten doesn’t mean you are, as harsh as that sounds.

A good indicator of how desirable you are to the opposite sex is to see what kinds of people are interested in sparking conversation with you. If you want to date a supermodel but she’s not giving you the time of day, it might be time to reevaluate your standards a bit. It could be a fluke, but typically tens know that they’re tens and you’ll be hard pressed to find a ten dating too far below their integer. There’s a reason the quarterback dated the head cheerleader.

Setting realistic standards will not only help you find the perfect person for you, but it’s important to not pigeon-hole yourself by being too specific about who you’re willing to date. Would you be more willing to click on a profile that says “Wanted: SWF 18-25, 120 lbs, no glasses, owns a red car, works at a law firm” or “Intelligent movie buff seeks witty conversationalist for nights of jazz music, comic book reading, and ice cream consumption?” The choice is clear. Being too specific may detract potential suitors who don’t fit your staunch guidelines.

It’s important to remember that the person you’re attracted to may not be a ten in the eyes of the world at large. That’s completely okay. Everyone has their quirks, and those quirks should be celebrated. So go. Have fun dating. But remember that just because the guy you’ve met online doesn’t have chiseled cheekbones doesn’t mean he’s not fantastic.