Paly ASB releases results of “Matchomatics” survey

Kaahini Jain and Olivia Ramberg-Gomez

ASB members posted this flyer on social media to encourage students to fill out the survey on Survey Monkey.

This Valentine’s Day season, students are eagerly awaiting the results of the Palo Alto High School’s Associated Student Body “Matchomatics” program, which matches applicants with other students for potential friendships.

In the five days that the Survey Monkey form was open, from Jan. 31 through Feb. 4, over 600 Paly students submitted responses, according to Junior Class Vice President Frida Rivera.

The key purpose of “Matchomatics”— the results of which ASB began to release on the Quad at lunch today — is to bring together students with both similar and opposing interests, according to Rivera.

Rivera said that Paly ASB got the inspiration for “Matchomatics” from Gunn High School’s Student Executive Council.

“One thing they [SEC] mentioned they do that we found interesting is what they call “Love Week,” a week during February in which they have a series of Valentine’s Day themed events,” Rivera said. “We thought it would be a cool idea to use one of their ideas [Matchomatics] for Paly.”

According to Rivera, the estimated number of students that have taken part in the survey is around 625.

Junior Haley Ho is one of the many students who filled out the form.

“At first I got the impression it was for people to be matched romantically,” Ho said. “Some of the questions seemed to be aimed less toward finding friends and more toward dating.”

According to ASB, the survey is not intended for students to be matched romantically with other students.

“The Matchomatics survey is an attempt to connect students,” Rivera said. “It allows them to learn of people who share similar interests with them, as well as completely opposite interests.”

The data from the Survey Monkey forms was sent to an outside company called Matchomatics, which then matched people up based on similarities in answers, according to Junior Class President Zoe Silver. 

For those who did not get a chance to pick up their match cards today, the distribution will continue tomorrow on the Quad at lunch.