That's what retired BYU sociology professor Bruce Chadwick and others found in their survey of dating and marriage at the Provo university operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"There is a whole lot of dating going on at BYU," Chadwick said, adding he believes BYU's religious culture explains the difference. Students at the school are "not into the casualness of single bars and Internet linking," he said.

Chadwick got the idea for the mail survey after reading the 2001 Institute for American Values report, "Hooking up, Hanging out and Hoping for Mr. Right," which surveyed 1,000 college women nationwide and found that few women engage in traditional dating.

"I found it amazing. There were these women, seniors in college, and only half of them had six or more dates in college," Chadwick said of the study.

He wanted to see whether the trend had reached BYU.

In the winter of 2002, a total of 1,893 questionnaires were sent to a random sample of students. Researchers used the 784 responses from those who qualified for the survey.

Results showed hanging out is as popular at BYU as anywhere else. However, hooking up, which involves pairing off and some type of physical intimacy, is less common.

"It's really, really low. Even if they lie, still pretty low," Chadwick said. Between 1 percent and 3 percent of the participants said casual "making out and intense kissing" is acceptable. The activity is known as NCMO (pronounced NIK-mo, a noncommittal make-out) and, according to the study, it may be BYU's equivalent of casual sexual behavior at other campuses.

Raquel Bogdan, a BYU junior, said hooking up, or NCMO, is looked down upon but it does happen.

When they enroll at BYU, students commit "to live a chaste and virtuous life, specifically reserving sexual intimacy for marriage."

"It seems that most people are looking for something more meaningful and real than that," Bogdan said. "It's because of the religious affiliation. We know that that's lust and there is a difference between lust and love . . . there should be some spirituality behind our relationships."

Bogdan added that dating may be more common because LDS Church leaders have advised young people to "do less hanging out and more dating."

"You can't really find a companion if you are always hanging out and hooking up," she said.

On the topic of marriage, BYU students were comparable to others in wanting to get married at some point.

The major difference, according to Chadwick, was that most BYU students were looking for religiosity and spirituality as the most desirable trait in their mate.

BYU senior Andrew Frick said he was not surprised to hear that most students listed spirituality as important. "But for me that person has to be my best friend."

According to the survey, 63 percent of male students and 55 percent of female students at BYU marry before they graduate.

Both Bogdan and Frick said they have no problem with BYU's reputation as a place to find a life partner.

"You are coming here to get an education, work and get a career. Why shouldn't you be here looking for a companion, too?" Frick asked.

---

* ROXANA ORELLANA can be reached at rorellana@sltrib.com or 801-257-8693.

Dating, marriage survey highlights

* The primary goal for students surveyed is a close relationship with God.

* Most students hope to marry within the next five to 10 years.

* 96 percent of men and 97 percent of women said being married is an important goal.

* 23 percent of the men and 19 percent of the women have five or more dates per month.

* 1 percent to 3 percent of students say "making out and intense kissing" are acceptable in a "hanging-out" relationship.

* 87 percent of men and 91 percent of women said spirituality and religiosity are very important traits in a partner.

Source: Brigham Young University

It seems that most [BYU students] are looking for something more meaningful and real than [sex]. It's because of the religious affiliation. We know that that's lust and there is a difference between lust and love . . . there should be some spirituality behind our relationships.

- Raquel Bogdan, a BYU junior