Questions about Mensa?

Question

I have a few questions about Mensa. I am turning 16 in January, and I want to get in, because I know you can get in when you're 16.

1. What, exactly, is Mensa? I know it is a society for people of high intelligence, but what do you do as a member?

2. How do you get in? I think there is a test given specifically by Mensa, but I'm not positive.

3. If there is a test given specifically by Mensa, how do you go about taking it?

4. If there is a test, what is it like, and is there any way to prepare for it?

5. Can you only try to get in once? I want to take the test right after my 16th birthday, but might not want to try right after I turn 16 if I only have one chance.

Thank you.

Answer 1

1. Mensa is a society of braniacs with high IQs. You have to have 130 IQ or better to get in.

2. You have to take a Mensa test to get in.

3. One of the ways to take a test is to have a tester come to your home and sit with you while you're taking it. There are also public places where you can take it, find out from the Mensa website when and where.

4. The test is constructed in a way to examine your intellectual abilities. You can't really study for it, it's not a knowledge test.

5. You can try as many times as you want. It costs money though.

Answer 2

Take A Mensa Test

Answer 3

Mensa is different things to different people, but it is mostly a social club for meeting and doing things with intellectual people.

To get in you must score in or above the 98th percentile on any of a number of standardized intelligence tests. Mensa does give these tests for a small fee(USD $30), some schools give them (SAT scores from certain years qualify, for example), or a licensed psychologist can give one.

American Mensa offers a home practice test that is very much like the real thing. If you are in the US you can order this test from their website for a small fee (USD $18): http://www.us.mensa.org and click on 'Take the home test'. This test isn't good for actual credit, but it has the same kinds of questions that are on the real test. They even score it for you. If you pass, they give you a coupon that discounts the cost of the real test.

You can only take the Mensa test once. But if you don't make it the first time, you can try to take one of the other accepted tests and submit your scores. The Mensa website lists all of the accepted tests and scores.

A link to the national Mensa website for your country can be found at http://www.mensa.org.

Answer 4

Mensa "provides a forum for intellectual exchange among members. Its activities include the exchange of ideas by lectures, discussions, journals, special-interest groups, and local, regional, national, and international gatherings; the investigations of members' opinions and attitudes; and assistance to researchers, inside and outside Mensa, in projects dealing with intelligence or Mensa." [Mensa Constitution]

It is an elitist organization that has truly done very little or nothing with its collection of intellects that is worth mentioning. The assumption is that if you bring together a group of truly intelligent people they will ultimately brainstorm and network to get their superior intellects to come up with the best answers but it does not happen... I qualified when I went to college years ago, but never saw anything to make me want to join.

Answer 5

Marilyn Savant answers questions each Sunday in the "Parade" magazine section of the newspaper. Mensa is an intelligent group (top 2%), and yes, there is a test you take to become a member.

Here's the website: http://www.mensa.org

Best wishes.

Answer 6

Follow the link below and all of your questions can be answered by reading.