So, I received my acceptance letter today…I got into Mensa! American Mensa is a national high IQ society, based in Arlington, TX. In order to get in, you have to score in the 98th percentile on a standardized intelligence test. On most common IQ tests, this equates to an IQ of 132 or higher.
I was tested as a kid, but couldn’t find the doctor who administered the tests, so I was forced to take the Mensa Admissions Test, which was actually pretty cool. It was actually 2 separate tests, and you have to score in the 98th percentile on just one of them to get in.
The first test consisted of 120 multiple choice questions, divided into 7 timed sections. You have a total of about 30 minutes to complete all the questions. Most of the questions dealt with rapid cognition type puzzles, image association, and high school level math. The questions weren’t terribly difficult, and I assume most people could get them given enough time. Therein lies the reasoning behind the time constraints 🙂
The second test is the Wonderlic Personality Test – Revised. It consists of 50 questions to which you must write in the answers, and you have only 12 minutes to complete as many as possible. I only finished 39 of the 50, but it takes I think only 35 or 36 correctly answered to hit the 98th percentile.
I don’t know exactly what my percentile rank was, but it’s at least 98% 🙂
Anyone interested in Mensa can learn more at American Mensa. Whether you submit prior evidence of testing, or choose to take the Mensa Admissions Test, the cost is $40. If you get in, the yearly membership dues start at $59 and drop from there depending on how far in advance you pay.
If you tested previously, and scored in the 99.9th percentile or higher, there are a few other high IQ societies you may qualify for, namely the Triple Nine Society, and perhaps even the Prometheus Society.
Good luck!