Last Updated on September 30, 2021
Mensa is the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test. Mensa formally comprises national groups and the umbrella organisation Mensa International, with a registered office in Caythorpe, Lincolnshire, England, which is separate from the British Mensa office in Wolverhampton.
The word mensa is Latin for ‘table’, as is symbolised in the organisation’s logo, and was chosen to demonstrate the round-table nature of the organisation; the coming together of equals.
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History of Mensa
Roland Berrill, an Australian barrister, and Dr. Lancelot Ware, a British scientist and lawyer, founded Mensa at Lincoln College, in Oxford, England in 1946, with the intention of forming a society for the most intelligent, with the only qualification being a high IQ.
The society was ostensibly to be non-political in its aims, and free from all other social distinctions, such as race and religion. However, Berrill and Ware were both disappointed with the resulting society. Berrill had intended Mensa as “an aristocracy of the intellect” and was unhappy that the majority of members came from working or lower-class homes, while Ware said: “I do get disappointed that so many members spend so much time solving puzzles.”
American Mensa was the second major branch of Mensa. Its success has been linked to the efforts of early and longstanding organiser Margot Seitelman.
Mensa FAQ
How do you get into Mensa?
Mensa has only one criterion for membership: a high IQ. They require members to take an approved standardized test of intelligence and score in the 98th percentile.
What IQ do you need to be in Mensa?
To get into Mensa, a person must be in or above the 98th percentile on a standardized IQ or other approved intelligence test, meaning their score must be equal to or greater than the scores of the top two percent of candidates who take the test. Besides Mensa’s Admissions Test, tests like the Stanford Binet, LSAT and California Test of Mental Maturity are accepted, though the required minimum scores are different. For example, a person must get at least a132 on the Stanford-Binet test and a 148 on the Cattell test.
Who has the highest IQ in Mensa?
As of April 2021, Anushka Dixit, an eleven year old British girl of Indian origin, has one of the highest IQs in Mensa. This young girl has proven to be smarter than both Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.
What does the word “Mensa” mean?
The Latin word “Mensa” has various meanings, including mind, table and month. Mensa was basically created as a round-table society for highly intelligent people to gather on a monthly basis. As of 2021, there are around 100,000 members in 100 countries across the globe.
How do I prepare for the Mensa test?
If you want to prepare for the Mensa test, you can order the Mensa Home Test from American Mensa Ltd. This practice test will give you a good idea of what type of questions they ask. There are also many Mensa-esque quiz and puzzle books available online that you can use to prepare, some of which have been written by Mensa members.