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Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu rec.org.mensa:6922 news.answers:3223 Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!mintaka.lcs.mit.edu!olivea!spool.mu.edu!agate!linus!alliant!merk!miracle!phil From: phil@miracle.com (Phil Hill) Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa,news.answers Subject: Mensa - Answers to Frequently Asked Questions [monthly] Summary: This posting contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions (and their answers) about Mensa. It should be read by anyone who wishes to post to the rec.org.mensa newsgroup. Message-ID: <92faq09@miracle.com> Date: 29 Sep 92 00:16:52 GMT Expires: 1 Nov 1992 00:00:00 GMT Followup-To: rec.org.mensa Organization: Boston Mensa Lines: 1026 Approved: news-answers@MIT.edu Archive-name: mensa-faq Version: 1.1 This is the answers to frequently asked questions in rec.org.mensa. Before posting a message asking a question, read this article. Chances are the answer is in here. This article includes answers to: 1) Who is Mensa For? 2) Why Should I Join Mensa? 3) What are Members of Mensa Like? 4) What are the Qualifications for Mensa? 5) How do I apply for Membership in Mensa? 6) How do I Re-Join Mensa? 7) What are Mensa's Dues? 8) What does "Mensa" mean? 9) Where do I get more Information? 10) What other High-IQ Societies are there? 11) What famous people are in Mensa? 12) What is the Mensa Test Like? 13) What unanswered questions does Phil Hill have? The answers in this posting apply mostly to American Mensa. It is the only organization I have experience with. If you can answer these questions for any other national Mensa, please send me your responses. Corrections, suggestions, and additions to phil@miracle.com ======================================================================== 1) Who is Mensa For? Mensa is for those who rejoice in the exercise of the mind. If you enjoy mental challenges and revel in the interplay of ideas, Mensa is an organization that will stretch your mind and expand your horizons. Mensa is an international society that has one - and only one - unique qualification for membership: you must score in the top 2% of the population on a standardized IQ test. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2) Why Should I Join Mensa? There are many intelligent reasons to join Mensa. Whether you actively attend Mensa meetings, or simply relish the intellectual stimulation that membership promotes, you'll find the benefits of Mensa membership to be numerous indeed. * JOIN FOR THE INTELLECTUAL STIMULATION. Think-two-three, think-two-three! Mensa provides intriguing ways to flex your mental muscles. You'll find intellectual resources in the Mensa Bulletin, in local newsletters, in Special Interest Group (SIG) newsletters, and at our annual and regional conventions. * JOIN FOR THE SOCIAL INTERACTION. Mensa meetings are anything but dull! Local groups meet at least monthly... for dinner and drinks on a Friday night, get-togethers featuring a speaker, or a lively, free-wheeling discussion. All with fellow members who share your intellectual interests. Some groups have special get-togethers or activities throughout the month. Others, especially the larger groups, have events on practically every day. Of course, participation in local group activities is always entirely at your option. There's also a widely attended annual convention offering workshops, seminars, and parties. Plus, some 50 regional gatherings are held around the country each year, offering social and intellectual excitement. * JOIN FOR YOUR SPECIAL INTERESTS. Whatever your passion, there's almost certain to be a Special Interest Group (SIG) filled with other Mensans who share it! Mensa offers approximately 200 SIGs, in mind-boggling profusion from African Violets to zoology. Along the way you'll find microbiology, and systems analysis, but you'll also find Sherlock Holmes, chocolate and Star Trek. There's the expected: biochemistry, space science, economics -- and the unexpected: poker, roller skating scuba diving, UFOs and witchcraft. There are SIGs for breadmaking, winemaking, cartooning, silversmithing, and clowning. Heraldry, semantics and Egyptology co-exist with beekeeping, motorcycling and tap dancing. Sports SIGs cover the classics (baseball, basketball, football) and the not-so-classic (skeetshooting, hangliding, skydiving). And any Mensan who can't find a SIG to join can easily start one. * JOIN FOR THE PUBLICATIONS YOU'LL GET. Ten times a year, you'll receive our interesting and thought- provoking magazine, the Mensa Bulletin. It incorporates the "International Journal," and both publications contain views and information about Mensa, as well as contributions by Mensans on a wide variety of subjects. Also, you'll get lively local newsletters informing members of local activities and events, and other items of interest and announcements of special interest. "Interloc" (also published ten times yearly) is free to officers--and for other active members on request. It contains news an information about various society administrative and internal matters. The "Mensa Research Journal," published quarterly by MERF, reports on Mensa-supported research. It also publishes original articles in diverse fields of interest, and is available for a small subscription fee. "Isolated M" is a popular and informative newsletter sent to those members who are geographically or otherwise isolated from a local group. It, too, is available at nominal cost to any other member. The Mensa "Register," published every other year, lists all the members and includes such information as geographic location, areas of expertise and/or interest and other professional and personal data. In addition, Mensa books, gifts and other materials are available to members. * JOIN FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS. Mensa sponsors a members-only credit card and insurance program. There's also a program that aids traveling Mensans. * JOIN FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR COMMUNITY. Mensa members also find opportunities to contribute to the betterment of society through programs such as: * The American Mensa Education and Research Foundation (MERF) MERF is a philanthropic, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization funded primarily by gifts from Mensa members and others. MERF awards scholarships, sponsors colloquia, grants research awards, and publishes articles. Of particular interest to MERF is the study of the intellectually gifted. Research projects in the social and psychological sciences supported by MERF have included: measurement of the upper levels of intelligence, psycho-social adjustment, identification of cultural differences, educational strategies and neurophysiological attributes of giftedness, and intelligence and aging. Scholarships are awarded to approximately 60 students nationwide each year. More than 5,000 students apply for these awards, which range from $200 to $1,000. Awards are made to applicants enrolled in degree-granting programs at accredited American colleges and universities based on a competitive essay. There are also awards made from several endowed funds, including awards to women who re-enter academic study after a period of employment or family management, and awards for the study of engineering, mathematics, medicine, the physical sciences, and history. MERF also sponsors weekend-long meetings on serious issues. Authorities are invited to speak and discussion follows. Themes for past meetings (Colloquia) have included "Science and Society: Our Critical Challenges," "The Impact of the Arts on Civilization," "The Gifted in Society," and "Forecasting a Valid Tomorrow." * The Gifted Children Resource Program. Which compiles and provides information for gifted children at the national and local levels. * Mensa groups also get involved in many volunteer activities within their communities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3) What kind of people are Members of Mensa? Mensa: We Think, Therefore We Are. Mensans are the kind of people you meet every day ... except that they enjoy using their minds more than most. And they have IQ scores that would impress their neighbors! Today there are some 100,000 Mensans in 100 countries throughout the world. There are active Mensa organizations in 18 countries in Europe, North America and around the Pacific Rim. American Mensa, Ltd. has some 150 local chapters with more than 50,000 members. Founded at Oxford University in 1946, Mensa has three stated purposes: to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence, and to promote stimulating intellectual and social opportunities for its members. There is simply no one prevailing characteristic of Mensa members other than high IQ. There are Mensans for who Mensa provides a sense of family and others for who it is casual. There have been many marriages made in Mensa but for many people, it is simply a stimulating opportunity for the mind. Almost certainty most Mensans have a good sense of humor and they like to talk. And, usually, they have a lot to say. Mensans range in age from 4 to 94, but most are between 20 and 49. In education they range from preschoolers to high school dropouts to people with multiple doctorates. There are Mensans on welfare and Mensans who are millionaires. As far as occupations, the range is staggering. Mensa has professors and truck drivers, scientists and firefighters, computer programmers and farmers, artists, military people, musicians, laborers, police officers, glassblowers - you name it. There are famous Mensans and prize-winning Mensans, but there are many, many whose names you wouldn't know. * MENSA DEMOGRAPHICS (USA) 64.4% male, 35.4% female (0.2% won't say) 54% between 30-49 years of age, 14% under 29, 0.32% over 80 31.2% in first marriage, 29.82% never married, 13.32% divorced once, 9.53% in second marriage after a divorce Just over half have no children, 12.4% have one child, 18.66% have 2, 9.95% have 3, 4.37% have 4, 1.29% have 9+ about 30% earn $20-40,000, 10% earn $50-75,000, 9% earn $40-50,000 and about 0.5% earn more than $250,000. 17.93% Master's degree or equivalent, 17.56% four year graduates, one in 11 are Ph.D.s. 41% work in private industry, 13% in government, 13% self employed. 88% European ancestry. 49% Christian, 3% Unitarian, 9% Jewish, 7% agnostic, 3.6% atheist, 9% no religion 14% only children, 19+% older of two, 12.5% younger of two, 11.5% oldest of three, 6.8% middle of three, 5.8% youngest of three, 9.7% oldest of more than three, 10.8% middle of four or more, 4.4% youngest of four or more Computer related occupations 10%, 3.75% own their own business, Electrical Engineers are 2.6%, 7.5% are in education, 3% lawyers, 0.11% judges, 0.02% are in astronomy. * WORLDWIDE NUMBER OF MEMBERS Country Members USA 50483 New Zealand 327 UK+Ireland 35608 Denmark 295 Canada 2546 Austria 287 Malaysia 2181 Channel Islands 257 Germany 1204 Spain 251 Finland 1107 Singapore 245 Yugoslavia 1100 India 200 Australia 961 Sweden 146 Netherlands 922 Belgium 117 Czechoslovakia 715 Japan 101 France 708 Switzerland 101 Poland 700 Hong Kong 100 Italy 400 OTHER 320 South Africa 395 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Total Worldwide Membership 101813 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Do I Qualify for Membership in Mensa? * QUALIFICATION BY PROVIDING PRIOR EVIDENCE. Applicants must supply evidence of intelligence test scores in the top 2% of the population, or arrange to have it sent. All documentation will be returned. Notarized photostatic copies of original documents are usually acceptable. A list of qualifying scores for several of the major intelligence tests is given below: * QUALIFYING TEST SCORES# ----------------------- California Test of Mental Maturity IQ 132 (California) Test of Cognitive Skills IQ 132 Cattell IQ 148 Stanford Binet, Form L-M IQ 132 Wechler Adult and Children Scales (WAIS and WAIS-R, WISC and WISC-R) IQ 130 Otis-Lennon Tests IQ 132 Otis-Gamma Test IQ 131 SAT or CEEB (Verbal and Math combined) prior to 9/77 1300 effective 9/77 1250 GRE (Verbal and Math combined) 1250 LSAT prior to 1982 662 effective 1982 39 ACT Composite 29 Miller Analogies Test - raw score 66 MCAT or GMAT (overall) 95% Army GCT prior to 10/80 136 Navy GCT prior to 10/80 68 Many other intelligence tests may also be accepted subject to individual appraisal of the documentation by Mensa's Supervisory Psychologists, e.g.: Henmon-Nelson, NY State Regents Scholarship Test(Aptitude section only), Cattell Culture Fair, SRA Primary Mental Abilities. # Note: The term "IQ score" is used as a convenient, easily understood reference. Candidates for membership in Mensa must achieve a score at or above the 98th percentile on a standard test of intelligence. The "IQ Score" varies from test to test, as shown by the list above. Mensa reserves the right to alter or change these norms as the tests shown are renormed or restandardized. All prior evidence submitted to Mensa will be appraised individually and Mensa reserves the right to make the final determination about the acceptability of any test. * TO OBTAIN PRIOR EVIDENCE: * I.Q. TESTS GIVEN IN ELEMENTARY OR HIGH SCHOOLS. Write to the school you attended, and ask for a CERTIFIED copy of your score. It must include your birth date, the grade in which you took the test, the name of the test, and a clearly defined number, i.e., IQ, or percentile rank nationally. Mensa does not accept achievement tests. School seal must be stamped. * ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, OR MARINE SCORES A certified copy of your records, which you may have, or a copy from Demobilized Records Branch, St. Louis, MO. Unfortunately, a fire there destroyed many records some years ago. * MEMO ON MILITARY SCORES The only scores that Mensa can accept are: the AGCT scores from the Army - before the use of the ASVAB, and the GT scores from the Navy - also prior to the use of the ASVAB. The new military tests are vocational aptitude tests and are not suitable for Mensa admission. Mensa has been asked specifically not to use them for this purpose. This is unfortunate, but communication with the government agency that makes up and distributes the tests (ASVAB) indicates clearly that they are unsuitable for Mensa purposes. * SAT and GRE Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541. They will send you your score, but call (609) 921-9000 for the latest information on how to get such scores. The price for the service, and the details of whether you must write or phone can vary. * ACT: American College Testing Program. Mensa will take scores for tests administered before the date of Oct. 1989. ACT states it is now content oriented. As of that date, the test is no longer acceptable, as the content changed from aptitude to subject mastery, which Mensa does not accept. Address: P.O. Box 163, Iowa City, Iowa 52243. * MEDICAL, DENTAL, LAW and OTHER PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS. These tests are administered by the many professional associations that require them for admission to their program. Write directly to the association. * INDIVIDUAL TESTING DONE BY A PSYCHOLOGIST, OR AGENCY. The report must be sent to Mensa on professional letterhead, with the psychologist's or agency's license or registration number. Mensa accepts only tests given by those people qualified to do testing privately in the state in which the examiner resides. Date of test, name of test, and full score must be given, and the report must be signed. * MILLER ANALOGIES TEST (MAT) Psychological Corp., 555 Academic Ct., San Antonio, TX 78204 Call (512) 299-1061 for latest advice. * QUALIFICATION THROUGH MENSA TESTING If you're not sure whether you're Mensa material, simply complete the application below, and return it with your check or money order for $12. Mensa will send you a pretest you can take in the privacy of your home. When you've finished it, send it back to Mensa. It will be scored, and you will be notified of the results. If your score indicates an IQ at or above the 95th percentile, you'll be invited to take the qualifying supervised test#, which costs $25. (Although the pre-test is not required for admission, many people take it anyway simply for the challenge.) If you prefer, you may apply directly to take the supervised test at one of many locations convenient to you. If your score on that test is at or above the 98th percentile, you'll be offered membership in Mensa. # Note: Mensa's tests are not valid for people under the age of 14; they can qualify for membership via prior evidence, described earlier. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5) How do I apply for Membership in Mensa? cut here--------------------------------------------------------cut here APPLICATION FORM Mail to: American Mensa, Ltd. Dept. Usenet 2626 East 14th Street Brooklyn, NY 11235-3992 (718) 934-3700 (800) 66-MENSA Name _______________________________________ Date of birth _____________ Address ________________________________________________________________ City _______________________________ State ______________ Zip _________ Home phone (____) _______________ Work phone (____) _______________ [ ] Please send me the at-home pre-test. I understand that if I score in the top 5%, I will be invited to take the supervised test. Enclosed is U.S. $12 (check or money order) for the pretest. [ ] I wish to go directly to the Mensa-supervised test. Please send me the name and address of the nearest proctor (a $25 fee is to be paid to the proctor.) I understand that if I score in the top 2%, I will be invited to join Mensa. [ ] I claim exemption form testing and enclose prior evidence of intelligence test scores in the top 2% of the general population. Enclosed is my U.S. $15 (check or money order) non-refundable evaluation fee. (If the evidence is being sent to us directly by a psychologist or testing institution, please note that the score must be sent on an official letterhead and signed by the psychologist or institution responsible for the testing.) Amount enclosed: $___________ (All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks in U.S. funds.) I learned about Mensa through: Usenet newsgroup "rec.org.mensa" Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Prepared by Phil Hill, Boston Mensa ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ cut here--------------------------------------------------------cut here ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6) How do I Re-Join Mensa? If you were a member at any time in the past contact the national office and they can reinstate your membership after the payment of the current year's dues. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7) What are Mensa's dues? Current dues are only $39 a year. There are special student, family and lifetime memberships dues when membership is offered. This includes a subscription to the national newsletter (The Bulletin) and a subscription to the newsletter for the your local group. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8) What does "Mensa" mean? The word "Mensa" means "table" in Latin. The name stands for a round-table society, where race, color, creed, national origin, age, politics, educational or social background are irrelevant. Officially, Mensa's stated purposes are "to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity; to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence; and to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members". Mensa takes no stand on politics, religion or social issues. Mensa encompasses members from so many different countries and cultures, and with many different points of view. For Mensa to espouse a particular point of view would go against it's role as a forum for all points of view. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9) Where do I get more Information? U.S.A: American Mensa Ltd., Department Usenet, 2626 East 14th, Brooklyn, NY, 11235-3992, USA, Phone: (718)934-3700 or (800)66-MENSA, Fax: (718)332-1133, Australia: Australian Mensa Inc, P.O. Box 213, TOORAK VIC 3142 Australia. Phone: (61) 7 378 2810 Fax: (61) 7 221 1461 Austria: Karin Schmidl-Tremba, Mensa Oesterreich, Postfach 502, A-1011 Wien, Austria, Phone: (43) 5222 304684 Belgium: Andre Jacquet, Mensa Belgium-Luxembourg, Rue de Mazy 13,, B-5800 Gembloux, Belgium, Phone: (32) 2 640 6481, Canada: Wendy Marsh, Executive Director, POB 505, Station St., Toronto, Ont., M5M 4L8, Canada, Phone: (416) 497-7070 Channel Islands: Dr. Jacqueline Berlet, 4 Choisi Terr., Les Gravees, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Phone: (44) 481-22515, Czechoslovakia: Jan Fikacek, Chairman, Borskeho 664/33, 15200 Prague 5, Czechoslovakia, Phone: (42) 1798 9608, Denmark: Maria McGrail, Kronprinsesse Sofies, Vej 43, 3 Tv, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark, Phone: (45) 31 860 737 Finland: Seppo Jarvinen, Laajavuorenkuja 8 E 56, 01620 Vantaa, Finland, Phone: (60) 878-2319 France: Francois Adrien, International Liaison, 9 Av du General Mangin, 78000 Versailles, France, Phone: (33) 1 3955 1048, Fax: (33) 1 4767 5415 Germany: Hans Lippmann, Chairman MinD, Kapuzinerstr 7, 8390 Passau 12, Germany, Phone: (49) 851 2510, Fax: (49) 851 31532 Great Britian: Harold Gale, Executive Director, Mensa House, St. John's Square, Wolverhampton, WV2 4AH, UK, Phone: (44) 902 772771, Fax: (44) 902 22327 Hong Kong: Don Meyer, A2, 6th Fl., Elm Tree Towers, 8 Chun Fai Rd. Hong Kong, Phone: (852) 831 5313, Fax: (852) 834 0703 Italy: Menotti Cossu, Via Cassia 1326, 00123 Rome, Italy, Phone: (39) 6376 5965 Japan: Mensa Japan, 2-8-19-101, Takamatsu, Toshima-ku, 171, Tokyo, Japan Malaysia: Heah Kok Soon, 97a Jalan SS21/1A Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, Phone: (03) 718 9561 Netherlands: Edu Braat, Postbus 100, 3500 AC Utrecht, Nederland, Phone: (31) 20 260 117 New Zealand: Piet van der Meyden, Box 35080, Browns Bay, Auckland 10, New Zealand, Phone: (64) 9 478 9552 Poland: Dr. A. Fal, Chairman, Mensa Polska, Ul Szronowa 7, 53-023, Wrocaw, Poland, Phone: (64) 9 478 9552 Romania: Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Serbanica, CP 22-509, Bucharest, Romania, Phone: (40) 0 714 303 Singapore: Kwek Kok Kwong, Secretary, Blk 103, #25-51 Jalan Rajah, Singapore 1232 South Africa: Paul Ross, Box 1409, Rivonia 2128 South Africa, Phone: (011) 788-2903 Spain: Jose Maria Albaiges, Numancia 87, Esc. B 12 3, 08029, Barcelona, Spain, Phone: (34) 3 430 1175, Fax: (34) 3 238 1646 Sweden: Goran Pettersson, Ostermalmsgaten 27 11 S-114 26, Stockholm, Sweden, Phone: (46) 8 101524 Yugoslavia: Josip Saban, President, Avenija Borisa Kidrica 9a, 41020 Zagreb, Yugoslavia, Phone: (38) 41 527 876, Fax: (38) 41 527 847 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10) What other High-IQ Societies are there? The currently active societies include: American Mensa, Ltd., 2626 E. 14th St., Brooklyn, NY 11235-3992 (718) 934-3700--Open to individuals who have scored in the top 2% on a standardized intelligence test. Founded in 1945 by R.Berrill and L.Ware. Name of Journal: Mensa Bulletin Camelopard Society, P.O. Box 16898, San Diego CA 92116--Open to individual who have scored in the top 2% on a standardized intelligence test. Founded in 1988 by Lendon Best. Name of Journal: G'raffiti International Society for Philosophical Enquiry, c/o Walter Gannon, 1925 Alexander Drive, Troy, MI 48083--Open to individuals who score in the 99.9th percentile on a standardized adult intelligence test. Founded 1974 by Chris Harding. Name of Journal: Telicom The International High Five Society, 3546 Devon Hill Road, Toledo, OH 43606-1102 (419) 474-3809 FAX: (419) 474-1009, e-mail: 72717.3507@compuserve.com.--High Five is open to anyone testing above the 95th percentile on a standardized test of intelligence. Intertel, P.O. Box 150580, Lakewood, CO 80215 (303) 797-7210-- Open to individuals who have an IQ at or above the 99th percentile on an accepted test. Founded in 1967 by Ralph Haines. Name of Journal: Integra Mega Society, c/o Rick Rosner, 5139 Balboa Blvd #303, Encino, CA 91316-3430--Open to individuals with an IQ in the 99.9999th percentile. Founded in 1982 by Ronald K Hoeflin. Name of Journal: Noesis One-In-A-Thousand, PO Box 539, New York, NY 10101 (Ronald K. Hoeflin, Founder)--Open to persons with measured IQs in the top 1/10% of the population. Name of Journal: Oaths Prometheus Society, c/o Robert Dick, 13 Speer Street, Somerville, NJ 08876--Open to individuals exceeding the 99.997th percentile of general intelligence. Founded in 1982 by Ronald K Hoeflin. Name of Journal: Gift of Fire Sinistral SIG, 200 Emmett Ave., Derby, CT 06418 (203) 735-1759-- Open to left-handed people whose IQs are in the top 2% of the population and who are eligible to be members of Mensa. Triple Nine Society, PO Box 29, Dover, MA 02030-0029--Open to those individuals who score in the top 99.9th percentile on a standardized intelligence test. - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Society Minimum Members Potential Percentile Worldwide Members# High Five 95 ? 250,000,000 Mensa 98 80,000 100,000,000 Cameleopard 98 300 100,000,000 Sinistral SIG 98 ? 10,000,000 ## Intertel 99 1,700 50,000,000 Philosophical Enquiry 99.9 450 5,000,000 Triple Nine 99.9 420 5,000,000 One-In-A-Thousand 99.9 30 5,000,000 Prometheus 99.997 100 150,000 Mega Society 99.9999 17 5,000 # Based on a world population of 5 Billion People. ## Based on 10% of people being left handed. [I don't have better stats on hand - Phil] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11) What famous people are in Mensa? SOME PROMINENT MENSA MEMBER PROFILES As this list suggests, Mensa is a remarkably diverse organization. While Some Mensans noted here are well known, many others lead interesting lives out of the public eye. DONALD PETERSEN: Former chairman of Ford Motor Company. Has B.S. degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA from Stanford University. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Tau Beta Pi (honorary engineering society) and Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society (natural sciences). During his career at Ford, he was involved in the development of two of Ford's most successful cars--the Mustang and the Maverick--as well as the Mark III and the Fairlane. He is also a high-performance driver, having trained at the school run by retired racing champion Bob Bondurant. Petersen was born on a farm in the Midwest and raised during the Great Depression. Influenced by the hardship and economic instability his family endured, he used his intelligence to pursue a secure life in the corporate environment. ALAN RACHINS: Plays Douglas Brachman in TV hit "L.A. Law." He left the Wharton School of Finance against his father's wishes to pursue an acting career. During the '60s he was in the cast of "Oh Calcutta," a highly controversial play where cast members appeared nude on stage. BOB SPECTA: Professional domino toppler. As a high school senior, he originated the "domino toppling" category in the Guinness Book of World Records. He travels internationally doing domino shows and races and has appeared on network TV programs and in commercials. An accomplished athlete, Specta is a veteran of 12 triathlons. ADRIAN CRONAUER: Radio personality and subject for the move "Good Morning Vietnam." Started his radio career at 12 in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, where he hosted a children's amateur hour. Worked as a DJ at various radio stations and in Saigon during the Vietnam War. He is also a lawyer. Cronauer was originally attracted to Mensa because of the work they do for gifted children. GLORIA LA ROCHE: Captain and instructor for United Airlines. Product of a dysfunctional home, she used intelligence and perseverance to achieve her childhood dream of becoming a pilot. She says it was extremely difficult for a woman like herself to break into the male dominated world of commercial aviation. MARILYN VOS SAVANT: Listed in the Guinness Hall of Fame for having the world's highest recorded I.Q. (228). She is the wife of Robert Jarvik, inventor of the Jarvik 7 artificial heart. She also writes "Ask Marilyn," a weekly column that appears nationally in "Parade" magazine. GEENA DAVIS: Actress. Currently co-starring with Susan Sarandon in the movie hit "Thelma & Louise." Received an Academy Award nomination for her role in "The Accidental Tourist." HENRY MILLIGAN: A boxer and a scholar, 1983 National Amateur Heavyweight champion who fought and won against Olympic heavyweight gold medalist Henry Tillman. He once fought Mike Tyson in a televised fight. Milligan recently worked his way through NYU Business School acting in commercials (e.g., for "Sports Illustrated" sneaker phone promotion). JOHN N. MOORE: University of Virginia law professor who specializes in international law. The Kuwaiti Ambassador to the U.S. hired him to help the emirate recover damages inflicted since the August 1990 invasion by Iraq. MELL LAZARUS: Draws syndicated newspaper comic strips "Momma" and "Miss Peach." President of national Cartoonist Society, he has also published two novels and is now writing his third. JUDGE ELLEN MORPHONIOS: Nicknamed "Maximum Morphonios" for her strict rulings in Florida. Former model and beauty queen (Coconut Harvest Maiden and Miss Southern Florida) and local radio personality, once said she "enjoyed being a sex symbol." As a young mother and a legal secretary, she passed a Florida exam that allowed her to enter law school without an undergraduate degree. PATRICIA PRATTIS JENNINGS: Pianist with the Pittsburgh Symphony. She is the symphony's first black member and has performed internationally. RICHARD BOLLES: Author of the world's top selling job-hunting book, "What Color is Your Parachute?" Revised annually, the book has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for 228 weeks. Bolles has two new books in progress--one on relationships, one on spirituality. He is an ordained Episcopal priest who graduated from Harvard University cum laud with a physics degree. VELMA JEREMIAH: She is a retired attorney who graduated fourth in her law school class at age 47 and was one of the first women partners in a major Oregon law firm. She is a grandmother, a working standup comic, and currently chairwoman of Mensa International. JEAN AUEL: Best-selling author of "Clan of the Cave Bear", "Valley of Horses", "The Mammoth Hunters", and "Plains of Passage". A former technical writer, she turned her attention to fiction, buttressed by much historical and anthropological research, touring areas she was to write about and teaching herself to make stone-age tools. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12) What is the Mensa Test Like? THE MENSA WORKOUT! Exercise those little, grey cells with these mental calisthenics and see if you can match wits with Mensa. This test consists of questions distributed with two different Mensa pamphlets. Give yourself an one hour time limit on this test. - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - 1. Which of the lettered designs best completes the following sequence? [o] [.] (o) A: (.) B: (o) C: [.] D: [o] 2. Sally likes 225 but not 224; she likes 900 but not 800; she likes 144 but not 145. Does she like 1600 or 1700? 3. Only one other word can be made from the letters of INSATIABLE. Can you find it? 4. Put the appropriate plus or minus signs between the numbers, in the correct places, so that the sum total will equal 1. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 = 1 5. What is the word coiled inside this circle? T P I U A N L S 6. If two typists can type two pages in two minutes, how many typists will it take to type 18 pages in six minutes? 7. If it were two hours later, it would be half as long until midnight as it would be if it were an hour later. What time is it now? 8. Pear is to apple as potato is to? A: banana B: radish C: strawberry D: peach E: lettuce 9. Continue the following number series with the group of numbers below which best continues the series? 1 10 3 9 5 8 7 7 9 6 ? ? A: 11 5 B: 10 5 C: 10 4 D: 11 6 10. Which of the following is least like the others? A: poem B: novel C: painting D: statue E: flower 11. What is the following word when it is unscrambled? H C P R A A T E U 12. What is the number that is one half of one quarter of one tenth of 400? 13. Which of the following sentences given below means approximately the same as the proverb: "Don't count your chickens until they are hatched?" A: Some eggs have double yolks, so you can't really count eggs and chickens. B: You can't walk around the henhouse to count the eggs because it will disturb the hens and they won't lay eggs. C: It is not really sensible to rely on something that has not yet happened and may not ever happen. D: Since eggs break so easily, you may not be accurate in your count of future chickens. 14. The SAME three-letter word can be placed in front of the following words to make a new word: _ _ _ L I G H T _ _ _ B R E A K _ _ _ T I M E 15. Which of the figures below the line of drawings best completes the series? +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ |||||| | ||| | |||| | ||||| | || | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | || ||||| | | |||| ||| | | |||||| +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ A: +--------+ B: +--------+ C: +--------+ D: +--------+ ||||||| | | | | ||||||| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||||||| | | | | ||||||| +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ +--------+ - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - How Did You Do? If you answered at least nine questions correctly, you've done fairly well. Mensa recommends you send for a preliminary test which you can take at home without supervision. Although this preliminary test is not required to qualify for membership, many individuals who have successfully passed the supervised qualifying test have stated that the preliminary test was extremely helpful in preparing them. This is especially true if it has been some time since you have taken any kind of timed, written examination. Remember, on the supervised test, you must score at or above the 98th percentile. You should feel comfortable and at ease with the types of questions which will be asked. The preliminary test will not contain any of the same questions as the supervised test, however it does contain similar questions and may help you get used to the process of test taking again. - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - * A N S W E R S * 1. A 2. 1600, Sally likes perfect squares 3. BANALITIES 4. 0+1+2-3-4+5+6-7-8+9=1, There are probably other solutions, so if yours is correct, give yourself full credit. 5. NUPTIALS 6. SIX typists, one typist types one page in two minutes. 7. 9 p.m. 8. B: Both grow in the ground. 9. A: Alternate numbers go up by 2 and down by 1, starting with 1 and 10. 10. E: The only one that is not an artistic work made by man. 11. PARACHUTE 12. 5 13. C 14. DAY 15. C: The number of lines goes down opposite the face, up on the side with the face and the stick alternates from top right to lower left. - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Commentary on the Questions and Answers QUESTION #2 (Sally and her favorite numbers) The answer that Sally likes perfect squares is the answer that the question writer was "looking" for. Mensans always like to bend the rules a little, and find other solutions that give you the correct answer: * Sally likes numbers whose sum of the digits is odd. Therefore she likes 1600, not 1700. Or other solutions that give the incorrect answer: * Sally likes numbers in which the sum of the digits plus the number of digits equals 12. Therefore, she likes 225, 900, 144, and, of course, 1700. * Sally clearly likes the zeros of: x^4 + 404 * x^3 - 1792800 * x^2 + 32790000 * x - 49572000000 so the numbers she likes are 144, 225, 900, and 1700. Or even solutions that prove that neither answer is correct: * Sally does *not* like 1600 or 1700, because neither number has digits which sum to 9. She *does*, however, like 1800. QUESTION # 4 (Insert +/1 to make total equal one) When many Mensans look at the answer and see "There are probably other solutions, so if yours is correct, give yourself full credit", they usually wonder how many solutions there are. How many can you find? Still not challenged enough? Let's bend the rules a little bit, the question doesn't state that we *have* to put a sign between every pair of numbers. Adjacent digits would therefore form a number. For example: 0 1-2 3+4 5+6 7-8 9 = 1 (01-23+45+67-89 = 1) How many more can you find? - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - * ANSWERS TO COMMENTS * QUESTION #4, Part One 0+1+2+3+4-5+6+7-8-9 | 0-1+2+3-4+5+6+7-8-9 | 0+1-2-3+4+5+6+7-8-9 0+1+2+3+4+5-6-7+8-9 | 0-1+2+3+4-5+6-7+8-9 | 0+1-2+3-4+5+6-7+8-9 0-1-2-3+4+5+6-7+8-9 | 0+1-2+3+4-5-6+7+8-9 | 0+1+2-3-4+5-6+7+8-9 0-1-2+3-4+5-6+7+8-9 | 0-1+2-3-4-5+6+7+8-9 | 0-1+2+3+4+5-6-7-8+9 0+1-2+3+4-5+6-7-8+9 | 0+1+2-3-4+5+6-7-8+9 | 0-1-2+3-4+5+6-7-8+9 0+1+2-3+4-5-6+7-8+9 | 0-1-2+3+4-5-6+7-8+9 | 0-1+2-3-4+5-6+7-8+9 0+1-2-3-4-5+6+7-8+9 | 0+1+2+3-4-5-6-7+8+9 | 0-1+2-3+4-5-6-7+8+9 0+1-2-3-4+5-6-7+8+9 | 0-1-2-3-4-5+6-7+8+9 QUESTION #4, Part Two 0 1-2 3+4 5+6 7-8 9 | 0+1-2 3+4 5+6 7-8 9 | 0 1+2 3+4-5+6 7-8 9 0+1+2 3+4-5+6 7-8 9 | 0-1+2 3-4+5+6 7-8 9 | 0 1+2 3-4 5-6 7+8 9 0+1+2 3-4 5-6 7+8 9 | 0 1-2 3-4+5-6 7+8 9 | 0+1-2 3-4+5-6 7+8 9 0 1-2-3-4 5+6 7-8-9 | 0+1-2-3-4 5+6 7-8-9 | 0 1+2-3 4+5 6-7-8-9 0+1+2-3 4+5 6-7-8-9 | 0-1+2 3+4+5-6-7-8-9 | 0-1 2+3 4-5-6+7-8-9 0 1+2+3+4-5+6+7-8-9 | 0 1-2-3+4+5+6+7-8-9 | 0 1+2 3+4 5-6 7+8-9 0+1+2 3+4 5-6 7+8-9 | 0 1+2 3-4-5-6-7+8-9 | 0+1+2 3-4-5-6-7+8-9 0 1+2+3+4+5-6-7+8-9 | 0 1-2+3-4+5+6-7+8-9 | 0 1-2+3+4-5-6+7+8-9 0 1+2-3-4+5-6+7+8-9 | 0-1+2 3+4 5-6 7-8+9 | 0 1-2 3-4 5+6 7-8+9 0+1-2 3-4 5+6 7-8+9 | 0-1+2 3-4-5-6-7-8+9 | 0 1-2+3+4-5+6-7-8+9 0 1+2-3-4+5+6-7-8+9 | 0 1+2-3+4-5-6+7-8+9 | 0 1-2-3-4-5+6+7-8+9 0 1-2 3+4+5+6+7-8+9 | 0+1-2 3+4+5+6+7-8+9 | 0 1+2+3+4 5-6 7+8+9 0+1+2+3+4 5-6 7+8+9 | 0 1 2+3 4+5-6 7+8+9 | 0+1 2+3 4+5-6 7+8+9 0 1+2+3-4-5-6-7+8+9 | 0 1-2-3-4+5-6-7+8+9 | 0-1-2 3+4+5+6-7+8+9 0 1-2+3 4-5 6+7+8+9 | 0+1-2+3 4-5 6+7+8+9 | 0 1 2-3 4+5-6+7+8+9 0+1 2-3 4+5-6+7+8+9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13) What unanswered questions does Phil Hill have? What can I do to make this Answers to FAQs better? Are the International Addresses I gave the best ones for people to use? Are all of the other high IQ societies still in existance, are the address, phone numbers, and information correct? Is one hour the correct time for the "MENSA WORKOUT" (taken from the 20-min workout [five questions] and the Mensa Mini-Test [ten questions] 5*3=15 [questions] so thus 20*3=60 [minutes])? Why do I keep on volunteering for things like this? What (besides from "42") is the meaning to Life, the Universe, and Everything? ======================================================================== This article was compiled by Phil Hill. Information was taken from several sources, including: the current Mensa brochure, the outdated Mensa brochure, the March issue of the Vermonter (Vermont Mensa's monthly publications), and the following from the CompuServe Mensa forum: the list of other high IQ societies, how to get verification of prior testing, "Amerian Mensa: A true meeting of the minds" - an interview with Dave Felt, My thanks to: Jean L. Cooper for compiling the original list of High IQ Societies; Dave Felt for his wonderful interview; Dr. Abbie F. Salny, university Psychologist, American Mensa, Ltd., for the article on obtaining prior evidence; James Cowie, Derek R. Foster, Valentin Pepelea, Glen Raphael, Tim W Smith and Jason W Solinsky for coming up with comments & alternate solutions for some of the questions; Christopher Wren for coming up with all the possible solutions for the insert an operator problem. The above information provided as a service to users of usenet. Mensa takes no responsibility for the actions of any organization other than itself. Phil Hill takes absolutley no responsibility at all. Portions Copyright (c) 1988, 1990 by American Mensa Ltd. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Revison History: 03/30/92 - Phil Hill - First Release 07/15/92 - Kjeld Hvatum - Update to High IQ Societies