427 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
427 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
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Mensa
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Questions and Answers about the Organization
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What is Mensa?
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Mensa is an international organization with only one requirement
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for membership - a score on a standardized I.Q. test higher than
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98% of the general population.
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How many people belong to Mensa?
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American Mensa now has nearly 50,000 members; another 20,000
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members belong to national Mensas in Australia, Austria, Belgium,
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British Isles, Canada, Channel Islands, Finland, France, Germany,
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Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden,
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and Switzerland. There are Mensans in 98 countries throughout the
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world.
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What is Mensa's purpose?
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Mensa has three major purposes: to identify and foster human
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intelligence for the benefit of humanity; to encourage research
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in the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence; and to
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provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its'
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members.
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What are Mensa members like?
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Mensa members represent:
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1. All ages from 4 to 94...
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2. Every educational level from preschoolers to high school
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dropouts to Ph.D.s...
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3. All economic levels, from people on welfare to millionaires...
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4. A broad range of occupations, including executives, factory
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workers, scientists, farmers, authors, engineers, lawyers,
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doctors, truck drivers, homemakers, teachers, computer
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programmers, secretaries, politicians, the military, actors,
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musicians, and hundreds more.
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What does "Mensa" mean?
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Mensa is Latin for "table". We are a round-table society that makes
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no distinctions as to race, color, creed, national origin, age,
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or economic, educational, or social status. Only intelligence
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matters.
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What can Mensa offer me?
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You can be assured of meeting others at your own intellectual
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level. In a world that is becoming more and more stratified and
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classified, and in which social and intellectual contacts are
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frequently limited to people with whom you work, to your neighbors,
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and to the usual civic organizations, Mensa has a lot to offer.
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Most of all, it offers a challange: Mensa dares you to use, exercise,
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and, ultimately, expand your intellectual potential. The entire
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organization is structured for that purpose.
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Page 1
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How is Mensa organized?
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American Mensa has about 140 Local Groups, located in all 50
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States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Chances are there's
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a local group near you.
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What do these groups do?
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Most local groups hold regular meetings, at least one a month,
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as well as various other activities. (Many groups have meetings
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and activities more frequently, sometimes several times a week.)
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These activities allow members to become acquainted with each other;
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many friendships have developed as a result of Mensa. In addition,
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the groups publish newsletters distributed monthly to their members,
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containing an activities calendar, and other items of information
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and interest. The activities of each group are determined by its
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own members.
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What are the meetings like?
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Meetings vary, from a board-of-directors planning session to get-
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togethers that feature speakers and/or fre-for-all discussions. A
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speaker may be a noted authority on a subject of may be a member
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with knowledge to share.
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What other activities are available?
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Activities cover a wide range of interests, from games night
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(Scrabble, Chess, Boggle, and Dungeons and Dragons are especially
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popular) to theme parties; from singles get-togethers to family
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outings; from luncheons or dinners to a night at the local pub;
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from theater and film parties and concerts to a night of playing
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records and dancing at a member's house. When Mensans get together,
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they usually have a good time.
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What's so special about Mensans meeting?
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There is an atmosphere of congeniality, intellectual stimulation,
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good humor, and, perhaps most important, lively conversation.
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There is freedom to think and to express those thoughts. There's
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always someone who will listen to, enhance, and even challenge
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your ideas.
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What do members talk about?
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Unless there's a specified theme at a particular meeting, pretty
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much the same things people everywhere talk about -- current events,
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sports, sex, the future, music, politics, art, computers, the
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economy, kids, cars, values. It isn't so much a question of
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"what" -- it's more a matter of "how".
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How do I know whether anyone shares my interests?
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Mensa has over 180 SIGS -- Special Interest Groups -- composed
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of members with personal or professional interests in common.
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SIGs are started and maintained by members, and cover a vast
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range of topics including astronomy, body language, law,
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photography, history, and allergies -- to name just a few.
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Almost all SIGs have newsletters of their own. If your special
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interest doesn't have a SIG, it's easy to start your own.
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Page 2
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How is Mensa organized nationally?
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Mensa is governed by the American Mensa Committee (AMC), composed
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of elected and appointed volunteers. There is also a small paid
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administrative staff whose members -- along with the officers --
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are always ready to assist the entire membership.
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Are there national activities?
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A national convention, or Annual Gathering, is held every June or
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July -- in a different city each year -- where over 1,000 members
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attend workshops, participate in seminars, attend social functions,
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renew old friendships and start new ones. The Annual Gathering is
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a special, never-to-be-forgotten experience.
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Regional Gathers (some 40 of them) are held annually in various
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parts of the country, with most of the excitement and activities
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(both intellectual and social) of the Annual Gathering, on a
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somewhat smaller scale.
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The Mensa Annual Colloquium is a new activity sponsored by the
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Mensa Education and Research Foundation. It is designed to provide
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a stimulating intellectual forum where members may meet with experts
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to spend a few days discussing a chosen topic.
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What about special programs?
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The Mensa Education and Research Foundation (MERF) sponsors the
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Mensa Scholarship Program (in which students nationwide compete
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for varying sums of money for their education), Awards for
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Excellence for short papers in the field of giftedness, the Mensa
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Meritorious Publication Award (with Wright State University, Dayton
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Ohio) for a major work in the field of giftedness, Memorial
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Awards, and donor programs.
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The Gifted Children Program compiles and provides information
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that includes activities, both national and local, centered
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around gifted children.
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Does Mensa have its own publications?
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The "Mensa Bulletin", published ten times per year, is sent
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to members as a part of their membership. It incorporates the
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"International Journal", and these publications contain views
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and information about Mensa, as well as contributions by Mensans
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on a wide variety of subjects.
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Local newsletters are published by almost every local group,
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informing members of local activities and events, and other
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items of interest.
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"Interloc" (also published ten times yearly) is free to officers,
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and to other active members on request. It contains news and
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information about various society, administrative, and internal
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matters.
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The "Mensa Research Journal", published periodically by MERF,
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reports on Mensa-supported research. It also publishes original
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articles in diverse fields of interest, and is available for a
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subscription fee.
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"Isolated-M" is a popular and informative newsletter published
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by the Isolated-M SIG. It is sent to those members who are
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geographically isolated from a local group, and is available to
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others by subscription.
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Page 3
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The "Mensa Register", or other membership directory, published
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periodically, list all of the members and may include such
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information as geographic location, areas of expertise and/or
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interest, and other professional and personal data.
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Are there any special benefits for members?
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Although hardly the primary reason for joining Mensa, membership
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does afford some special benefits, such as S.I.G.H.T., which
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assists traveling Mensans, and insurance.
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How can I become a member?
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We suggest you begin with a valid, at-home, I.Q. test. Complete
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the application form (at the end of this text) and return it to
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us with your check or money order for $9.00. We'll send you an
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I.Q. test you can take at home. Upon receipt of your completed
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test, we will score it and notify you of the results. If the
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results indicate an I.Q. at or above the 95th percentile, you
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will be invited to take our supervised tests, which cost $20.00
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and are administered by one of our proctors at a convenient location.
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Should your score on one of the proctored tests indicate your I.Q.
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to be in the top 2%, you will be offered membership in the Society.
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Our tests, however, are not valid for persons under the age of
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14; they can qualify for membership via alternative procedures
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for admission (see the end of this text).
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What about I.Q. test taken in the past?
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A score in the 98th percentile or higher on one of many standardized
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I.Q. tests -- if approved by our Supervisory Psychologist --
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previously administered in school, the Armed Forces, or by any
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licensed psychologist, is satisfactory evidence of qualification
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for membership (see the end of this text).
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What's the next step?
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You will be notified that your score is acceptable, and, soon
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after payment of the membership dues, you will begin receiving
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the national "Mensa Bulletin", a local newsletter, and your
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membership card entitling you to participate in all Mensa
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activities and special benefits.
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What are the membership dues?
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Current annual dues are $33.00 -- less than ten cents a day.
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(Information about student dues, additional family member
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dues, and life dues is provided at the time membership is offered).
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Part of your dues is returned to the local groups to provide
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a greater range of activities and benefits for the members on
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a local level. Mensa is a not-for-profit organization.
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Is Mensa for me?
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Only you can answer that. If what you're looking for is intelligent
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conversation, stimulating people, interesting activities, and an
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opportunity to expand your world, the answer is yes. Why not
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fill out the application blank and find out if you qualify?
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Page 4
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Remember, one out of every fifty people qualifies for Mensa.
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YOU could be that one.
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Join us. We might be just what you're looking for.
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---------------------------------------------------------------
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Alternate Procedure for Admission
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Admission to Mensa may also be granted on the basis of
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evidence of a previous intelligence test. A list of the
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qualifying scores* for several of the major intelligence
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tests is given here.
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* It should be noted that the term "I.Q. score" is used as a
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convenient, easily understood reference, but that candidates
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for membership in Mensa must achieve a score at or above the 98th
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percentile on a standard test of intelligence. The "I.Q. score"
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varies from test to test, as indicated by the list below.
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Candidates MUST supply the evidence or make the necessary
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arrangements to have it sent. Such documentation is returned
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only if request is made at the onset. If the test was given by
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a psychologist, psychometrist, or agency, the score must be
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reported on professional letterhead and signed by the test
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administrator. If the evidence is in the form of a transcript,
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the transcript must be certified. Notarized photostatic copies
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of original documents are usually acceptable.
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------------ Qualifying Test Scores -------------------
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California Test of Mental Maturity ............ IQ 132
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California Test of Cognitive Skills ........... 132
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CEEB or SAT (Verbal and Math combined)
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prior to 9/77 ............................... 1300
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CEEB or SAT (Verbal and Math combined)
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as of 9/77 .................................. 1250
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GRE (Verbal and Math combined) ................ 1250
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LSAT (prior to 1982) or 662 (as of 1982) ...... 39
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ACT Composite ................................. 29
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Miller Analogies Test - raw score ............. 66
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Stanford Binet, Form L-M ...................... IQ 132
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Wechsler Adult and Children Scales
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(WAIS and WAIS-R, WISC and WISC-R) .......... IQ 130
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Otis Tests:
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Alpha ................................. IQ 138
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Beta .................................. IQ 128
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Gamma ................................. IQ 131
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Lennon ................................ IQ 132
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Many other intelligence tests may also be accepted subject
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to individual appraisal of the documentation by Mensa's
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Supervisory Psychologists, e.g:
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Henmon-Nelson
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Medical College Admission Test
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National Teachers Exam
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Page 5
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Wechsler Bellvue 1
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Cattell Cultural Fair
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Graduate Management Admission Exam
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ACE
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SRA Primary Mental Abilities
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Army General Classification Test (AGCT or GT prior to 10/80)
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NY State Regents Scholarship Test (aptitude section only)
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Navy GCT (Standard Score) prior to 10/80
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Mensa reserves the right to alter or modify these norms as
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the tests indicated are renormed or restandardized. All prior
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evidence submitted to Mensa will be appraised individually,
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and Mensa reserves the right to make the final determination
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as to the acceptability of any test.
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------------------------------------------------------------
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Mail to: American Mensa, Ltd.
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2626 East 14th Street
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Brooklyn, N.Y. 11235-3992
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718-934-3700
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Name: .....................................................
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Age: .......
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Address: ..................................................
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City: .............................. State: ... Zip: ......
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Phone: (h)................... Phone: (b)...................
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... [A] Please send me the preliminary test to do at home without
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supervision. Enclosed find U. S. $9.00; please inform me
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of my score.
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... [B] I wish to go directly to the supervised test. Please send
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me the name and address of the nearest Proctor. I understand
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the $20.00 fee is to be paid to the Proctor.
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... [C] I claim exemption from testing and enclose evidence that my
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I.Q. is in the top 2% or the general population. I enclose
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$15.00 nonrefundable evaluation fee. (If the evidence is to
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be sent to us by a psychologist or testing institute, please
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give name and address of same.
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....................................................................
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....................................................................
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I learned about Mensa through: .....................................
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Amount enclosed: $ ...................... (U.S. funds only)
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----------------------------------------------------------------
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Additional questions concerning the Mensa Society can be
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answered by leaving a message to the System Operator on ...
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WelCom Systems Electronic Software Exchange
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By modem:
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Operating at 300/1200/2400 BPS
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No parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit (N-8-1)
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804-282-5617
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By mail:
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WelCom Systems
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Electronic Software Exchange
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P. O. Box 31854
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Richmond, Va. 23294
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Attn: William E. Lyell
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Mensa # - 1089036
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