 Frequently Asked Questions |
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To qualify for Mensa, you must have scored in the top 2% of the general population on an accepted, standardized intelligence test. Five million Americans are eligible for membership.
Mensans come from all walks of life. They range from 2 to nearly 100 years old. They represent both sexes, all races, various professions, and many beliefs. However, they share one trait: high intelligence.
Kentuckiana Mensa encompasses the area around Louisville KY (including southern Indiana) and south from Louisville to the Tennessee border. A map of this area is available here.
There are three main purposes of Mensa:
1. Identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
2. Encourage research in the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence.
3. Provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for members.
Activities are scheduled weekly on the Mensa calendar. Locally, these range from meetings to guest speakers to parties. Members can also attend regional and national gatherings that provide opportunities to meet other Mensans. More info on Mensa events is available on the American Mensa website.
You'll find a good "mental workout" in the Mensa Bulletin, the national magazine. In newsletters published by each of our 136 local chapters, you can share your opinions as well as read other points of view. Meetings and gatherings provide many opportunities for intellectual stimulation.
- Mensa Education & Research Foundation: MERF sponsors scholarships, participates in research, rewards excellence in gifted research, and publishes the Mensa Research Journal.
- Gifted Children Resource Program: This program provides information on gifted children and gifted children resources.
- Project Inkslinger: Inkslinger started when the Mississippi and its tributaries flooded parts of the Midwest and South. Several schools and libraries lost their entire collections to water damage. American Mensans helped replace these books and continue to help libraries and schools in need.
- Local groups: Groups volunteer for community-oriented activities in their area, including public-television pledge drives and scholarship fund-raisers.
At the present time, there are more than 150 national special interest groups (SIGs) that range from Chocoholics to Military History and from SCUBA to Babylon 5. These groups are started by members who share a common interest. Groups communicate regularly via newsletters and other forums.
Along with the intellectual and social activities, members receive other special benefits including programs that offer special discounts to Mensa members. We are always looking into new areas to provide extra value for Mensa membership. More info on membership benefits is available on the American Mensa website.
Current dues for American Mensa are $49 a year. Life, multi-year, and family plans are available.
Besides the The Mensa Admissions Test, Mensa accepts approximately 200 different test scores for Mensa membership. Mensa does not accept tests of achievement, such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and the California Tests of Basic Skills. Generally, Mensa accepts tests that measure aptitude or ability. Since this list is constantly changing as more tests are developed and reviewed, a complete list is not available. If your test is not listed, contact Testing and Admissions at the address provided.
Individuals who wish to join Mensa by submitting prior evidence may be able to obtain original copies of their test scores by contacting one of the agencies listed here.
Scores are valid forever, as long as they meet the Mensa requirements.
Prior-evidence evaluation should only take two to four weeks.
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© 2004 Kentuckiana Mensa. The Mensa logo is a registered trademark of Mensa International, Ltd. and American Mensa, Ltd., all rights reserved. Mensa does not hold any opinions, or have, or express, any political or religious views. James R Whitson, Kentuckiana Webmaster |
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