Mensa recruiting younger members

upi ^ | Oct. 11, 2010

[JoeProBono]

WASHINGTON, - The high-IQ society known as Mensa has reached its 50th birthday but says it is renewing itself in the United States with a new cohort of younger members.

The group says 42 percent of its new members in 2009-10 were ages 29 to 49 and during the past 10 years the number of members under 30 has grown by 63 percent, USA Today reported Monday.

American Mensa National Chairwoman Elissa Rudolph told the newspaper the group is aiming to get "more people involved and younger people more involved."

Part of the effort is Saturday's National Mensa Testing Day, in which hopefuls will take the group's own admissions test or one of 200 other tests, such as the Stanford-Binet, the Miller Analogies Test, the GMAT or the GRE.

To qualify, applicants must score in the top 2 percent of the test-takers. The fee for American Mensa's test is $40, the group says on its Web site.

Mensa member Alexis Wise, 19, a sophomore at Yale University, told USA Today the benefits of being a Mensan include learning from brilliant people in non-academic settings.

"I have the coolest group of friends, and that's only grown over the years," she said. "I've learned so much."

[JoeProBono]

[goseminoles]

I’ve thought about applying for s’s and giggles but methinks its a bunch of liberals.

[mountn man]

Mensa member Alexis Wise, 19, a sophomore at Yale University, told USA Today the benefits of being a Mensan include learning from brilliant people in non-academic settings.

"I have the coolest group of friends, and that's only grown over the years," she said. "I've learned so much."

Nice mutual admiration society. (and Obama voter)

[svcw]

Well, interesting....... My husband is a member of Mensa, these people are so boring! Yes, when my husband is around them he gets boring...........away from them he is a blast!

[Billthedrill]

It was during my 15 years of membership. It’s why I quit.

[farmguy]

...but methinks its a bunch of liberals

You would be right in that thought.

[goseminoles]

I don’t think I’m that smart but I’m curious about the interaction.

[gundog]

Hey, for $40 I'll ping ya a couple of times a month and tell ya how smart I think ya are. Pretty much a mutual admiration society.

[wagglebee]

I became a member when I was 16 just to feed my ego, never went to a meeting, thought the newsletter was boring and didn't bother to renew my membership.

[mountn man]

I’ve thought about applying for s’s and giggles but methinks its a bunch of liberals.

Of course they're liberal. Its a group for them to revel in, and show case to others how smart they are.

[clamper1797]

Joined in 1982 ... went to one meeting ... haven’t been back

[SmithL]

I may no longer be young, but I am still pre-Mensa.

[Wissa]

I don’t think I’m that smart but I’m curious about the interaction.

There's plenty of people hanging around FreeRepublic that qualify for membership in Mensa.

[9YearLurker]

My experience was that it was overwhelmingly libertarian, not liberal.

[goseminoles]

” Hey, for $40 I’ll ping ya a couple of times a month and tell ya how smart I think ya are. Pretty much a mutual admiration society.”

LOL!!! I’m fascinated by really smart people. But I think these folks are douchebags. Dumb people are more fun to be around..I can smell a lib a mile away in their self indulgent behavior. Wouldn’t be my crowd..

[mountn man]

In all honesty, I find FReepers to be some of the brightest and most interesting people. People who are truely interested in knowing about things, and not hung up on there own opinions of themselves.

I can't think of a better group of people to hang around and learn from.

[Osage Orange]

Good bait....

You will hook a few, I'm sure.

[Billthedrill]

Most of the real action is centered around SIGs - Special Interest Groups - and some of them are very entertaining. Some nice people, some jerks, about like everywhere else. Some of the libs in it, however, are absolutely convinced that smart people can only think the way they do and can be quite aggressive toward those who don't. About like everywhere else.

Check it out - I had some good times. I don't hate them or anything, I just no longer need the feeling of validation that seems to go with the little yellow map pin.

[cripplecreek]

DUmmie FUnnies from the way back machine. Poor MENSA DUmmies are forced to live among us “normies”.

http://dummiefunnies.blogspot.com/2006/07/new-du-group-former-gifted-children.html

[LexRex in TN]

I was 18, and pretty much the same experience...then I went to Nuclear Power School and figured out I wasn’t NEARLY as smart as I thought I was (I did get through it, but WHEW!!)