# What was your experience with MENSA? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939 "2013-03-25T18:22:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/21 "2013-03-26T16:12:42Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Hajiro, I’ve more often seen articles in which people send in amusing anecdotes about their OWN dumb mistakes, usually about not using “common sense.” I’m surprised that you saw ones about non-M errors, if that is what you’re describing. I probably wasn’t clear. This was an M made an error that the non-M spouse caught. Like, “Isn’t it adorable that my clearly less intelligent spouse was able to figure this out when I didn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/22 "2013-03-26T16:18:08Z")
I joined in the mid 90’s. Took the test on a lark after seeing a newspaper ad and was accepted. The people seemed nice enough but the meetings were about an hour’s drive away for me and I just couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to make a 2 hour round trip. So I just went to a couple meetings and let it drop. People were fine though. I’ve heard plenty of stories of social rejects or huge egos and didn’t feel any of that. Just too far. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/23 "2013-03-26T16:18:38Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > I’ve been a member for over 20 years. I met my best friends through Mensa, and have had many, many great times. This is absolutely my experience. I think I can honestly say that everything fell into place when I joined Mensa. > [@LaurenIpsum](#): > > Over the years, we have had many 20-somethings come to meetings. The problem is, one 20-something person would come to a meeting, see that there were no other young people (except for me) and decide, “This is all old fogeys. I’m not coming back.” The problem is, how to get all these young people together at the same meeting so they see they aren’t alone? I tried to do that several years ago by having events specifically for the young people in the group, but I only ever got 1 or 2 other people to come at a time. (sigh) This is a problem we have in our group too. I think it exists everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/24 "2013-03-26T16:23:27Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > My experience with Mensa has been extraordinarily negative. They’re constantly claiming I don’t meet some sort of ridiculous “criteria” to be in their club. I keep taking some asinine test they shove at me, and a few weeks later they send me snooty letters that say things like “While you read this, please don’t forget to breathe” and “Every single character in _The Walking Dead_, including Andrea and the zombies, displays more intelligence than you do.” > > I was on the verge of just not applying any more, when I was asked by the president of my local chapter to serve on a moderated panel they’re hosting next month. It’s called “Keeping Your Gene Pool Clean - Examples of People to Avoid.” They haven’t told me exactly what I’ll be doing, but I’m assuming they want me to be the moderator. So if that goes well, I’ll give them one more chance, but after that I’m done. There is one, and only one, criterion for joining Mensa: Scoring in the top 2% on a recognized IQ test. That, and paying your dues. Unless, of course, this is a whoosh. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/25 "2013-03-26T16:27:44Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Unless, of course, this is a whoosh. Yes ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/26 "2013-03-26T16:29:38Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I probably wasn’t clear. This was an M made an error that the non-M spouse caught. Like, “Isn’t it adorable that my clearly less intelligent spouse was able to figure this out when I didn’t.” Ah, I guess I read that wrong. I see that sort of thing as a putdown of onesself, not a laugh at the expense of the non-M. It’s actually kind of common to hear stories of a person trying some complex solution or other, and then another person comes along and fixes it it one second flat with a far better response. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/27 "2013-03-26T16:35:38Z")
I took the test when I was seven and got an invitation, but I didn’t see much point and my mother didn’t push it. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/28 "2013-03-26T17:20:11Z")
> [@LaurenIpsum](#): > > My one gripe, aside from the sometimes-cliqueyness, is the lack of young people. When I joined at age 23, I was the youngest active member by over 10 years - the next-closest person to my age being the future Mr. Ipsum. I had always been comfortable hanging around much-older people, so I didn’t mind, but it would be nice to see more variety in ages. Over the years, we have had many 20-somethings come to meetings. The problem is, one 20-something person would come to a meeting, see that there were no other young people (except for me) and decide, “This is all old fogeys. I’m not coming back.” The problem is, how to get all these young people together at the same meeting so they see they aren’t alone? I tried to do that several years ago by having events specifically for the young people in the group, but I only ever got 1 or 2 other people to come at a time. (sigh) > [@Sigmagirl](#): > > This is a problem we have in our group too. I think it exists everywhere. Yep. I had a similar experience. I joined after passing the exam in 2006, and was pretty excited, to be honest. I just didn’t like the vibe at the events. I decided they weren’t for me after the second Snowball I attended. I think I still get the Mensa Bulletin, but I no longer read it. I have back-copies of the magazine if anyone wants them. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/29 "2013-03-26T17:42:28Z")
> [@](#): > > That’s good to know since I was thinking about rejoining. The problem is that I didn’t see a way on the web site to find out what my local group would be. I was preoccupied with other issues I won’t go into, but did I just miss it, or is there another way? If you’re in the US, doing a search on “mensa \” should give you the info on the local group. Let me know if you still have problems. The joke answer is, of course, that finding your local group is just another test. 😉 > [@](#): > > the ghosts. About 1/3 of Mensa Spain’s associates have never gone to any meetings, signed up for any forums, SIGs, mailing lists or anything, yet pay their dues faithfully. We think maybe they enjoy taking their cards out of their wallets and caressing them while gloating to their fireplace that they’re smarter than anybody else. Either that or they’re even more nuts than the average Mensan - probably both. I enjoy taking my card out and waving it in people’s faces. I say “I’m a member of Mensa, by DEFINITION I’m not an average person.” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/30 "2013-03-26T17:50:36Z")
There’s a couple of articles on this [website](http://www.mensa76.us.mensa.org/about.html) that people might enjoy reading, “Getting Active” and “Nobody’s Perfect”. I’ve been in several groups, in several states. Some groups I liked much more than others. In every group, though, I was warmly welcomed by the regulars. The regulars want the group to stay active, they want new members, and they are willing to accept most newcomers, as long as the newcomers are making an effort to be sociable. As long as you’re not bothering people, you will probably be accepted. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/31 "2013-03-26T18:42:52Z")
It’s not too bad if she’s discreet with the pads and doesn’t get too emotional every month. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/32 "2013-03-26T18:47:00Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Unless, of course, this is a whoosh. Consider it a test in which you did not score in the top 2%. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/33 "2013-03-26T19:23:39Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > If you’re in the US, doing a search on “mensa \” should give you the info on the local group. Let me know if you still have problems. > > The joke answer is, of course, that finding your local group is just another test. 😉 Actually, I went back and it was alternately letting see a page then wanting me to log in. I expect the people there to be a little flaky, in fact, if they weren’t, I’d be worried about my own sanity - but when it’s infecting the web site, IDK. It’s either incredibly eccentric or incredibly scary. Anyway, i just set a mirroring utility loose on it and slurped up the whole site so I look at it later. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/34 "2013-03-27T02:17:58Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Yep. I had a similar experience. > > I joined after passing the exam in 2006, and was pretty excited, to be honest. I just didn’t like the vibe at the events. I decided they weren’t for me after the second Snowball I attended. I think I still get the Mensa Bulletin, but I no longer read it. I have back-copies of the magazine if anyone wants them. Do you mind telling which years you attended that gathering? It’s one of the most highly regarded in the country these days. What was it that didn’t work for you? ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/35 "2013-03-27T02:59:21Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Do you mind telling which years you attended that gathering? It’s one of the most highly regarded in the country these days. Seriously? We used to have people there from the Center for Advanced Study which was pretty cool, but ‘most highly regarded . . . ?’ Damn. What really turned me off this last time was their attitude toward member privacy. They seem to be ok in terms of how they handle your personal information vis-a-vis “outsiders” but in terms of what gets shared internally, that wasn’t as clear. IDK. I should probably just admit I’m either a control freak or paranoid and likely both. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/36 "2013-03-27T16:31:35Z")
Well, to each his own. I can’t imagine what kind of personal information you are concerned about. As far as I know, the membership list with name and address is shared on a “need to know” basis. For example, the person responsible for mailings has to have your address. Other than that, the only information anyone has access to is what you choose to share. You are not required, for example, to provide a phone number or email address unless you choose to do so. You don’t even have to reveal your age or your gender if you don’t want to. The most recent gathering there was a complaint that there were so many good speakers, no matter what you attended you were missing something equally good. Again, to each his own; can’t please all the people all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/37 "2013-03-27T17:09:50Z")
At the events in their local and nationwide events, the rule is that you can bring your significant other and no one can ask you which one of you is the MENSA member. At least that’s how it was 15 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/38 "2013-03-28T03:19:51Z")
It’s still that way in the groups I know of. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/39 "2013-03-28T16:22:11Z")
I don’t know about any such rule; it’s just that it wouldn’t occur to anybody to ask. We don’t ask if your kids are legitimate or if those are your real teeth, either. ---
**Author:** ![SuperSmartAlex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@SuperSmartAlex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperSmartAlex)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939/40 "2013-03-28T20:03:15Z")
I joined four years ago (when I was ten). At first I found it exciting, but I don’t actually find many of the events interesting, probably because there are not that many events for people in the UK who are my age. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-experience-with-mensa/653939.md?page=3)