Mensa FAQs

• What is Mensa?
• What does Mensa mean?
• What is Delaware Valley Mensa?
• How do I find out if I qualify?
• When can I take a test?

If you have any other questions, please send them to the Webmaster.

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What is Mensa?

Mensa is an international organization whose sole requirement for eligibility is to score in the top 2% of any standardized intelligence test.

Officially, Mensa has three stated purposes: "To identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity; to encourage research into the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence, and to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members"

Unofficially, it is the last of these that is the most important to the majority of members. In other words, Mensa is largely a social organization. It provide a chance for all its member to meet and party together. Yes, that's right, to many Mensans, "party" is a verb.

What does Mensa mean?

"Mensa" is the Latin word for "table". The name symbolizes the society's intention that all members are equally qualified to take part in a round-table discussion. Mensa does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, age, politics, educational or social background.

What is Delaware Valley Mensa?

Delaware Valley Mensa, or DVM, is the local chapter of American Mensa (which, itself, is a national member of International Mensa) that serves members who live in or near Philadelphia, PA. This includes the Philadelphia suburbs and southern New Jersey.

Other nearby chapters in the Mid-Atlantic area are grouped together into Region 2 of American Mensa.

How do I find out if I qualify?

To qualify for membership in Mensa, you must score in the 98th percentile (that is, in the top 2% of the general population) on a standardized intelligence test. Mensa provides its own proctored test which you can take. Or you can submit documentation of a test you may have previously taken, such as the SATs, GREs, other I.Q. tests, etc. Each of these tests has a different scoring method, so there is no single score or I.Q. that automatically qualifies one for membership. Click here to see a current list of qualifying test scores.

When can I take a test?

Delaware Valley Mensa periodically administers tests which can be used to qualify for admission into Mensa. To find the next scheduled testing dates, look near the top of our home page for testing dates, or contact our testing coordinator at Testing who can provide you with more details.

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