Three-year-old passes Mensa test

[3dGameMan]

Three-year-old passes Mensa test: ~source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/4264941.stm)

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40829000/jpg/_40829371_mikhail_ali_203.jpg

A three-year-old has become the youngest member of the high IQ group Mensa after taking a series of tests run by psychologists.
Mikhail Ali, from Bramley, Leeds was put through his paces by experts at the University of York.

Mensa spokeswoman Caroline Garbett said: "We have 25,500 members and fewer than 30 are under the age of 10."

Mikhail's mother Shamsun, 26, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "We knew he was a gifted child."



Ms Garbett said the testing had been carried out independently by psychologists at the university as Mensa do not normally deal with youngsters below the age of 10...

[Bobenis]

Oh poor kid. He is now part of MENSA? Eeesh.

[Tivon]

Why do I get the feeling M$ is going to give this kid a job? :Blah

[Orangepeel]

Well, at least the parents are looking to find some sort of support group for their intelligent child. Brains like that need a lot of stimulation to keep them busy and occupied!

The kid could get really bored, really fast in the regular school curriculum :).

[Bobenis]

Very true but MENSA is created by smart people who feel they are smarter than the rest of us and therefore create a group to seperate themselves from the rest of us 'ignorant people'. This, to me, only breeds arrogance and superiority. I think the child should be helped but still in a real world atmosphere rather than a brain washing facility, especially at such a young age when the mind is like a sponge and easily influenced. Just my opinion however and nothing more. :)

[Orangepeel]

Maybe they are just looking for a place to fit in :).

[egarrard]

Very true but MENSA is created by smart people who feel they are smarter than the rest of us and therefore create a group to seperate themselves from the rest of us 'ignorant people'. This, to me, only breeds arrogance and superiority. I think the child should be helped but still in a real world atmosphere rather than a brain washing facility, especially at such a young age when the mind is like a sponge and easily influenced. Just my opinion however and nothing more. :)Actually, it breeds competition and improves our whole race. Better to challenge and encourage a lust for learning, rather than stifle the child's intellect just to assuage someone else's feelings of inadequacy.

Excellence is what we should all be striving for, not mediocrity. :thumb

[Bobenis]

Maybe yes. :) But how is it fitting in by creating a group which is seperate from society via intelligence? I realize it can been seen as a club or anything else but why would society shun them or treat them differently? Some would but that is just ignorance. People do it to the poor, the physically challenged, the old, the rich, religious affiliation, etc. It goes on and on. So should people make groups for being rich, poor, fat, skinny, etc? I agree with your point for sure but the logic in certain regards is just odd to me. ;)

[Tivon]

Maybe yes. :) But how is it fitting in by creating a group which is seperate from society via intelligence? I realize it can been seen as a club or anything else but why would society shun them or treat them differently? Some would but that is just ignorance. People do it to the poor, the physically challenged, the old, the rich, religious affiliation, etc. It goes on and on. So should people make groups for being rich, poor, fat, skinny, etc? I agree with your point for sure but the logic in certain regards is just odd to me. ;)

I think we see your point. However, who is to say we can't have a group of super smart people? Is it no worse than a group of super dumb people? Intelligence is not the same thing as Wisdom. Maybe it's not very wise to have a group like this, then again what do we know? LOL

[Bobenis]

Actually, it breeds competition and improves our whole race. Better to challenge and encourage a lust for learning, rather than stifle the child's intellect just to assuage someone else's feelings of inadequacy.

Excellence is what we should all be striving for, not mediocrity. :thumb


Excellence or mediocrity is not a static dictionary term though. That is left up to the beholder who eyes it.

[Maro]

I put Mensa membership in the same class as Country Club membership - it's a prestige thing.

I've passed the tests but I wouldn't join if you paid me :lmao

[wazman]

Actually, it breeds competition and improves our whole race. Better to challenge and encourage a lust for learning, rather than stifle the child's intellect just to assuage someone else's feelings of inadequacy.

Excellence is what we should all be striving for, not mediocrity. :thumb

How does one compete against such natural ability? You have to work very very hard to come even close. I could never run as fast as Jesse Owens, or understand the science that Steven Hawking does.

Besides, trying to entice your child to learn just because another child "already can do this" or "already can do that" is actually more harm than good, and can lead to many psychological problems if the child is not able to fulfill expectations. Encourage intellectual growth, yes. But also be happy with what you've got.

I may not be the smartest guy in the world, but I wouldn't trade what I do have for all the brains you could give me.

[egarrard]

How does one compete against such natural ability? You have to work very very hard to come even close. I could never run as fast as Jesse Owens, or understand the science that Steven Hawking does.Ahhh...but would y'all burn down all the Hall of Fames, just because you can't be in them? Aren't they just as "elitist'?

[wazman]

Ahhh...but would y'all burn down all the Hall of Fames, just because you can't be in them? Aren't they just as "elitist'?

Uhhh... No.

:shifty

I'm really not a violent or destructive person.

I'd love to be as good a guitar player as Eric Clapton, or as good an artist as Da Vinci, or as good a writer as Shakespeare. But I'm not. That doesn't mean that I'm no good at what I can do, though. I'm just good in a different way.

I'm all for competition when it's healthy. But should I be disappointed in my six year old because she doesn't know as much as this three year old? Of course not. If she does one day, that's fine, and if she doesn't, that's fine too. As long as she's a good person and a happy person, that's all I could ask for.

I guess what I'm saying is yes, competition is good when it's healthy. But nowadays, we all see parents flying off the handle when little Johnny can't do as well at this as Sally next door, or can't do that as well as Billy across the street. And that's not healthy.

We all are what we are, and we should be happy with what we've got.

[Mirage445]

pshhh...I bet it's not THAT hard.. :Blah

[bejohnson]

From the Mensa information web page (http://www.mensa.org/info.php):

What is Mensa?

Mensa was founded in England in 1946 by Roland Berrill, a barrister, and Dr. Lance Ware, a scientist and lawyer. They had the idea of forming a society for bright people, the only qualification for membership of which was a high IQ. The original aims were, as they are today, to create a society that is non-political and free from all racial or religious distinctions. The society welcomes people from every walk of life whose IQ is in the top 2% of the population, with the objective of enjoying each other's company and participating in a wide range of social and cultural activities.


What are Mensa's goals?

Mensa has three stated purposes: to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence, and to promote stimulating intellectual and social opportunities for its members.


How many members does Mensa have?

Today there are some 100,000 Mensans in 100 countries throughout the world. There are active Mensa organizations in over 40 countries on every continent except Antarctica. Membership numbers are also available for specific National Groups (http://www.mensa.org/contact.php?action=fromnat).


What kind of people are Members of Mensa?

There is simply no one prevailing characteristic of Mensa members other than high IQ. There are Mensans for whom Mensa provides a sense of family, and others for whom it is a casual social activity. There have been many marriages made in Mensa, but for many people, it is simply a stimulating opportunity for the mind. Most Mensans have a good sense of humor, and they like to talk. And, usually, they have a lot to say.

Mensans range in age from 4 to 94, but most are between 20 and 60. In education they range from preschoolers to high school dropouts to people with multiple doctorates. There are Mensans on welfare and Mensans who are millionaires. As far as occupations, the range is staggering. Mensa has professors and truck drivers, scientists and firefighters, computer programmers and farmers, artists, military people, musicians, laborers, police officers, glassblowers--the diverse list goes on and on. There are famous Mensans and prize-winning Mensans, but there are many whose names you wouldn't know.


What does "Mensa" mean?

The word "Mensa" means "table" in Latin. The name stands for a round-table society, where race, color, creed, national origin, age, politics, educational or social background are irrelevant.


What opinions does Mensa have?

Mensa takes no stand on politics, religion or social issues. Mensa has members from so many different countries and cultures with differing points of view, that for Mensa to espouse a particular point of view would go against its role as a forum for all points of view. Of course, individual Mensa members often have strong opinions--and several of them. It is said that in a room with 12 Mensans you will find at least 13 differing opinions on any given subject.


How do I qualify for Mensa?

Membership in Mensa is open to persons who have attained a score within the upper two percent of the general population on an approved intelligence test that has been properly administered and supervised. There is no other qualification or disqualification for membership eligibility.

The term "IQ score" is widely used but poorly defined. There are a large number of tests with different scales. The result on one test of 132 can be the same as a score 148 on another test. Some intelligence tests don't use IQ scores at all. Mensa has set a percentile as cutoff to avoid this confusion. Candidates for membership in Mensa must achieve a score at or above the 98th percentile (a score that is greater than or equal to 98 percent of the general population taking the test) on a standard test of intelligence.

Generally, there are two ways to prove that you qualify for Mensa: either take the Mensa test, or submit a qualifying test score from another test. There are a large number of intelligence tests that are "approved". More information on whether a test you have taken is approved, as well as information on the procedure for taking the Mensa test, can be obtained from the nearest Mensa office. There are no on-line tests that can be used for admission to Mensa. Feel free to contact Mensa for specific details about eligibility.

Mensa has no other eligibility requirements other than IQ testing. However, many tests are not valid for people under the age of 16. You should contact the nearest Mensa office for more information.


How do I get proof of my previous test scores?

Contact the testing service that administered the test to you requesting that they send you a report showing your score. Include as much information as you can about yourself and regarding when and where you were tested. If you can't give an exact answer, an approximation is better than nothing. Many testing services charge a fee for sending reports; you should give the service a call before writing them.

If your school did testing, write to the school you attended, and ask for a CERTIFIED copy of your score. It must include your birth date, the name of the test, and a clearly defined number, i.e., IQ, or percentile rank nationally. Mensa does not accept achievement tests. The school seal must be stamped on the report.

For psychologist/agency testing, have the report sent on professional letterhead, with the psychologist's or agency's license or registration number. Mensa accepts tests given only by those people qualified to do testing privately in the area in which the examiner resides. Date of test, name of test, and full score must be given, and the report must be signed.

Any signature-guaranteed or notarized copy of any of the reports will be accepted, other non-verifiable copies may be rejected.


Is there a Mensa test?

If you've never taken an IQ test, or don't want to bother with getting official copies of your test scores, then Mensa can test you. You will be put in contact with the local testing coordinator who will tell you about specific testing dates and places.

In some countries, a pre-test is available which you can take in the privacy of your home. To find out whether such a test is available in your country, please see National Groups. When you've finished the pre-test, send it back to the address instructed. It will be scored, and you will be notified of the results. If your score is high enough, you'll be invited to take a qualifying supervised test. The pre-test is just for practice; you can't use it to qualify for Mensa even if you score at or above the 98th percentile. Taking a pre-test is not required for admission, however, many people take it simply for the challenge.

Feel free to contact Mensa for more information or to arrange testing. More specific information is also available about testing costs for any of the National Groups.

If you want to take a practice, on-line test, the Mensa Workout is an intelligence quiz in which you have half an hour to answer 30 questions. When you submit your answers, your test is instantly scored, and you can see how your score measures up. The answers to the questions are provided along with discussion of the answers. The Workout is not an IQ test, and can't be used for qualification to join Mensa.

Brandi and I have been approached to join many times but we have always turned them down. While most members are involved in worthwhile endeavors there are quite a few members that are elitist and like to flaunt their intelligence. These same people almost always exhibit a marked lack of common sense. Brandi and I just do not enjoy the company of people such as that.