Welcome to Chicago Area Mensa

Are you or do you know someone who may be Mensa material? During the month of February, send in the results of any standardized intelligence test taken in the past and Mensa will waive the application fee to review the scores for American Mensa membership. (There is usually a $40 fee to review test scores.) American Mensa accepts the results from more than 200 tests; a partial list of accepted tests and scores may be found at www.us.mensa.org/testscores. To take advantage of this offer, you, your friends or colleagues should download an application from www.us.mensa.org/application. The application, along with the acceptable test scores, must be submitted by February 28, 2010 in order for the fee to be waived.

In February, the Monthly Meeting moves back to the CCUU.

One out of every fifty people qualifies for Mensa..
Are you the one?

More fame: Chicago is now the only eight-time GOTYA winner in Mensa ... er, aside from itty-bitty Borderline Mensa.

Note: Mensa was featured on CBS Sunday Morning recently (including notable Chicago Area Mensans!) See the show on CBS's YouTube channel: part 1 and part 2

Mensans come from all walks of life. They range from three to one hundred years old. They represent both sexes, all races, various professions, and many beliefs. In fact, there's only one thing all Mensans have in common: high intelligence. To qualify for Mensa, you must have scored in the top 2% of the general population on a standardized intelligence test. There are many tests we accept. Once you've decided to join us, a world of social and intellectual opportunities is open to you.

Chicago Area Mensa has something for everyone. Activities are scheduled almost daily. The range of activities is wide. In a recent month, there were two brunches, six games nights, nine dinners, a movie night, discussions about poetry, Christianity, women's issues, and science fiction, billiards, and a tour of Chicago's bookstores. All this in addition to our regularly scheduled Monthly Meetings, which boast a spectacular variety of speakers. In the past year alone we've enjoyed presentations on Mithraism and cosmology, Mongolia, Rembrandt, the intelligence of squirrels, patent law, Islam, an "animal intuitive," writing horror stories, correlation of diet and brain size, and magic.

Nothing if not hospitable ...

If our local events don't keep you busy enough, there are many other opportunities to meet other Mensans from all over the globe. Each October, Chicago Area Mensa hosts HalloweeM, one of the grandest of all the Regional Gatherings. In the summer, Mensans from around the country get together at the Annual Gathering, which is a feast of presentations and activities for our omnivorous minds. There are also Mensa colloquia every few years; the most recent was held in February, 2009, on Weather.

In an MTV world, it's good to find some PBS minds. Come, see what we can do for you.