FAQ FAQ FAQ FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mensa?
Mensa, the high IQ society, provides a forum for intellectual exchange among its members. The About Mensa Page and associated pages contain a wealth of information about Mensa and its history, Special Interest Groups (SIGs), Mensa Philosophy, and Mensa Publications.

How do I Join Mensa?
The process for Joining Mensa is outlines on the Joining Mensa Page, which includes information on taking the qualification test. There is also other useful information on the Membership Pages, including the many Benefits of Membership.

What are Mensans Like?
Mensans come from all walks of life. They range in age from 2 to 102. They include engineers, homemakers, teachers, actors, athletes, students, and CEOs, and they share one trait: high intelligence. To qualify for Mensa, they scored in the top 2% of the general population on an accepted standardized intelligence test.

How can I Meet and Interact with Dayton Area Mensa Members?
Dayton Area Mensa has a variety of social and educational activities scheduled each month. You can visit the Activities Page for an overview of these gatherings, or view the Calendar Page or the Coming Events tab of the Home Page to view the full schedule. Additionally, we host our Regional Gathering (RG), an annual event attended by Mensans from Dayton and other regional chapters (Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, and beyond). American Mensa also hosts an Annual Gathering (AG), held in a different city each year, and attended by Mensans from around the US.

What Publications are Available to Members?
American Mensa publishes the Mensa Bulletin monthly, mailing it to all active members. Dayton Area Mensa also has its own monthly newsletter, MPULSE, which is distributed to members either by email or normal mail (based on their preference settings with American Mensa). Additionally, there are a number of other American Mensa publications available to Members.

Are there any other Benefits to being a Mensa Member?
Along with the intellectual and social activities, members receive discounts on products and services including insurance and travel, a Mensa-branded credit card, and other financial services. Our Membership Services team is always looking into new ways to provide extra value for your membership. For a comprehensive list, visit the Benefits and Services Page on the American Mensa Website.

Are Mensans involved in Community Service?
The Mensa Education and Research Foundation sponsors scholarships and programs for gifted youth, rewards excellence in research on giftedness and intelligence, presents awards for education and social improvement,, and publishes the Mensa Research Journal. Additionally,, Dayton Area Mensa has awarded scholarships and has worked with area schools to meet the needs of local gifted students. Our Gifted Youth Resource Program provides information on gifted youth to parents, teachers, and schools. Mensans who participate in Project Inkslinger help restock and rebuild libaries and schools in need. Also, our Local Groups volunteer for community-oriented activities that are important to them, including public radio and television pledge drives and scholarships fund-raisers, and are recognized for their involvement.

What does Dayton Area Mensa Do?
The short answer is anything the members decide to organize, and get together and do together. Mensa is a social organization. We get together and do things. The organization serves as a medium of contact between the members. The elected Steering Committee's job is to maintain the chapter's infrastructure, get the monthly newsletter MPULSE out on time, pay the bills, offer the qualification test from time to time, etc. and to see there is at least one gathering or activity per quarter. Anything else is up to the individual members to organize and host. All it takes is one member to take the initiative to schedule and host an activity of his/her liking at a time and place of his/her liking. Currently we have regular monthly mid-day lunch gatherings and evening dinners in local restaurants and Games Night in a member's home. From time to time we have an Open House (party) in a member's home. We have a quarterly New Members' Dinner, with a one-time free dinner (paid by the group treasury) as a welcome gift for each new member. Annually we have a Member Appreciation Picnic, with the food and supplies bought by the treasury, and annually we host a Regional Gathering (RG), a weekend-long (Friday afternoon through Sunday) party in a local hotel, attended by Mensans from several states. The monthly newsletter MPULSE includes a list of the month's activities. If we aren't having the sort of activity a member would like, he or she is encouraged to organize and host it. One doesn't need anyone's permission. Any member of the Steering Committee is available to provide any help needed to get something started.

Can Non-Members attend an event to see what it's like?
Many of the events on the Calendar Page can be attended by those interested in getting to know us. We also have a monthly New Members' Dinner to meet and celebrate those who have recently qualified for membership.

How do I go about planning an event?
Beth Weiss wrote an MPULSE article in the June 2014 issue entitled, Wanna Plan an Event that has a concise overview of the process.

How can I get an article published in MPULSE?
Instructions and policies regarding submission of articles for MPULSE are outlined in detail on the MPULSE Newsletter Guidelines Page. If you have an article for publication, you may submit it to the .

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About Member Pages Mensa Philosophy LINKS AND MORE
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Bylaws Events Overview Copyright and Privacy Policy
FAQs DAYTON AREA Events Calendar
Latest News Dayton Overview Annual Gathering MEMBER PAGES
Scholarships Dayton History Regional Gathering Member Pages Overview
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Contact Us Parks and Recreation MPULSE Newsletter Issues

Updated: 1/23/2022
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