c4countdown

I've got my Mensa test tomorrow, and by chance the venue is the official hotel used by contestants when countdown was filmed at the old YTV studios in Leeds. Anyone else a member or have an interesting story about the organisation?

There's a thread on here somewhere about Mensa. You will find it very encouraging.

Thanks... I think...

I did the test a couple of years ago. I thought it was a slightly odd test: the majority of the questions were analogies or shape-related questions. However, I passed the test and joined Mensa, and here's what I think:

The magazine - isn't bad. Often some interesting articles, and the puzzles are fun.
SIGs (Special Interest Groups) - a good idea, but none of them really appeal to me. I tried Junior SIG once, but it was so ridiculously patronising I quit it after a month.
The community - pretty much non-existent. I've met a few people through Mensa, albeit only online, but I've never been to a meeting or anything as none of them are very child-friendly.

Although Mensa hasn't really given me anything yet, I guess it could be helpful, especially for jobs and stuff.

I hope this doesn't sound too off-putting, by the way.

Kai Laddiman wrote:I did the test a couple of years ago. I thought it was a slightly odd test: the majority of the questions were analogies or shape-related questions. However, I passed the test and joined Mensa, and here's what I think:

The magazine - isn't bad. Often some interesting articles, and the puzzles are fun.
SIGs (Special Interest Groups) - a good idea, but none of them really appeal to me. I tried Junior SIG once, but it was so ridiculously patronising I quit it after a month.
The community - pretty much non-existent. I've met a few people through Mensa, albeit only online, but I've never been to a meeting or anything as none of them are very child-friendly.

Although Mensa hasn't really given me anything yet, I guess it could be helpful, especially for jobs and stuff.

I hope this doesn't sound too off-putting, by the way.

Failed the non-verbal part of the test by loads but passed the verbal part of the test by quite a bit (August 2007). When they say you'll be under time pressure in the non-verbal (shape ones, it was first for me) section, they mean it. I found that out to my cost.

I joined but didn't pay the subs after the first year, so I am no longer a paid-up member. I didn't join any SIG. I can't imagine they'd be that much better than an internet forum TBH. Like Kai said, saying you've got into Mensa might be a cool thing to have on a CV. I hope so anyway.

Many years ago - not long after I joined - Mensa were offering life membership for a number of years' subs paid in advance. (I don't remember how many, but it has turned out to be good bargain. )
Although I've made good friends - especially at games meetings - nowadays I haven't been able to take part in many, having given up my car.

From what I have seen Mensa does very little for its members. That always tickled me since it's such a blatant rip-off but it's being perpetrated against those who are considered/consider themselves intelligent: oh, the vanity!

I have not taken the Mensa test so I don't have anything experience-wise to tell you but when I took the test for my secondary school, I passed, my advice which obviously worked was to do all the easy ones first then try the harder ones and practise lots but don't practise that much on the day of the test to clear your mind. Hope this helps! Good luck!

David O'Donnell wrote:From what I have seen Mensa does very little for its members. That always tickled me since it's such a blatant rip-off but it's being perpetrated against those who are considered/consider themselves intelligent: oh, the vanity!

Yep. Also those saying that it might be good on the CV when applying for jobs - I doubt it. I think most people view Mensa as a bit sad.

Mensa is bad.

Just finished my test- I think I did OK. Non-verbal time limits a bit harsh.

Yippee! I passed, and the school G and T department will probably pay for my membership!

Why didn't my school have a G&T department?

Jon Corby wrote:Why didn't my school have a G&T department?

Mine does but I got booted out at the end of last year (I only had an IQ of 136 )

Rhys Benjamin wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:Why didn't my school have a G&T department?

Mine does but I got booted out at the end of last year (I only had an IQ of 136 )

All this IQ and Mensa crap is a load of bullshit in my opinion. Stuff like this is just for pricks who need to be constantly reminded they're intelligent or something. Just be a free spirit.

Congratulations Joseph, and well done!

Joseph Krol wrote:Yippee! I passed, and the school G and T department will probably pay for my membership!

What is one of them?

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Joseph Krol wrote:Yippee! I passed, and the school G and T department will probably pay for my membership!

What is one of them?

I was about to ask the same thing, but then I Googled it. Disappointing, I was hoping for Guns & Tits.

JimBentley wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Joseph Krol wrote:Yippee! I passed, and the school G and T department will probably pay for my membership!

What is one of them?

I was about to ask the same thing, but then I Googled it. Disappointing, I was hoping for Guns & Tits.

So you can go titty banging? Baddum tsch.

JimBentley wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Joseph Krol wrote:Yippee! I passed, and the school G and T department will probably pay for my membership!

What is one of them?

I was about to ask the same thing, but then I Googled it. Disappointing, I was hoping for Guns & Tits.

Gifted and talented.

Sounds a bit elitist. Tell them to fuck off and that you didn't want to be a member anyway.

IQ tests are a joke.

When I was like 14 I passed the membership test, but the cheque my mum sent for my membership fee bounced.

Jon O'Neill wrote:When I was like 14 I passed the membership test, but the cheque my mum sent for my membership fee bounced.

If you were only like 14 how old were you really? Were you just like 14 cos your Mum was paying your bills?

yeah i was actually 8, by the time i was actually 14 I had a mortgage.

Jon O'Neill wrote:yeah i was actually 8, by the time i was actually 14 I had a mortgage.

My membership has finally been activated, and my member directory page can be found at http://www.mensa.org.uk/cgi-site/whoswh ... orid=30127

Regardless of what MENSA might say, I would be very surprised if listing MENSA membership on your CV would help you at a job interview. Having been on panels for recruiting university graduates for a number of years, I would find it odd if a graduate felt the need to mention that they were a MENSA member. Possible exceptions: if you were applying for a job as a puzzle compiler, or in an organisation that writes psychometric tests, then MENSA membership might be worth putting on your CV. And if you're only 16 (say) and you're applying for a part-time job before you've got GCSE results or any other qualifications you can list on your CV, then it might also not hurt to list MENSA membership. But once an employer can see that you've got good exam results, I suspect s/he is unlikely to care, and unlikely to be impressed, by MENSA membership at all. And if for some reason you massively underperformed in your exams, you're better off re-taking them than using MENSA membership as a means to demonstrate intelligence.

As far as I can see, MENSA is an organisation which sets logic, reasoning, etc, puzzles - so if you like doing those kinds of puzzles (and you've exhausted what you can find on the internet), then go ahead and try to join. Especially if someone else will pay your subs. Some adults may also want to try to join if they weren't traditionally academic at school, and want an academic challenge to prove to themselves they're actually pretty smart. Members might even meet some like-minded puzzle fans through subject groups. But realistically... no-one should expect membership to help in a job search...

And good luck/well done to anyone taking/having taken the membership test!

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Rhys Benjamin wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:Why didn't my school have a G&T department?

Mine does but I got booted out at the end of last year (I only had an IQ of 136 )

All this IQ and Mensa crap is a load of bullshit in my opinion. Stuff like this is just for pricks who need to be constantly reminded they're intelligent or something. Just be a free spirit.

Agreed.

Be a free spirit. Do what Ryan Taylor says.

Toby, or not Toby, that is the question.

Gavin Chipper wrote:Be a free spirit. Do what Ryan Taylor says.

Lengthy clarification of my position available on request.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:Be a free spirit. Do what Ryan Taylor says.

Lengthy clarification of my position available on request.

Request submitted. I'll show you mine if you show me yours

Charlie Reams wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:Be a free spirit. Do what Ryan Taylor says.

Lengthy clarification of my position available on request.

Haha, excellent.

jOHN WILL YOU BE AT MILTON KEYNES SOON AS IM STARTING TO GET HYPERTHERMIA

Marc Meakin wrote:jOHN WILL YOU BE AT MILTON KEYNES SOON AS IM STARTING TO GET HYPERTHERMIA

Is that because it's awfully warm and sunny in Milton Keynes or because you've been taking Ecstasy?

Marc Meakin wrote:jOHN WILL YOU BE AT MILTON KEYNES SOON AS IM STARTING TO GET HYPERTHERMIA

I should probably put this in the coincidences thread but I just got out the shower, and whilst in it I was thinking about that message and wondering why you hadn't responded.

Lesley Hines wrote:

Marc Meakin wrote:jOHN WILL YOU BE AT MILTON KEYNES SOON AS IM STARTING TO GET HYPERTHERMIA

Is that because it's awfully warm and sunny in Milton Keynes or because you've been taking Ecstasy?

Will he get that?

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Lesley Hines wrote:

Marc Meakin wrote:jOHN WILL YOU BE AT MILTON KEYNES SOON AS IM STARTING TO GET HYPERTHERMIA

Is that because it's awfully warm and sunny in Milton Keynes or because you've been taking Ecstasy?

Will he get that?

Depends how much Ecstasy he's actually taken

Erm I might be a dick (pre watershed) but i aint thick.
So I made a typer, sorry typo.
Oh and for the record, I have never (knowingly) taken an illegal substance in my life.