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Benefits of Joining
In addition to the great events, online groups, publications, and other opportunities to interact with fun, interesting people, members also receive benefits such as:
- Discounts on auto insurance and car rental
- Access to Mensa’s CareerLink employment service
- Discounted rates on magazines such as Mental Floss and Popular Science
- Savings at Edmund Scientific and ThinkGeek
- A [email protected] email alias
- other benefits listed on American Mensa’s benefits page
Educational Programs
Through the Mensa Education Research Foundation (MERF), Mensa promotes the general study of intelligence and education. MERF and Tampa Bay Mensa award scholarships at the national level. If this is a special interest of yours, you can subscribe to the Mensa Research Journal.
Less formally, many local events are as educational as they are fun. From Reading Groups to brewery tours to first-hand research into the physics of roller coasters, education permeates Mensa.
Youth Program
Raising a gifted child can often be a challenge. Membership in Mensa allows parents of gifted youth to connect and share ideas. Many parents enjoy the opportunity that Mensa meetings and events offer to meet other parents of gifted youths. Through the organization’s national gifted youth program, parents can get information and referrals to support groups, research about giftedness, and places to learn more about encouraging gifted youth. Parents of Mensa members may also join the Brightkids email community. On this listserv, parents can debate the virtues of various forms of education, ask opinions about raising gifted children, and swap stories about their experiences with talented children. To subscribe to this listserv, visit http://www.lists.us.mensa.org/mailman/listinfo/brightkids.
Fun
In addition to our blowout annual Regional Gathering and quarterly socials/picnics, our monthly Calendar of Events is packed with fun events:
- Games Night, with more than 20 participants playing games like Boggle, Trivial Pursuit, Tribond, Dominion, Taboo, Nameburst, and Settlers of Catan
- Reading Groups with a discussion of any books that members are reading
- Shakespeare Nights watching plays and movies, discussing it all
- Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, and more
We have a lot of good times. Everything is more fun with a bright, engaged group of friends.
Joining Tampa Bay Mensa
Tampa Bay Mensa is a local group of American Mensa members. You don’t join Tampa Bay Mensa; you join American Mensa, and if you live in our geographic area, you will be a part of Tampa Bay Mensa. If you are already a member of Mensa, you can visit our Members page to see a list of local groups and events.
Joining American Mensa
Are you interested in joining Mensa but just not sure? Visit American Mensa to take a practice test and find out when the next Mensa-proctored testing session is scheduled for the Tampa Bay area.
Qualifications for Mensa
The primary qualification for joining Mensa is an IQ in the top 2% on over 200 IQ tests. If you have the results of one of the tests we accept, you can submit those for evaluation. Otherwise, we offer proctored testing sessions with Mensa’s official IQ test.
Testing
To join American Mensa using existing qualifying test scores, visit the Test Scores Page on the National website. To take the Mensa test and join, visit the Testing Page on the National website. Either of these paths will start you on your way to joining American Mensa! You may also contact the Tampa Bay Mensa Local Secretary for testing information.
Remember, one person in 50 qualifies for membership with Mensa! You never know unless you try. Also, ask about our opportunities to join without testing using prior evidence. Mensa offers a wide variety of social activities for its members. We look forward to meeting you.
Prior Evidence
American Mensa accepts more than 200 qualifying tests in addition to the Mensa test. If you have test scores that you think might qualify you to join Mensa, check the national Mensa site’s Test Score FAQ. Within minutes, you can tell whether you are already qualified to join or whether you will need to take another qualifying test.
Test scores do not expire!