In article m, Tom Watson wrote:
On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 19:57:37 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

The *sole* criterion for eligibility is to score at or above the 98th
percentile, just once, on any of about twenty standardized tests that they
accept as qualifiers. As such, about one person in fifty is eligible.


?

Not sure quite what you're questioning, so I'll address it two different ways.

Yes, that is indeed Mensa's sole criterion for eligibility. The only other
criterion for membership is the ability to pay the annual fee. See
http://www.mensa.org/info.html , about half-way down under "How do I qualify
for Mensa?".

Scoring at the 98th percentile means outscoring 98 percent of your fellows,
i.e. being in the top two percent, or one in fifty. It isn't *exactly* one in
fifty because all you have to do to be eligible is to score that high *once*.
Somebody who isn't quite that bright, but takes the test a hundred
times and happens _one_time_ to have an exceptionally good or lucky day,
qualifies. Likewise, very bright people who for whatever reason (anxiety, poor
memory, or what have you) do poorly on tests, may never qualify.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)