Gifted Children:

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do children have to be members of Mensa to attend Gifted Children's Program (GCP) events?

No. The children, grandchildren, and guests of Mensa members are welcome to participate in all GCP activities. Children who are not affiliated with Mensa may attend GCP events as guests of a Mensa member.

I have an idea for a GCP event. Who should I contact?

If you have an idea for the GCP, contact one of the Gifted Children Coordinators, Jill or Debi.

How do children join Mensa?

Mensa is an international society that has one - and only one - qualification for membership: a score in the top 2% of the population on a standardized intelligence test. Gifted children may already qualify for membership based on school or private IQ or achievement testing. For a list of acceptable tests and scores, as well as information on the application procedure, visit the American Mensa website. For more information on how to apply using previous testing, click here.  Children age 14 and over may qualify for membership by taking the Mensa Admission Test. To find out about our local Mensa admission testing sessions, please contact our Test Proctor.

How can I find out more about Mensa's Gifted Children's Program?

For information about Northwest Florida Mensa's GCP, contact one of the Gifted Children Coordinators, Jill or Debi. For information about the national program, read the Mensa Bulletin and Interloc, and visit the Gifted Children Program page on the American Mensa website.

My friend has a gifted child, but they live in another town. Do they live within the boundaries of Northwest Florida Mensa?

Members are assigned to Local Groups in Mensa according to their ZIP codes, although anyone may join any Local Group as a "member by preference." Northwest Florida Mensa covers all of Florida west of the Apalachicola River, or, put another way, all of Florida that is in the Central Time Zone. American Mensa has information on other Mensa Local Groups.

Are there any schools or special programs specifically for gifted children in our area?

Contact the gifted coordinator for your local school district. Don't forget about charter schools, private schools, magnet schools and homeschooling group.

I think my child is gifted. Where can I learn about giftedness and gifted children?

American Mensa's GCP website is a good place to start. You can also find resources on our Gifted Parents page.

How do I go about testing my young child?

Go to either a licensed psychologist who administers recognized individual IQ tests such as the Stanford-Binet 5 or WISC-IV, or a specialist in gifted children credentialed for such evaluations. If they are not well-versed in test interpretation for gifted children, go to any of several Web sites, including www.ditd.org, www.hoagies.gifted.com and www.educationaloptions.com/levels_giftedness.htm to learn what the scores indicate. Scores in the 98th percentile or higher qualify a child for Mensa. Most schools administer achievement batteries every other year.

I've heard about the Templeton Report on acceleration. How can I get a copy?

The Templeton National Report on Acceleration, A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students, is available for downloading. At the website you can also order free paperback copies of the report. It comes in two volumes: the 82 page report and 190 pages of supporting research. This is a MUST HAVE for the parents of gifted children.