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High IQ societies may have specific areas of interest such as mathematics or poetry, but most aim to facilitate social interaction between members. Three of the most well-known groups are Mensa, the International High IQ Society, and Intertel.

The oldest is Mensa, it is also the largest. Membership requires a proctored IQ test showing at or above the 98th percentile. You can compare your SAT or GRE score to the membership requirements at [http://www.us.mensa.org/Conte nt/AML/NavigationMenu/Join/Sub mitTestScores/QualifyingTestSc ores/QualifyingScores.htm]. The purpose of Mensa is largely focused on in-person social interaction, but a think tank and literacy work is also available.

International High IQ Society is the second-largest, founded in 2000. An IQ score of 124 (the top 5%) on the test available at [http://www.highiqsociety.org/ iq_tests/] is required for membership. To participate in the Trivia Challenge or think tank, The Hamilton Institute [http://www.hamiltoninstitute. com/], one does not need to be a member. Also focusing on social interactions between members, interaction is over the internet (though some gatherings do occur).

For the top 1%, Intertel is a non-profit founded in 1966. With a large geographic spread to the chapters, finding gatherings nearby is easy. If interested, please see [http://www.intertel-iq.org/jo in.php].

If these societies are difficult enough to get it, groups like the PARS Society (99.99997th percentile) or the Giga Society (99.9999999th percentile) might be of interest.

The criticisms of the IQ tests required for membership in such societies have focused on issues of false quantification and cultural bias. The Binet-Simon Test originated in France to place students in special education programs under eugenic arguments of mental deficiency. When adapted and renamed Stanford-Binet it was used to explain the placements of military personnel during World War One. The most in-depth critiques, see the works of Stephen Jay Gould.

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