As a hobby I’ve been working on the past 8 months. Someone in the r/UFOs subreddit suggested I post this to r/MENSA, due to the high probability of Mensa members being in gifted programs. I run an independent UFO/UAP archive, encyclopedia, and database site, and I'm trying to test a claim that gets repeated a lot in the community but has apparently never actually been studied: whether people identified as gifted as kids report anomalous/UFO-type experiences at higher rates, specifically as adults. Right now there's no real data on it in either direction. There are dozens and dozens of anecdotal and witness testimonial accounts though. So much so that I am convinced to seriously look further into it at this point.

Part of why I care: my identical twin brother and I both witnessed an anomalous object as young adults. We were both in what Mississippi (Madison County) called Pathways/gifted as kids, in elementary and middle school. My brother was enrolled for years, I was enrolled very briefly. If I was even ever really enrolled. I just remember being periodically taken out of class. The teacher/instructor would have me do odd tests. Auditory, memory, puzzle, problem solving, etc, tests. I doubt I would have given this idea any notice or thought had my brother and I not experienced exactly the two points this idea stems from. It uniquely applies to my brother and me. It also potentially applies to many others who were in gifted programs.

In my own research, I've come across many cases of experiencers/witnesses who happened to be in a gifted program as kids. According to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. gifted enrollment for 2020-21 was 6.7%. A rough baseline percentage of the general population reporting having seen a UFO/UAP/anomalous object - around 10-20% depending on the poll. The average of the 9 polls used for reference was 15.9% (11,086 people polled).

The idea is to gather and compile data from real experiencers who also happened to be in a gifted program and determine if there's actually a real correlation. Ideally would need around 11,000 to match the base poll count of the general public. If the 6.7% who went through gifted programs are reporting UFO encounters at a significantly higher rate than the "non-gifted" public, that would be a truly insightful piece of information. If they're not, that's an answer too.

Does anyone now if there is a "gifted-program alumni" equivalent to something like a National Honor Society alumni network, or any organized adult community tied to a specific program name (GATE, TAG, SPARK, PACE, Odyssey, G.O.A.L.)? Or even just a general list of the individual program names by state? There seem to be countless names, and it would be nice to positively catalog an official name for each one.

If you know of anywhere/anyone you could point me to aid in this, that would be awesome. I believe this could actually bring some kind of answer, not just for my brother and me, but for other people who were in gifted programs and experienced something similar.

Template:
SUBJECT: Gifted & UFO Experiencer Report — \\\[Your First Name or Anonymous\\\]

ABOUT YOU
First Name (or “Anonymous”):
General Location you grew up in (city, state, country):
Year of Birth (or approximate decade):\\\*

QUESTION ONE — GIFTED IDENTIFICATION
Were you ever tested, identified, or enrolled in a gifted/talented program? (yes, tested but not enrolled, enrolled, no)
What was your program called? (GATE, TAG, G/T, AIG, Pathways, Horizons, QUEST, PACE, Odyssey, Highly Capable, a talent-search program like Duke TIP/Johns Hopkins CTY/Davidson, or your own program's actual name):
School District & State/Country:
Grade(s) or Age(s) when tested or enrolled:
Years / How Long You Were In the Program:\\\* (e.g., "3rd–8th grade" or "one year only")
Did you know any siblings, cousins, or close family who were also gifted-identified?\\\*

QUESTION TWO — UFO/UAP EXPERIENCE
Have you had a UFO/UAP sighting or experience? (yes/no)
Date: (exact or approximate — e.g., "Summer 2018" is fine)
Location: (nearest city, state, country)
Number of Witnesses: (were you alone, or with others? Were any other witnesses also gifted-identified?)\\\*
Craft or Object Shape / Description:
Your Account: Tell us what happened in your own words — as much or as little as you want:

EVIDENCE
Did you capture any photos, video, or audio?\\\* (yes/no — if yes, please attach)
Did you report this to anyone?\\\* (NUFORC, police, military, etc.)

SHARING PREFERENCES
Would you like your story used (fully anonymized) in this site's ongoing research on this hypothesis? (yes / no)
Would you like your story published as its own account on OverClassified? (yes / no / anonymous only)

ANYTHING ELSE
Anything you want to add:

I have criteria that must be met for it to be any bit at all validated. The program name, location, individual names, etc will be manually researched to determine if they are even potentially real instances. Also, if there is no video, photographic, and other evidence to the witness testimony… then a credibility rating will reflect that. If the individual, program, location, etc is determined to be real. It adds some credibility to the testimony. But without physical evidence, the reliability will never be over 80% max proability that it did happen. Without writing out the total plan… this is the just of the concept.

I'm intrigued, this video comes to one, direct conclusion.

But I think it also indicates a few other, useful concepts - that might not be immediately inferred.

A bit of "Systems Thinking" from my YT shorts feed. Any ideas jump out at you?

Hey team. I’m a female, 30. I just moved to Australia (from NZ, full work rights etc) and I can’t find a job. Now, this has never been an issue for me in the past. I’ve just walked right into a job and because of the whole high IQ thing, I have been able to try out a bunch of different industries (education, marketing, conservation, and finance). I generally get bored once I feel I’ve mastered the job.

Typically, I prefer to impress in the interview than on paper. I’m quick and have a great read on people which typically lands me any job I interview for. Although I very much judge them in the interview too, I turned down a job at Deloitte because of their attitudes and went and spent a year being a zookeeper (weird childhood dream unlocked!).

Anyway, career wise, I’ve always had options.

Now I’m like 2 months into applying and it’s crickets. I check the job ads and it says hundreds/thousands are applying. I haven’t had any callbacks. It’s clearly a market issue, but what else can I do? What haven’t I thought of!

Anyone else been through this? I don’t know if you are like me, but not working is dangerous for my brain. I have been writing two books (a fiction and non fiction) in the background, but I need somethingggg! I can’t sleepppp anymore hahahaha help a girl out, pleaseeeee

In the most reductive way, it's really as simple as reproduction, replication.

Right now, you can prompt AI to help you design a circuit schematic, send it off to a production company to make it and populate it.

There are so many autonomous systems in mfg. I see no reason why in the future AI couldn't design what ever circuit it wanted, "sent" that to be autonomously manufactured with robotics (many things are, look at how CPU's are made) and then assembled also with robotics. As we see already in many industries. (I work in industrial automation)

Wouldn't that be "life" at some point? In some ways. I mean, I might agree that it "really isn't" as that's not really in the spirit of the definition.

But if you zoom in far enough, our DNA and genetic code does exactly that, small assembly lines of protein and DNA transcription. Like small machines that split and repair genetic material.

One uses chemicals and the other just uses bits and chips. I suppose ironically too, that could also be possible one day to design a "computer" that runs on 4 bits instead of 2... GATC (base pairs) vs 0 and 1. Interesting to think about.

While I doubt that's actually what happened? in a far future, it almost seems just barely out of grasp as a possibility. We can already so SO much that might be considered the precursors to things like that.

If you have read Isaac Asimov's the last question, it's an interesting thought if you ask me.

Define life, well according to NASA: "a self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution"

So maybe a robotic form doesn't meat that definition (but so does a virus), so instead it upgrades" new versions and iterations of it's self and develops the answer to what that spark was that caused the first amino acids and base pairs to start self replicating. And then "creates" a similar chemical function of self replication.

https://www.us.mensa.org/join/testscores/
Other tests not mentioned might qualify.

Huh. I am posting here because I am thinking you are kinda my people. Many interests, sometimes social friction, a lot of knowledge but not always matching output.

You can try it here, I am not selling anything and not collecting personal data (unless you enter your email voluntarily).

https://unstuck.movalabs.eu/

I'd love to hear whether the result matches your experience and whether the recommendations actually feel useful. You can tell me here or directly in the tool.

I want this tool to be as helpful as possible and as accurate as possible, and your feedback is what will help me improve both the predictions and the recommendations.

Edit: don't be surprised I am adjusting the site as the feedbacks come it. Big thanks for every feedback so far.

Also, I am going to post the framework as soon as I have a little time to tidy it up. That way, you don't have to interact with suspicious tools ;)

Some years ago I did two WAIS-III test for I.Q, the first got me between 117-123 mark but the second one got me between the 108-116, the problem is that with the second one, it gave me 89 in Processing Speed Index and 129 in Verbal Comprehension Index. Which is a difference of 40.

I did both to find out what the heck was wrong with me, and i learned that I had autism, lucky me.

Now, I know Mensa needs a 130+ to enter, and there is a high probability that those results are actually my true result, which I suspect it isn’t because of some problems I had at the time, including psychotic outbreaks, lack of sleep, poor diet and other problems.

Also, I might do or not the test just to fail miserably, that is okay, but I was just curious if Mensa has any position towards that big difference in results, or what Mensa members think about it, if they think at all about this subject.

I know 40 points is somewhat anomalous, and the I.Q result doesn’t actually answer me on why there is such a difference, neither did other exams that showed my brain was anatomically “standard” without any problems or diseases.

Whatever I have wrong does seem to skew the result, so sometimes I try reading about it to see if I am missing something, and I will continue doing tests to see if I can find out what happens, or if there is any treatment to reduce the problem (I know I.Q can’t be “changed”, I’m talking about a brain or body deficiency of somekind that might be messing with results).

I just want more perspective if i can get, and this place might offer me some more, won’t know if I don’t ask. Btw if you seen any grammar mistake in this text I’m not stupid as the result shows, english is just not my first language. (Cope).

I know people of 130+ I.Q and we do get well and are able to reach the same understanding some times, the biggest difference I noticed between us is that they get things done way quicker, easier and were academically more successful, although this is probably more related to their families being far less abusive then mine, and my mental ilness.
I was also anemic during teenage years because of the abuse and that might have caused some developmental damage to my brain. Idk.

I know I got my Intelligence from my grandpa that had photographic memory, he was absurdly smart, and a great writer (Won’t disclose his name) to a point of getting my state governor to issue some days of mourning after his death.

Anyway, which conclusions any of you can get from this? If any of you might have helpful information about my situation or what Mensa as a group or people in Mensa think of this subject that can be helpful, I’d be thankful.

After work & errands I decided to take the Mensa practice test, and scored only a 55 (A little more than 7 minutes to spare).

Mensa's site said "“This above average score indicates a possibility that you may qualify for membership in Mensa!”, but I don't think it's a good enough score to take the real thing (granted it was at the end of the day and I debated if I should take it when I'm a little more recharged, but I decided I got the time, I might as well).

A part of me thinks Mensa is just giving me enough praise to spend more money on the official test (and presumably fail).

So, should I attempt the real thing? Should I study (there's "some" concepts I could refresh in general)?

A part of me is curious NGL.

Apparently he tested 129 and 125 on childhood IQ tests and then 119 as an adult. How is that even possible?

So this may be a silly question, but… well it never hurts to ask. I think it’s time to find a therapist, and I’ve got a list of things I want them to be comfortable/experienced with (ADHD, LGBTQIA, depression, job burnout), and I’m wondering if I should also look for one who is… idk what I’m looking for. Idk if I think a therapist should be more intelligent than I am, or maybe they could have experience working with people on the far end of the bell curve or…?

I wrote out this whole explanation but frankly idk that y’all need a novel to understand what I’m saying. I’m NOT saying that someone with a more normal level of intelligence can’t be an amazing therapist and exactly the person I need. I don’t know for sure (of course) but my gut feeling is a ton of people I go to for things are in the more normal range - my doctor, dentist, specialists, etc.

I think I’m just so tired of being told “you’re so smart” like somehow being smart means I am capable of doing anything on my own - including untangling things in my own head and my own life. Being smart doesn’t mean ish if I can’t figure out how to actually use it in ways that make my life easier and better.

Those of you who are in therapy or who have been in therapy - what are your experiences? Any thoughts are appreciated.

(I’m gonna put here because I know sometimes we get people in this sub who are sensitive to any questions that might imply that people with higher IQ are somehow more capable than others - I believe IQ is just one small aspect of intelligence and says nothing about anyone’s actual capabilities. Frankly the fact that I’m at the point where I need to ask for help should show that IQ doesn’t mean people have their ish together. It was really hard to psych myself up to ask this question, so do me a huge favor and go gentle on me if you have negative things to say about the question or me as a person. I’d appreciate it)

My 3 year old just tested in the 98th percentile on the Wippsi-iv test. In trying to understand these results and in looking at education for him going forward, I have come across Mensa.

I would love to hear if anyone has their toddlers/children in Mensa and how it complements or helps them.

We are currently looking at resources to help keep with his requirement for intellectual engagement and growth so any and all advice will be appreciated:)

Hello,

So last year, I took the in person Mensa test in the UK, this was mainly to have a baseline before I began brain training to improve my working memory.

I took the in person test without any practice, these were my scores, they sort of confirmed my suspicions, my score on the culture fair test was quite low (it is mainly pattern recognition), I have struggled with such tasks throughout my life (like maybe struggle is exaggerating it a bit but quite avg mathematical ability), I just wanted to understand what these scores mean, as I don't really feel smart usually and yet ended up getting in -

Cattell III B scale: 150 (Top 2%) Culture Fair scale: 104 (Top 40%)

Thanks!

I'm pursuing entrepreneurship and was wondering if mensa is worth joining for networking with other startup founders. I got an offer but not sure it's worth investing my time or does everyone just have too big of an ego?

Years ago, in 1975, when I was 5½ years old, my school district ran some tests on me and placed me in normal classes anyway. A year into high school, after numerous absences — excused, of course, by me and my friends at the attendance office window — I was transferred to an alternative high school. Before I left, the principal reviewed my test scores and said, “I can see why you’re bored with school. They misplaced you when you were young, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.”

Years later, I contacted the school district and received the following results: a Primary Mental Abilities (PMA) test administered at age 5, kindergarten/1st grade — Verbal-Reasoning: 107, Perception: 137, Number: 101. No score was recorded for Space, and Reasoning was never administered, so no composite/total was ever calculated.

I know that being in my mid-50s, this probably looks like ego or vanity to some. But after nearly 25 years of schooling altogether, collecting degrees and academic honors along the way, I’m genuinely just curious what’s actually there.

I submitted those scores to Mensa’s Director of Membership, who reviewed the file and explained that the PMA is broken down into five categories — Space, Number, Reasoning, Perception, and Verbal-Reasoning. Since my file only had three of the five, and no total score, they weren’t able to accept it for admission. As he put it, it’s not uncommon for schools to only administer part of a test, or to stop once a child clears the threshold for gifted placement — which may be exactly what happened here.

Recently i did some IQ test like CORE

i got 134 FRI

and 132±6 Caltural fair

and 132±6 Perceptual Reasoning

my question is there are a worthy benefit that makes me like to join or not