Group of UK students earns high IQ scores, joins Mensa
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015 10:55 AM

Many schools have a few pupils who are gifted. Some even have a pupil who has a genius-level IQ. According to the Nuneaton News, Etone College, a secondary school in Nuneaton, England, has 21 students who qualify for Mensa, a social organization for intelligent individuals. 

Reaching for the stars
According to the source, 111 students took an IQ exam, each hoping to get exciting results. Of those students, 21 earned scores that were at 148 points or higher. What's more, 10 students received scores that were 160 or higher. In order to gain admittance into Mensa, hopefuls have to earn an IQ score that's in the top 2 percent of the population, which the 21 gifted children did. The students who scored 160 are in the top 1 percent of the population. 

Etone College has about 750 students between all grades, making the fact that so many achieved such astounding scores incredible. 

"We are delighted that 21 of our pupils have been recognized by Mensa International and are now eligible to join such an elite group," a spokesperson for the school told the source. "To have ten pupils with IQs above 160 is extraordinary and we are extremely proud to be working with such gifted children. Etone College is committed to stretching all of our pupils, including our most able, and this has shown them just how capable they are."

More on Mensa
Colloquially referred to as "the high IQ society," Mensa is an international group comprised of people who are highly intelligent. Anyone whose IQ is in the top 2 percent can join, regardless of age, gender or nationality. In fact, Mensa boasts that its members range in age from 2 years old to more than 100 years old. The U.K. alone has 21,000 Mensa members.

Members of Mensa meet regularly to have social gatherings, do fun projects and engage in stimulating discussion. Local groups organize such meet-and-greets. Mensa also helps gifted children by providing resources for finding quality schools and challenging education programs. Some Mensa students can also win a scholarship for college. The Etone College students who recently joined will have access to these and other benefits. 

In order for an IQ score to qualify, participants have to take a Mensa exam. Prior to that, many people also take other IQ tests. Only after seeing a high score do some decide to try for Mensa.