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Mensa Honor Society overview

The Mensa Honor Society is open to Young Mensans grades 10–12. The ideals of the Mensa Honor Society are integrity, intellectual curiosity, academic commitment, and service.

In keeping with the purposes of Mensa, the objectives of the Mensa Honor Society are to:

  • Recognize the achievements of Young Mensans who take active roles in their communities, schools or faith-based organizations.
  • Provide recognition for Young Mensans for service that develops their talents and skills for the benefit of others.
  • Allow these achievements to be formally recognized by Mensa, schools, and other institutions.

Download MHS Application

Qualifications for Membership

In addition to being current members of American Mensa, the criteria for membership in the Mensa Honor Society are:

  1. Service: Members must perform a minimum of 25 hours of service to school or community during the calendar year prior to admission and an additional 25 hours of service per calendar year to remain members in good standing. The service must be done without compensation.
  2. Participation: Members must participate in at least one activity outside of school attendance. This could include such programs as scouting, music, athletics or art. These activities may or may not be on a school campus, but simple attendance in a class or lessons alone are not sufficient.
  3. Scholarship: Members must remain in academic good standing with their schools or make adequate progress home-schooling. Repetition of a grade or failure to progress to the next level of academic study will be grounds for dismissal from the society. Expulsion from school will disqualify a Young Mensan from society membership. Members must demonstrate the ideals of academic commitment and intellectual curiosity in one of the following ways:
    1. Submission of a school transcript showing a grade point average of 3.8 or above on a 4.0 scale. Home-schoolers should select an alternate method unless they have a full and complete transcript from an accredited school. Parent-created transcripts are not acceptable evidence.
    2. High achievement in a nationally recognized, advanced academic event during the year of the admission to the society or the year prior. This could include such events as: Academic Decathlon (or its middle school counterpart); Destination Imagination; Math Counts; National Spelling Bee; a national science competition; National Geography Bee or any similar competition. Recognition in a talent search is not acceptable.
    3. Scores of 3 or above on three or more AP exams in at least two content areas. Scores on ACT or SAT tests are not acceptable as a demonstration of academic commitment.
    4. Other demonstrable individual achievement in academics. Publication in for-profit compilations is insufficient. Performance on state end-of-course or end-of-year exams is not sufficient.
  4. Character: Applicants must submit at least one letter of recommendation from a school teacher/administrator, ecclesiastical leader or community representative who can attest that the applicant represents the ideals of the society (integrity, intellectual curiosity, academic commitment and a concern for others).
  5. Letter of Intent: Applicants must submit, in their own handwriting, a letter of intent explaining why they desire to join the Mensa Honor Society.

Application Procedure

Applications are reviewed by the Mensa Honor Society Selection Committee, and applicants will be notified of their admission to the society within eight weeks. Applications are accepted year-round.

During the application process, the selection committee may request further information or clarification from applicants. Failure to provide additional information will be grounds for rejection of the application. If an application is rejected for any reason, the candidate may re-apply after a six-month waiting period.

Membership in the society will remain in effect so long as society members are active members of Mensa and submit a renewal application between Aug. 25 and Sept. 15, providing evidence of the annual service, scholarship, and participation requirements. Renewals are the responsibility of the member.

Download Renewal Application

Accommodations for the application process are available, please contact Honorsociety@americanmensa.org to learn more.

Recognition

Graduating Young Mensans who are members of the society in good standing will be entitled to receive certificates of recognition and complimentary honor cords, suitable for wearing at their high school graduations and pursuant to permission from their respective campuses. Students must be current members of both Mensa and the Mensa Honor Society to receive the cords and certificate.

The cords will be provided upon furnishing of confirmation of an upcoming graduation. A letter explaining the purposes and ideals of the society will be available for Young Mensans to provide to their campus or school district.

Members of the society in good standing will also receive Certificates of Achievement, with printable certificates available to students below grade 9 and printed certificates being mailed to students in grades 9-12.

Beginning May 2014, Young Mensans must have been members of the society for at least one full year prior to a request for graduation cords.

Certificates of Achievement

Certificates of Achievement will recognize four levels of membership in the society.

Bronze
Cumulative achievement of 65 service hours
Silver
Cumulative achievement of 115 service hours
Gold
Cumulative achievement of 175 service hours
Platinum
Cumulative achievement of 245 service hours
Exemplary
Cumulative achievement of 500 service hours
Leaving the Society

If a member chooses to leave the society, they may rejoin, but the application will be treated as new, and all evidence must be resubmitted, including the letter of recommendation.

Contact Information

Applications and supporting documents should be sent to:

American Mensa
Attn: Mensa Honor Society
1315 Brookside Dr.
Hurst, TX 76053

Questions regarding the Society should be directed to HonorSociety@americanmensa.org.