American Mensa’s 2014 Annual Gathering to Take Place in Boston

Probably not a member of Mensa / Rubik’s Cube photo via Shutterstock

A child is born in Boston, Massachusetts, to parents who were both born in Boston, Massachusetts. The child is not a United States citizen. How is this possible?

Brace yourselves, because 2,500 members of the high-IQ organization American Mensa are about to converge in Boston for their annual gathering. Just in time for Independence Day, the event allows (literally!) like-minded folks to meet and talk about, I dunno, like, smartypants stuff, or whatever.

They’re calling the Boston event “Brilliance in Beantown” (gag). Former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis will welcome the group at the opening ceremony on Wednesday, and Globe sportswriter Bob Ryan will be the keynote speaker at the gathering’s gala event Saturday night.

No need to be intimidated by this get-together. Mensa members aren’t all rocket scientists and cancer researchers. In fact, they are accepted into the club only after they score in the top two percent on a standardized intelligence test. That’s it. It’s just like the SATs—if the SATs measured logic and puzzle-solving skills instead of one’s knowledge of outdated vocabulary words. The value of either, you decide.

Practice questions for Mensa online include the following:

What is the number that is one half of one quarter of one tenth of 400?

Answer: 5

and…

What is the following word when it is unscrambled? H C P R A A T E U

Answer: PARACHUTE

Members of the public who want to get their Good Will Hunting on can try out for Mensa by taking the official Mensa admission test to see if their wits are up to snuff. Public testing sessions take place Wednesday, July 2, 6-8 p.m., and Sunday, July 6, 9-11 a.m., and cost $25.

And here’s a tip for attendees visiting Boston: Aside from Fourth of July weekend events, consider checking out the play “Smart People,” now running at the Huntington Theater.

For more information about Mensa’s Annual Gathering in Boston this week, visit ag2014.us.mensa.org.

Answer to question above:

He or she was born prior to 1776.

Happy Independence Day, y’all.