The Mensa Top 10 Survey

The top 10 list of favorite frightening films selected by Mensa members.

"The Simpsons" is the longest-running scripted show in television history. American Mensa has selected its top 10 characters. The characters in this TV tradition were examined by Mensa members nationwide, and the one that came out on top was Bart Simpson. Surprisingly, Lisa Simpson who is an actual (albeit fictional) member of Mensa, was included in the top 10 but did not receive the top spot.

School is almost back in session and to celebrate, American Mensa has selected its top 10 children’s books that every child should read. Members ranked “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” as the No. 1 overall pick. The top-ranked book proves imagination is timeless. “This book can be read and re-read on multiple levels, combining fantasy, adventure, and language analysis; thus, it is enjoyable for children as they grow,” said one of the participating members.

American Mensa selects its top 10 video games in celebration of National Video Game day. Atari's classic arcade game Asteroids was the No. 1 overall pick.

American Mensa selected its top 10 Boston pubs in conjunction with the 2014 Annual Gathering, Mensa’s national event happening in Boston from July 2 – 6.  This year’s event is expected to be the largest Annual Gathering to date, with 2,500 members visiting the historical city over the Fourth of July holiday.  While at the event, members will enjoy more than 250 seminars and possibly visit the No. 1 pick overall, the Asgard Irish Pub & Restaurant. 

American Mensa members selected their top 10 national parks in conjunction with National Park Week. The No. 1 pick overall was Grand Canyon National Park. Participating members cited several reasons for their choice, including, “For (its) sheer majesty, there is nothing like the Grand Canyon. The park amenities allow for a great experience for all budgets while minimizing human impact to the area,” and “The Grand Canyon is the natural landscape that people think of when they think of the United States.”

Just in time for spring break, American Mensa has selected the top 10 amusement parks in the country. Mickey Mouse and friends lead the top of the survey. Walt Disney World was chosen as the No. 1 park for several reasons including “…some of the best rides, most interesting technology, great displays, learning opportunities, color and excitement of all time,” and one member even remarked that the landscaping “…never (had) a blade of grass out of place.”

Those memorable commercials are just one of the things to look forward to during this weekend’s big game. In the spirit of the festivities, members of American Mensa participated in a poll ranking the top ten Super Bowl commercials.  “Cats,” “1984,” “Mini Darth Vader” and “Betty White” were a few of the commercials that made the top ten.  All of them were memorable but it was Apple’s “1984” commercial that bested the others by Mensan criteria.  “It raised the bar and set the standard for presenting information in an entertaining and informative manner,” said one of the survey takers.

2014 marks the 50^th anniversary of the release of the Beatles American debut album “Introducing The Beatles.”  Mensa members took this opportunity to rank their favorite Fab Four songs.  The list was compiled from Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Beatles Songs.  Members that participated in the poll were split into two age groups, “analog” (50+) and “digital” (30 and under) categories.  The top-ranked song, “Hey Jude,” proved that great music crosses all generational lines.

Members of American Mensa have ranked the top 10 classic board games just in time for the gift-giving season. Games of mystery, war, and financial domination made the final cut. The ultimate game of strategy, chess made the top of the list. Comments about the winner ranged from “Chess has always been, and will always be, the one board game that demonstrates best the intellectual and creative abilities of the players” to “Rather simple to learn, it provides a myriad number of ways to play it, so each game can be a new experience.”

Members of American Mensa have ranked the “banned books” they think are must reads. Justin Stanley, the founder of The Uprise Books Project, a nonprofit dedicated to ending the cycle of poverty through literacy by providing banned books to underprivileged kids, selected his 30 top banned books. Mensa members were asked to rank them in order of importance. Big Brother, a teenage girl and a compassionate lawyer made the list.  Comments about the overall winner included references about the author himself.

Just in time for the 2014 car models coming out, American Mensa members took a stroll down memory lane and were asked to choose their favorite classic car. Leading the pack is the Chevrolet Corvette. Comments from members about the overall winner ranged from the artistic, “I can look at this car as a work of art,” to the car’s impact on the auto industry, “It was/is a true American sports car that others would try to emulate for decades to follow.”

Par for the course isn’t good enough for American Mensa. A selection of Mensa members were asked to share what they think are the best golf courses in America as golf is the leading sport that members of American Mensa enjoy, and in recognition of the PGA’s “Family Golf Month,”.

As families across the nation gear up for summer vacation the challenge of finding fun and engaging activities for everyone can be frustrating. American Mensa shares its ideas on how to best spend your time this summer. A recent survey of select Mensa members regarding Science Museums in North America revealed the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., to be their favorite.

The top 10 list of smart spring break destinations selected by Mensa members.

The top 10 list of beers as selected by Mensa members.

The top 10 list of romantic comedies as selected by Mensa members.