In 1988, Keith Raniere took a take-home IQ test. Ever since, he has proclaimed himself to be one of the “top three problem solvers” in the world and boasts having one of the highest IQs.
Raniere’s bio stated: “Keith Raniere was honored in 1989 by the Guinness Book of World Records in the category of highest IQ.”
In the Australian 1989 Guinness Book of World Records, Raniere holds a record for his IQ.
The IQ test Raniere took was called The Mega Test. Getting a high score on the self-administered, untimed test gives you admission into the Mega Society, supposedly the most restrictive group of high-thinkers, with only one person in a million being eligible for membership.
The Mega Society was founded in 1982 by a blind librarian named Ronald K. Hoeflin.
Mega Society Logo
Omni Science Fiction magazine published the Mega Test in 1985, presumably the test that Raniere took, leading to his name being mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records in the now retired category of highest IQ. In fact, the category was done away with only months after Raniere’s high IQ was published.
The test is described as “the hardest IQ test ever.” You are allowed to consult books, but no computers, and no talking to other people. It’s the honor system, since you simply send in your answers to be evaluated for a nominal fee of $5, which should have been no problem for the most ethical man in the world.
Test Instructions:
ANSWER SHEET. Print or type all of your answers on a single 81/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper. At the top, giver you name, address, age, and sex, plus—optionally—scores from any previous I.Q. or aptitude tests you might have taken.
TIME LIMIT. There is no enforceable time limit, but it is suggested that you limit yourself to no more than one month.
ASSISTANCE. You are encouraged to use such reference aids as dictionaries, thesauri, and pocket calculators. A slide rule is discouraged since all numerical answers must be exact. Any assistance from other persons is prohibited.
GUESSING. There is no penalty for wrong answers or guesses, so it is to your advantage to guess whenever you are unsure of an answer. ou will receive a scoresheet listing the number
FEE. For a basic $5 scoring fee, you will receive a scoresheet listing the number of questions you answered correctly (broken down into raw scores within each of the subtests), your corresponding I.Q. score, and its estimated percentile in the general population. For an additional $5 ($10 total), you will receive a ten-page statistical report. “The Meaning of the Mega Test Scores,” which shows how scores on the Mega test relate to scores on other recognized high-I.Q. tests, the procedures for applying for membership in other high-I.Q. societies, and their addresses.
SCORESHEETS. Send to Omni-Mega Test, Box 7430, New York, NY 10116. Allow eight weeks for processing.
The Mega Test Has Three Categories of Questions:
Verbal Analogies
Spatial Problems
Numerical Problems
Raniere Describes Taking the Mega Test
When I took the Mega Test, I did so because some of the problems looked interesting. At first glance, I thought 42 of the problems were trivial, the other six required a little work.
I solved 43 of the problems in about two straight hours; the other 5 problems and proofs of some of my assertions took me about eight more hours, spread out over the next 4 days.
I handed in my result sheet and found shortly thereafter I had copied one of my answers incorrectly (one of the easier problems on the test!).
I called Ron [Hoeflin] who had missed my mistake.
I scored 46 out of 48 on the mega test.
I thought 10 hours was inappropriately long (I thought I was really bending the “untimed” nature of the test), I later learned that was considered a short time.
So my quick time was likely luck of the draw and my emotional obsessive-compulsive problem solving nature made me the perfect candidate to score high on such an exam…
VERY, few people from the non-problem-solver realm stand a chance against me on [IQ tests]– they do not have the experience, they do not have the drive, they are like not “primed” to solve problems.
Raniere calculated his IQ was over 240. This has never been independently verified.
