Five-year-old inducted into Mensa after scoring in the top 1%
An incredibly talented five-year-old from Colorado has been inducted into Mensa after scoring in the top one percent on the intelligence test.
After just five years on Earth, the only thing I probably would have scored in the top one percent in would have been eating candy.
Meanwhile, Jacob Young from Monument spends his time learning about airplanes, sharks, deep space, and the Titanic.
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I know what you're thinking - a lot of kids are into airplanes and sharks, but Jacob's interest goes beyond the view of 'this is cool'.
With a dad in the Space Force and a mom who worked as data analyst, the five-year-old is more interested in how the mechanics of how planes work, and which shark species are the fastest.
Mom Renee told KKTV how Jacob loves to watch documentaries and the History Channel, with conversations with the young boy likened to 'what you might have in a high school or college class'.
Instead, she pointed out, it's 'our five-year-old at the dinner table'.
Jacob has also impressed at Prairie Winds Elementary school, where he studies as a kindergartner.
Aileen Finnegan, the school's interim principal, explained: "I was in his kindergarten class last week and I noticed the students were writing books and writing simple sentences and telling a story with details and Jacob’s topic was World War II airplanes."
After realizing that Jacob's intelligence went beyond average levels, his parents took him to see a doctor who tested his IQ and giftedness.
“The doctor who did the testing for Jacob said, ‘you might start looking for organizations and I’ll send you recommendations; there are magnet schools, groups, and there’s Mensa and this might be a great fit to help him meet with like-minded peers, challenge him outside the school setting',” Renee recalled.
Jacob was tasked with taking on an approved intelligence test, which takes several hours to complete, to see whether he could qualify for Mensa.
Only those who score in the top two percent of the general population are accepted, and a few weeks later Renee and dad Joshua learned that Jacob fit the bill as he scored in the top one percent.
“We found out a few weeks later they accepted him. It’s great and exciting,” Renee said.
Through Mensa, Joshua will be able to take part in 'intellectually stimulating events and exchange ideas' with other people who have been accepted into the organization.
With a lot of years of learning still ahead for his son, Joshua said: “I expect him to keep challenging us and keep us on our toes."
Emily Brown