science

Intertel

Intertel is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Intertel rather than just read about it. In short: Intertel is a high-IQ society founded in 1966 that is open to those who have scored at or above the 99th percentile, or the top one percent, on a standardized test of intelligence. It has been identified as one of the notable high-IQ societies established since the late 1960s with admissions requirements that are stricter and more exclusive than Mensa.

Key takeaways

Intertel belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Intertel to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Intertel from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Intertel is a high-IQ society founded in 1966 that is open to those who have scored at or above the 99th percentile, or the top one percent, on a standardized test of intelligence. It has been identified as one of the notable high-IQ societies established since the late 1960s with admissions requirements that are stricter and more exclusive than Mensa.

History Intertel is open to those who have scored at or above the 99th percentile, or the top one percent, on a standardized test of intelligence. It has been identified as one of the notable high-IQ societies established since the late 1960s with admissions requirements that are stricter and more exclusive than Mensa. Statistical research validates the robustness of Intertel’s admissions criteria to correctly identify IQ at the 99th percentile, while raising questions about whether it is possible for high-IQ societies to accurately measure intelligence beyond this percentile threshold. Intertel was founded in 1966 by Ralph Haines, following the example of Mensa founders Roland Berrill and Lancelot Ware, who wanted to create an association adapted to the gifted needs without any specific restriction of admission (with the exception of a minimum IQ). Intertel thus became the second-oldest organization of this kind, Mensa being the first. Intertel members are divided into eight regions, as of 2026: Six regions only cover the U.S. and Canada, one region covers South America, and one "International" region covers the rest of the world.

Organization and activities Aligned with one of the goals stated in its constitution, Intertel's members participate in research on high intelligence. In 1978, Intertel established the "Hollingworth Award" in memory of psychologist Leta Stetter Hollingworth, who specialized in research on gifted children. This award was annually presented until at least 1993, first sponsored by Intertel and then the Intertel Foundation.

Notable past and current members

See also Mensa International, high-IQ society above the 98th percentile Triple Nine Society, high-IQ society above the 99.9th percentile

References

External links Intertel official website

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Intertel

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Intertel claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Intertel before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Intertel ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Intertel

In research: Intertel appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Intertel in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Intertel is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Clubs and societies in the United States, Giftedness, High-IQ societies, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Intertel outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Intertel in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Intertel means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Intertel out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Intertel in simple terms?

Why does Intertel matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Intertel?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Intertel.