Scots teen scores same Mensa mark as Einstein

Eve Wedderburn, 13, who scored the same as Albert Einstein. Picture: Kim Cessford

Eve Wedderburn, 13, has been invited to join the prestigious society after achieving a score of 160 in a Mensa test she was given as a Christmas present.

The Fife pupil was invited to one of Mensa’s official test centres to confirm her mark.

The result puts Miss Wedderburn, who attends St Leonard’s School in St Andrews and lives near Cupar, in the top 1 per cent of the population.

Mensa is an organisation for people with an IQ in the top 2 per cent of the population.

Miss Wedderburn’s score of 160 in the problem-solving test is the same as that attributed to Einstein, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.

She said: “I got the test in a tin for Christmas and got quite a good result from that.

“Parts of the main exam were quite tricky, such as the picture tests, but some parts I did find easy.”

A keen student who enjoys English and maths as well as art and sport, Miss Wedderburn said she had not expected to achieve full marks.

“I didn’t think I would do so well and just thought I would do OK, so I was quite amazed when I heard that I had been compared to someone like Albert Einstein,” she said.

“I have had calls from my friends congratulating me, although they are calling me nerdy – they are just joking though.”

The teenager added: “I am not looking forward to meeting my teachers back at school – I just don’t know what they will make of it.”

She also said she hoped to continue her education, adding: “I’ve not really decided what I want to do in the future, but I know I would like to go to university.”

The teenager’s mother, Louise, an artist, also took the test on the same day.

Mrs Wedderburn said: “I was in the top 3 per cent and she was in the top 1 per cent, so the fact that mum didn’t get in makes it even better for her.

“I have come in for a bit of ribbing from the family after scoring less than Eve but I only sat it to keep her company.

“She is embarrassed about it so she hasn’t told anyone, but we are proud of how well she has done.”

Mrs Wedderburn said she didn’t see much evidence of her daughter’s high IQ when she was a young child but said she always loved reading books.

“She is a bright girl and was reading books avidly from the age of seven. She started reading the Harry Potter books and has continued since,” she said.

Last December four-year-old Sherwyn Sarabi surprised psychologists after also scoring 160 in a Mensa test.

The child, from Barnsley, West Yorkshire, spoke his first words at the age of just ten months and has been amazing his parents, teacher and doctors ever since.

He was able to speak in full sentences when he was only 20 months old and by the time he had reached his second birthday, he was able to identify every country in the world.

The toddler could also read up to 500 words, as well as describe all the major organs of the body, and their functions.

Speaking about Miss Wedderburn’s achievement, Mensa chief executive John Stevenage welcomed her into the society.

He said: “Eve’s score shows she has great potential and we are pleased to welcome her to Mensa.

“We hope she will enjoy being part of the society and interacting with fellow members.”

Mensa was founded in England in 1946 by Roland Berrill, a barrister, and Dr Lance Ware, a scientist and lawyer.

They wanted to form a society for bright people, the only entry requirement for which was a high IQ.

How do you measure up? Take Mensa’s test

1 Rearrange the following letters to give four words. All seven letters must be used in each word.

A E G L L R Y

2 What number should appear next in this sequence?

2 3 10 12 13 20 ?

3 For each of the following, find a word beginning with R with the opposite meaning:

A - Verify

B - Fragile

C - Boring

4 For each of the following, place the two words together and arrange the letters to give one word.

A - DINE + PEGS

B - LIME + PAIR

C - MOON + NOTE

5 What letter should appear next in this sequence?

C E H J M O R T

1. Allergy, gallery, largely and regally.

2. 21. The numbers all begin with ‘T’ when written as a word.

3. A. Refute. B. Robust. C. Riveting.

4. A. Speeding. B. Imperial. C. Monotone.

5. W. Move on three places in the alphabet, then two places, then three again, then two again and so on.