The High IQ Association is a membership-based group of people who have achieved the highest percentile scores on IQ tests. Most IQ societies are international organizations, but the core of their activities is in local events. Regional association chapters will sponsor lectures, host dinners, and provide a place for members to share ideas and meet.

It's not uncommon for older people to be part of a society with high IQs. Membership in a high-IQ society is usually determined by one thing and one thing only: IQ score. Members often include children and the elderly. Different societies have different standards for how high an IQ score must be. For some, taking into account standard deviation, those who score in the top 95% or above qualify. A more exclusive society requires a percentile ranking of 99.5 or higher.

Multiple-choice standardized tests are commonly used to measure IQ. There are several different IQ tests, although each model is consistent across the globe. The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale is the most commonly used IQ test in the United States. As with any IQ test, the goal of the test is to test intelligence. The test is designed to measure a test taker's overall intelligence to analyze how smart he is in subjective and reference terms. IQ tests are usually administered in person and are supervised standardized tests. IQ tests are standardized tests with questions that usually include logic, reasoning, and mathematics. They take place in a time-compressed environment. Many schools certainly test students' IQs to help identify gifted children and to give teachers a sense of the overall intelligence of their classes. Some employers also require IQ scores from new employees or administer the test without a score.

IQ tests are standardized and usually include tests of logic, reasoning and mathematics. High IQ societies typically accept scores from a long list of approved IQ tests. Test scores provided as certificates of membership must be certified, accredited, or otherwise guaranteed. Their origin and timing are usually not issues. The date of the test usually does not matter as long as the applicant can prove that the high IQ test was his. For example, a student who scores in the 99th percentile in eighth grade may be able to use this score to obtain membership in a high-IQ association in his twenties or thirties. It is generally believed that IQ is relatively stable throughout a person's life. Not all high-IQ societies have applicants with documented IQ scores. Individuals who believe they are capable of joining the Society can arrange to take an accredited test independently, or in many cases can take a Society-specific test. Some IQ Association tests can be taken online, but most require in-person, supervised administration.

Members of a high-IQ society include the elderly and gifted children.