If you’re a high school student passionate about a particular subject, undertaking an academic research project is one of the best ways to explore your interests, build critical thinking skills, and showcase your academic abilities beyond the classroom. Getting your research published is an extra step that both validates your work and signals to colleges that you’re ready to take on more advanced projects.
Publishing as a high schooler might seem daunting, but there are many publications dedicated to rewarding and showcasing outstanding work from young academic researchers. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to publish research as a high schooler and highlight 10 research journals that publish high school students.
What it Means to Publish Research as a High Schooler
Publishing your research means that you have gone through a rigorous, peer-reviewed process that has analyzed, critiqued, and accepted your research. Scientific publications are gatekeepers to the broader world. If a research piece is not published by a journal, it means that it has not yet passed a rigorous, external analysis of the research.
Why Publish in High School?
Publishing your research offers several benefits, including:
Recognition and Validation
Having your work published means validation of your work from the academic community.
Skill Development
The publishing process sharpens key academic and professional skills like research, writing, and communication.
College Applications
A published paper can significantly enhance your college applications, setting you apart from other applicants.
Contribution to Knowledge
Your research could contribute valuable insights to your field of interest.
How hard is it to publish research as a high school student?
It’s challenging because most journals have very high standards and very low acceptances rates. But it’s not impossible. Many high schoolers publish with the help of a mentor, or through journals designed for student research.
Do I need a mentor to publish research as a high school student?
You don’t necessarily need one, but most successful publications involve a mentor. A mentor helps refine your research question, guide methodology, and navigate the submission process.
How do I find a mentor to supervise my research?
Start by asking teachers if they can advise or connect you to university faculty. You can also cold-email college professors whose work interests you with a short note about your passion and what you hope to learn. University summer programs are also a great opportunity to meet professors.
Does publishing research help with college applications?
Yes. Conducting and publishing research demonstrates intellectual curiosity, persistence, and problem-solving. It’s a good way to set you apart at selective schools, especially if your research aligns with your intended major.
Which colleges value student research the most?
Research universities like MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins, as well as selective liberal arts colleges with strong undergraduate research programs, often place a premium on student research experience.
How long does it take to publish research as a high school student?
The process can take anywhere from a few months to over a year. After finishing your project, you’ll need time to write, revise, and submit your paper. Journals then go through peer review, which often involves edits and resubmissions before a decision is made.
What if my research doesn’t get published?
Many projects don’t make it into journals. You can still share your work by uploading it to a preprint server, presenting at a science fair, or submitting it to local competitions. Even without publication, the research process itself is valuable experience.
Can humanities or social science students publish research too?
Yes! While STEM publications are more common, students in history, literature, economics, and political science also publish. Many high school–friendly journals accept humanities and social science research papers, essays, or policy analyses.
How to Publish Research as a High Schooler
While publishing your research may be lengthy and time-intensive, the process can be simplified to four steps:
1. Select the right journal.
The first step is to research academic journals that accept submissions from high school students. Some journals have dedicated sections for work by high schoolers while others only publish research from contributors under the age of 18. When selecting a journal, pick one (or several) that align with your research topic and pay close attention to details like word requirements and special criteria.
2. Prepare your paper for submission.
Read your chosen journal’s submission guidelines and format your paper accordingly. This often requires organizing your research into sections and preparing an abstract and/or cover letter.
3. Submit your paper.
Most journals accept submissions online. Before submitting your research, double-check that all required materials are included, correctly formatted, free from errors, and uploaded according to that journal’s specific guidelines.
4. Respond to feedback and revise.
Once your research is peer-reviewed, you should expect to receive feedback. The journal may ask questions, seek additional information, or request revisions to your paper. After making necessary revisions, resubmit your paper according to the instructions.
10 Research Journals that Publish High School Students
Below is a list of 10 research journals that publish high school research on a variety of academic subjects:
1. Open Journal of Business and Management (OJBM)
The OJBM is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancement in the study of business and management. The goal is to platform academics all over the world to promote, share, and discuss issues and developments related to business and management. While most of the contributions come from more experienced researchers, OJBM is one of the few journals to accept high school research projects in business and management.
Subjects: Economics and Business
Estimated Acceptance Rate: 15-20% (for high schoolers)
2. Columbia Junior Science Research Journal
The Columbia Junior Science Research Journal is a highly prestigious research journal for high school students interested in the natural sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and social sciences. CJSJ originated from the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal and is run by the same editorial staff. It promotes the development of young researchers versed in technical and communication skills, facets encoded into the DNA of Columbia University.
Subjects: Natural Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, and Engineering
Estimated Acceptance Rate: 3%
3. The Young Researcher
The Young Researcher is a peer-reviewed journal edited by secondary school students working closely with scholars and active researchers at universities and in the community. The journal’s mission is to provide a larger audience for the original academic research of high schoolers, a forum for peer-review, and a community of young researchers. In addition, the journal strives to advance the quality of academic writing in secondary schools.
Subjects: Social Sciences, Humanities, and Physical Sciences
Estimated Acceptance rate: 65%
4. The Schola
The Schola is a journal of humanities and social sciences essays contributed by high school students all over the world. They accept essays written on topics in philosophy, history, art history, literature, politics, public policy, and sociology. If your essay is selected, The Schola gives you the full academic publishing experience—presenting research findings to a publisher, receiving editorial feedback, and editing the manuscript. Each student has a personalized editorial experience through the process.
Subjects: Humanities
Acceptance Rate: They do not disclose their acceptance rate, but it’s safe to say this is a rigorous and highly selective journal.
5. The Concord Review
The Concord Review is a quarterly journal publishing history essays and the most prestigious journal in the country for high school students. Its prestige comes from its high level of selectivity, quality of research, and long history of contributors going on to top universities. The quality of writing for the published papers is also very high, with the average length of papers published at 9000 words (the longest was 21,000!). Only eleven students are chosen worldwide for each issue.
Subject: History
Estimated Acceptance Rate: < 5 %
6. Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI)
The Journal of Emerging Investigators is a peer-reviewed journal for middle and high school students, focusing on the biological and physical sciences. Under the guidance of a teacher or advisor, JEI gives students the opportunity to gain feedback on original research and publish their work in a peer-reviewed journal. JEI accepts work that comes from classroom-based projects, science fair projects, or other forms of mentor-supervised research. While the JEI website heavily promotes STEM research, the journal also accepts research from other disciplines, as long as it is original and hypothesis-driven.
Subject area: STEM, but open non-STEM
Estimated acceptance rate: 70-75%
7. Young Scientist Journal
The Young Science Journal is a product of the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach, a group that works in the field of scientific and technological literacy through unique partnerships between Vanderbilt University scientists, K-12 educators and students, and the local and global science community. Open to students aged 12 to 20, this journal covers science, engineering, and mathematics, offering a platform for young researchers worldwide.
Subjects: STEM
Estimated Acceptance Rate: 10-15%
8. Walt Whitman Journal of Psychology (WWJOP)
The Walt Whitman Journal of Psychology is a nationally recognized psychology journal run by high-school students for high-school students. The WWJOP is published bi-annually and electronically and reaches hundreds of schools and psychology students around the world. It is one of the few journals at this level to offer a subject specialization in the field of psychology.
Subject: Psychology
Estimated acceptance rate: 20-30%
9. Journal of Research High School (JRHS)
The Journal of Research High School is an open-access online research journal that aims at publishing academic work prepared exclusively by high school researchers. It is managed by a team of volunteer professional scientists, researchers, teachers, and professors. JRHS serves as a stepping-stone for high school authors to become experienced researchers with improved skills in the early stage of their academic life. The organization also has a platform where students can interact with other peers while at the same time gaining access to their academic works.
Subject: Any academic subject including the Sciences and Humanities
Estimated Acceptance Rate: 30%
10. Curieux Academic Journal
The Curieux Academic Journal is a youth-led nonprofit founded in 2017 to publish research by high school and middle school students. They currently operate in California but have editors from across the nation. They are open to submissions from any academic subject, including the sciences and humanities, and encourage all forms of academic writing including but not limited to research papers, review articles, and humanity/social science pieces. Curieux works well as a backup publication for students pursuing research in the social sciences and humanities since they publish twelve issues per year and have a relatively higher acceptance rate.
Subjects: Engineering, Humanities, Natural Science, Mathematics, and Social Science
Estimated Acceptance Rate: 60-70%
Conclusion
Publishing research as a high school student is more than an academic accomplishment; it’s a formative experience that lays the groundwork for future success. Publishing offers a platform to share your discoveries, build your skills, and contribute to your field of interest in a meaningful way. Students who undertake this challenge learn more about their chosen topic, but also about perseverance, critical feedback, and the satisfaction of contributing knowledge to the world. The path to publication is demanding, but by following this guide and exploring the many publications open to high school students, you’ll discover that the rewards are worth it.
