How to Publish Research as a High Schooler

Table of Contents

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 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.

About the Author

Sarah Bellardini

Essay Coach

Sarah Bellardini is a comedy and animation writer with nearly a decade of experience working in television. She graduated with a degree in Film & TV from Boston University.

Stay Up To Date on College Admissions

Don't miss important and timely college admissions news. Get early access to guides, free resources, and blogs as they come out.

More on this topic

Exclusive College Admissions Workshops:

Thu, June 5th, 2025
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST

SAT/ACT and college admissions: everything you need to know to be successful. Whether you are deciding to take the ACT or SAT or wondering where to get started with test prep, this is your opportunity to learn from the experts at HelloCollege.

Tue, June 10th, 2025
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST

Students and parents in the class of 2026 (rising seniors) are invited to join us for this power-packed Common Application workshop. We’re covering everything you should be doing now from strategic planning and deadline management to crafting standout activities, honors and securing letters of recommendation.

Tue, June 17th, 2025
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST

Now is the time to understand key dates and next steps for high school rising juniors as they prepare for applications in the fall. This step-by-step walkthrough will help you stay on track and make sure your student’s high school career sets them up for college admission.

Keep Yourself in the Know with College Admissions Updates

stay organized and on Track

Free College Application Timeline

Worried about missing a step or an important deadline? The college planning timeline outlines essential tasks. It's a step-by-step guide for every grade level, from freshman to senior year, from extracurricular planning to college applications to scholarships.