Pursuing research at the high school level is one of the best ways for you to demonstrate co-curricular academic competence. Getting a study published is a significant bonus because it gives your research a certain amount of credibility and backing. High school students might find guidance on conducting research, but few are familiar with academic journals that publish high school research. This guide will give you recommendations on where to publish your research. Regardless of your subject of interest, we have options for you here! However, before we get to the recommendations, let’s look at some points to keep in mind while choosing journals and why it is a good decision to publish.

Do I need to publish my research in high school?

Getting your research published is not a necessity. In fact, many of our students at Lumiere choose not to submit their research for publication and still get into top colleges.

However, over the course of guiding students to top journals in the last few years, we have come to see immense value in publication. We now recommend that most of our students aim for publication.

There are three reasons for this. Firstly, we believe that a researcher/scientist’s job is not just to study a subject out of individual curiosity but also to communicate the findings to the rest of the world. Expanding the frontiers of human knowledge is one of the goals that researchers should strive towards. Secondly, the process of getting research published is itself a valuable experience. It is the closest feeling you will get to being a scientist at the high school level. Having your work critically reviewed by Ph.D. researchers in your field is a great learning experience as it will point out the academic loopholes in your work. It has the potential to make you a better student. Incorporating that feedback and communicating with the editorial team is another aspect of this experience.

Finally, getting your work published gives your work credibility to the external world. Whether it is a college application or a summer program, research that is published makes a stronger impression than unpublished research.

What should I look for in a high school research journal?

Deciding what journal works best for you can be confusing if you are new to academic publishing. In this section, we will give you a brief overview of three factors you should consider when deciding which journals to submit to.

First, for many students, prestige is the most important factor when deciding where to submit their research. For STEM students, this preference might lead them to the Columbia Junior Science Journal, whereas for humanities students, it might lead to The Concord Review as the first choice. However, an important thing to keep in mind is that prestigious journals seek the highest quality research. These publications tend to be very competitive, so it's a good idea to get an external opinion on whether you should submit to these, if possible.

Secondly, the nature of research is another important parameter to be aware of. One of the first things that we ask our Publication Program students is about the nature of research and whether they are conducting original research or a literature review. Based on the answer, our recommendation can vary since some journals do not accept literature reviews.

Finally, the time taken to get published is another important metric that students should keep in mind. If you are applying to college in November and are looking for potential journals for your research in August, we would not recommend journals like the Journal of Emerging Investigators, which takes almost 7-8 months to publish research.

15 Journals to Publish Your Research in High School

Now that we have seen the importance of getting published and what to keep in mind, let us look at some of our recommendations:

1. Journal of Emerging Investigators

The Journal of Emerging Investigators is usually our top recommendation for students doing original research in STEM. JEI is well known for its extensive review process that can take as long as 7-8 months. The most important thing to remember is that JEI only accepts original hypothesis-driven research. While the JEI website is dominated by research in STEM, it also accepts research from other disciplines. For instance, if you conduct original research on financial markets or political preferences based on demographics, you can still submit with the help of these guidelines. Here is our extensive guide to publishing in JEI. Cost: $35 submission fee; need-based fee waiver is available Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Mainly STEM, but non-STEM is accepted if original research Type of research: Original hypothesis-based research Estimated acceptance rate: 70-75%

2. National High School Journal of Science

The NHSJS is run and peer-reviewed by high school students around the world, with a scientific advisory board of adult academics. The journal usually takes 1-2 months to decide whether to accept a submission and has an additional editing process that lasts up to 1 month. NHSJS accepts practically all science and social science disciplines on a rolling basis. We usually recommend NHSJS as a backup journal given its relatively high acceptance rate. Based on our experience of guiding students to NHSJS, we estimate that it has an acceptance rate of approximately 70%. Cost: $250 for publication Deadline: Rolling Subject area: All science and social science disciplines Type of research: Original research, literature review Estimated acceptance rate: 60-70%

3. International Journal of High School Research

IJHSR publishes high school student research in behavioral and social sciences, technology, engineering, and math, both original research and literature review articles. Six issues are published each year. IJHSR has a rolling submissions window and offers open access to the public. It is run by the nonprofit Terra Science and Education. A unique aspect of the IJHSR is that it requires you to contact 3 professors or post-doctoral scholars who agree to review your paper. This is a fairly time-consuming process, so if you’re aiming to publish in IJHSR, we recommend that you get started early in your research process! Cost: $200 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: All science and social science subjects Type of research: Original Research, Literature Review Estimated acceptance rate: 20-30%

4. STEM Fellowship Journal

This is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal for scholarly research by high school and university students in STEM run by Canadian Science Publishing. The journal accepts original investigations, review articles, and "viewpoints," usually around 5 pages long. While SFJ is a great option, we have noticed that the journal can often lag in communication with students who submit there. Also, while the journal previously reviewed articles on a 2-month timeline, this has extended to 4-5 months. Please keep this in mind, especially if you are on a tight deadline! Cost: $400 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: All Scientific Disciplines Type of research: Hypothesis Driven Research, Review, Abstract, Original Research Estimated Acceptance Rate: 5-10%

5. Journal of Student Research

This is a multidisciplinary, faculty-reviewed journal based in Houston that publishes research by high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. The journal publishes articles in an array of disciplines and in general, papers on all topics, ranging from applied to theoretical research in any discipline, are eligible for submission. Interested high school students can submit research projects, research articles/posters, review articles, and also AP Capstone Research to the Journal of Student Research. In our experience of guiding more than a hundred students through JSR, we believe that the Journal of Student Research (JSR) is best suited as a backup option due to its relatively high acceptance rate. However, please be aware of its long publishing timeline (around 6-7 months). Here is our guide to the Journal of Student Research. Cost: $50 to Submit and $200 Publication Cost (if accepted) Deadline: Fixed Deadlines in February, May, August, and November Subject area: All Academic Disciplines Type of research: All types of academic articles Estimated Acceptance Rate: 70-80%

6. Journal of High School Science

JHSS is a peer-reviewed STEM Journal that publishes the research and ideas of high school students. JHSS is also best suited as a backup given its relatively high publication acceptance rate compared to options like STEM Fellowship Journal and Journal of Emerging Investigators. However, in our experience, for students looking for a more secure backup, we recommend the NHSJS over the JHSS since the JHSS is slightly more selective compared to the NHSJS. Cost: Free Deadline: Rolling Subject area: All science and social science subjects Type of research: Original Research, Literature Review Estimated acceptance rate: 20%

7. Stanford Intersect

Intersect is an international Science, Technology, and Society research journal run by undergraduate students at Stanford University and supported by the Program in STS at Stanford. It publishes research and scholarship on the social factors that shape research and invention. While the website states otherwise, Stanford Intersect does accept research from high school students on topics at the intersection of science, technology, and society. In our experience of guiding students to publication here, we rate this journal as extremely selective. We have also noticed that students using AI-based methods in research tend to do particularly well here. Cost: Free Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Science, Technology, and Society Type of research: Research Articles, Papers/Essays, Thesis Chapters, Book Reviews, Editorials, Interviews, Multimedia Estimated Acceptance Rate: < 5% (for high schoolers)

8. Young Scientist Journal

Young Scientist is another publication that recognizes the achievements of high school scientists. It is published by the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach, a group that works in the field of scientific and technological literacy through partnerships between Vanderbilt University scientists, K-12 educators and students, and the local and global science community. At Lumiere, YSJ is another of our selective recommendations for students producing the highest quality of research. Cost: Free Deadline: December Subject area: Sciences Type of research: Original research, literature review Estimated Acceptance Rate: 10-15%

9. The Concord Review

The Concord Review is a quarterly journal publishing history essays by high school students. It is the most prestigious journal for high school students in the social sciences. Its prestige comes from its high level of selectivity (currently less than 5%), focus on quality, and long track record of winners going on to top universities. The quality of published papers is very high, with the average length of papers in the past year 9000 words. A qualitative assessment of the quality of the papers also indicates significant time invested and a high level of writing. We have covered this journal in a lot more detail in a separate post here. Cost: $50 to Submit and $200 Publication Cost (if accepted) Deadline: Fixed Deadlines in February, May, August, and November Subject area: All Academic Disciplines Type of research: All types of academic articles Estimated Acceptance Rate: < 5 %

10. Schola

Schola is a quarterly journal of humanities and social sciences essays written by high school students worldwide. They publish essays on wide-ranging topics in humanities and social sciences. The Schola accepts essays written on topics in philosophy, history, art history, English, economics, public policy, and sociology. Essay topics and questions must be academic, answerable, and specific to be sufficiently examined in an essay of 4,000-5,000 words. Schola is one of our top recommendations for students interested in the social sciences/humanities due to its rigorous review process and selectivity. The quality of work published is also very high. Cost: $120 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Humanities Type of research: Literature (review/critique, poem, prose), research papers, art (illustration, photography), editorials. Estimated Acceptance Rate: 20%

11. Hope Humanities Journal

HOPE is an online humanities platform for students interested in the humanities. It provides an international and non-profit academic platform to advocate for the humanities and recognize young writers’ achievements. They accept literature (poem, prose), research papers, art (illustration, photography), and editorials. Papers are accepted on a "rolling admission" basis, and issues are published on a two-month-per-issue* basis. Submitted works are eligible for at least the next two issues. HOPE is another one of our go-to options for Humanities students after the Schola. Cost: $100 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Humanities Type of research: Literature (review/critique, poem, prose), research papers, art (illustration, photography), editorials. Estimated Acceptance Rate: 30%

12. Open Journal of Business and Management (OJBM)

OJBM is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancements in the study of business and management. This journal aims to provide a platform for scientists and academics worldwide to promote, share, and discuss various issues. It is one of the few journals that accept research in business and management from high school students. An important thing to keep in mind is that there is a distinction between business and economics that we are making here, i.e., many concepts of economics might not be included within the realm of business. So if you are doing research on financial markets, IJHSR or JEI (mentioned above) might be better options. Cost: $299 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Economics and Business Type of research: Most types of academic articles - reviews, original research, short reports Estimated Acceptance Rate: 15-20% (for high schoolers)

13. Curieux

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. Submitting your paper to Curieux is a great way to get experience in the craft of academic writing. They are open to submissions from any academic subject, including the sciences and humanities. They encourage all forms of academic writing, including but not limited to research papers, review articles, and humanity/social science pieces. At Lumiere, we usually recommend Curieux as a backup publication for students pursuing research in the social sciences and humanities since they have a relatively high acceptance rate. Cost: $150 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Engineering, Humanities, and Natural Science, Mathematics, and Social Science Type of research: Including but not limited to research papers, review articles, and humanity/social science pieces. Estimated Acceptance Rate: 60-70%

14. Journal of Research High School

The Journal of Research High School (JRHS) is an open-access online journal that aims to publish academic work prepared exclusively by high school researchers. JRHS publishes across science to social science. They publish biannually but release publications each month! For the publication at JRHS, in general, there are four processes of publication such as original formatting and plagiarism check, peer review, revision, and editorial decision. Each process has a different timeline, but overall turnover is generally approximately 3 - 6 months. Cost: $100 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Any academic subject including the sciences and humanities Type of research: Original research and significant literature reviews. Estimated Acceptance Rate: 30%

15. Walt Whitman Journal of Psychology

The WWJOP is an entirely student-led publication in which high school student-conducted research and literature reviews in the field of psychology are recognized. The Journal reaches hundreds of schools and psychology students around the world and is published bi-annually and electronically. We have found WWJOP to be a fantastic option for Psychology students, given that it offers a specialized publication in Psychology at the high school level. It is one of the few journals at this level to offer a subject specialization. Cost: Free Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Psychology Type of research: Original Research, Analysis Pieces, Letters Estimated acceptance rate: 20-30%

Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you want to build your own independent research paper and get it published, then consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. Last year over 2100 students applied for about 500 spots in the program. Past participants have said that personalized mentorship makes Lumiere stand out amongst research programs. You can find the application form here. You can see our admission results here for our students. Apply here!

Manas is a publication strategy associate at Lumiere Education. He studied public policy and interactive media at NYU and has experience in education consulting.

Cover Image: Stanford Intersect Website