Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility and Scope

A. You are strongly encouraged to develop an essay you have written for school.

A. We welcome submissions from a wide array of disciplines across the humanities and social sciences. Our scope is intentionally broad, and we strongly encourage interdisciplinary work. While we frequently publish essays in fields like philosophy, history, art history, literature, politics, public policy, and sociology, our primary consideration is the quality of the work. If your essay presents a compelling, well-reasoned argument that critically engages with questions of culture, society, policy, or human thought, it is a strong candidate for publication, regardless of its disciplinary label. For a sense of the intellectual terrain we occupy, Veritaum’s Scholarly Pillars may serve as a useful point of reference.

A. Choosing a topic is a critical first step. Topics driven primarily by current media attention—such as living public figures or ongoing conflicts—are generally unsuitable. A limited body of academic literature often signals that a topic is not appropriate for scholarly inquiry. The topic should be narrow enough to permit genuine depth within the length guidelines.

Empirical research requires methodological training typically acquired at the graduate level. High school students are rarely in a position to meet the standards of sound research design, ethical oversight, and data interpretation without structured institutional support. For this reason, empirical research is generally unsuitable for submission. Exceptions are rare and limited to projects that have undergone formal ethical review and demonstrate theoretical and methodological maturity well beyond the typical high school level. Students are strongly encouraged instead to develop essays that engage critically with existing literature through close reading, argumentation, and synthesis.

A. Students interested in economics are advised to pursue interdisciplinary work that engages with public policy, history, or other areas conducive to textual analysis and argument. Heavily quantitative economics essays are not accepted.

A. While collaborative research is highly valued in academia, the benefits of co-authorship at the high school level are limited. Writing is inherently a solitary activity, and it is most beneficial to engage in it on your own.

A. Essays must be written during high school and may be submitted post-graduation. The submission deadline for essays written in high school is early summer at the latest, aligning with the time of high school graduation. The September issue is the final opportunity for graduating seniors to be published.

Manuscript Preparation

A. Only if the essay has been substantially revised to the extent that it constitutes an entirely different work. Submitting the same manuscript, or one with only minor variations, to multiple journals simultaneously is considered a duplicate submission—a breach of publication ethics and standard academic practice across the scholarly community.

A. Some students have successfully submitted extensively elaborated versions of their concise essays, which have previously won competitions. This is permissible only if the revised version constitutes a genuinely new and significantly expanded piece of work, distinct from the original. The key is that the new submission must represent a substantial advancement in scholarship, not just a repackaging of existing material. It is essential to be transparent with us about the essay’s prior award and provide details about the extent of the revisions.

A. The word count requirement reflects the depth of analytical engagement the journal expects. Essays below 5,500 words rarely sustain the level of argument required for publication. If your essay includes extensive quotations, adjust the surrounding text accordingly. If your essay exceeds 6,500 words, edit toward the range before submitting; do not exceed 8,000 words.

A. Exploring masterpieces and their creators is advisable, as they are readily available references.

Timeline

A. Submissions are welcomed year-round. Manuscripts are evaluated in the order of their receipt, and the acceptance decision typically accompanies a timetable for revisions. Because submission volumes vary and the revision process can be unpredictable, we do not set strict deadlines or guarantee publication in a specific issue. To maximize your chances of timely consideration, we recommend submitting your manuscript as early as possible.

A. A decision is reached within 2–3 weeks of submission. Authors of selected manuscripts are notified within this period and receive editorial comments to guide revisions, which may extend the timeline for final approval by several weeks. Accepted manuscripts are published in a forthcoming issue. For example, an essay submitted in June, if selected, will be published in the September, December, or March issue. Manuscripts that are not selected are not reconsidered for future issues. Only authors of accepted manuscripts receive direct communication from the editorial office.

Additional Questions

A. We do not offer submission fee waivers.

For more information, see Scholarship, Standards, and Sustainability.

A. We do not offer sample essays.

For more information, see The Status of Student Scholarship.

A. Prospective authors should carefully review our website to grasp the journal’s focus. In addition to the submission guidelines, Author Spotlights offer insight into the research and publication process from the perspective of published authors, and the Catalogue provides the bibliographic record of all published works. Reviewing published essays helps students develop an understanding of the journal's expectations and the qualities that distinguish publishable scholarship. Subscribe & Submit enables students to access published essays and submit their manuscripts at a later time.

A. Once the submission process is complete, your submission is locked, and you are not allowed to make changes to it. You may revise and resubmit your essay only if you have been invited to do so.

A. Multiple submissions are permitted. Each manuscript must be submitted separately, in its own session, with a non-refundable fee of $180 per submission.