JEI vs JHSS: which journal should you submit your high school research to? | RISE Research

TL;DR: JEI vs JHSS is one of the most common journal decisions high school researchers face. The Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI) focuses exclusively on STEM research and uses a structured mentored-review model, while the Journal of High School Science (JHSS) accepts a broader range of science submissions. The right choice depends on your subject, your research methodology, and how your paper is written. If you need help making this decision with a PhD mentor, book a free Research Assessment with RISE.

Why this comparison matters more than most students realise

When high school students ask about JEI vs JHSS, they usually frame it as a simple either-or question. It is not. These two journals have different review structures, different expectations for how a paper should be written, and different signals they send to university admissions readers. Choosing the wrong one does not just risk rejection. It can mean months of revision work that could have been avoided with the right guidance upfront.

Most generic publication guides written for university students do not address this distinction at all. This post is written specifically for high school researchers who need to make a real submission decision, not a theoretical one. It covers what each journal actually accepts, how their review processes differ, and how your choice affects your college application. For a broader look at your options, see our guide to best journals for high school research.

JEI vs JHSS: which journal should you submit your high school research to?

Answer: Submit to JEI if your research is empirical STEM work conducted with a university or professional mentor, and your paper follows a standard scientific format with original data. Submit to JHSS if your research is science-focused but your mentorship context is less formal or your paper is in an earlier stage of development. Both are peer-reviewed and free to submit.

The Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI) is published by a nonprofit organisation and explicitly targets middle and high school students conducting original scientific research. Its peer review model is distinctive: scientists review each submission and provide detailed feedback regardless of whether the paper is accepted. This means even a rejection from JEI gives you actionable revision notes, which is genuinely valuable for a first-time researcher.

JHSS, the Journal of High School Science, also accepts student research and is peer-reviewed, but its review structure is less formalised than JEI's. It accepts a wider range of science submissions, which can make it more accessible for researchers whose work sits outside the traditional biology-chemistry-physics axis that JEI tends to prioritise.

What most students get wrong is assuming that the more selective journal is always the better choice. Submitting a paper to JEI that is not yet at the empirical standard JEI expects will result in a lengthy review process followed by rejection or major revisions. Submitting to a journal that is a genuine fit for your current paper is the strategically stronger move, even if that journal is less well-known.

What you need to know about each journal before you decide

Understanding how JEI and JHSS differ across five specific criteria will help you make the right submission decision. These are not abstract differences. Each one has a practical consequence for how you prepare your paper and how long the process takes.

Peer review structure. JEI uses a two-stage review process. A scientist first screens the submission for scientific soundness, then a second reviewer provides detailed written feedback. According to the JEI official website, every submission receives written feedback, including those that are not accepted. This is a meaningful benefit for a high school student who has never been through peer review before. JHSS also uses peer review, but the feedback model is less detailed. If you are submitting for the first time and want to learn from the process regardless of outcome, JEI's structure has a clear advantage.

Subject scope. JEI explicitly covers biological sciences, physical sciences, earth and environmental sciences, and related STEM fields. It does not publish social science or humanities research. JHSS covers science broadly, with a similar STEM orientation. If your research sits in computer science, data analysis, or an interdisciplinary area, you need to check each journal's current scope carefully before submitting. Our resource on journals that accept high school research papers covers a wider range of subject areas if neither journal fits your topic.

Mentorship requirement. JEI strongly encourages submissions to be completed under the guidance of a professional mentor, typically a university researcher or scientist. This is not a hard rule, but papers without any mentorship context tend to struggle at the review stage because the methodology is often underdeveloped. JHSS does not state an explicit mentorship requirement, which makes it more accessible for students working more independently. However, papers without methodological rigour will face challenges at either journal.

Submission cost. Both JEI and JHSS are free to submit to and free to publish in. There are no article processing charges. This matters because some journals that accept high school research charge fees of several hundred dollars for publication. A fee is not automatically a red flag, but free peer-reviewed journals with genuine review processes are almost always the stronger choice for a high school student's profile.

Review timeline. JEI's review process typically takes several months from submission to a first decision, reflecting the rigour of its two-stage review. JHSS timelines vary. If you are working toward a college application deadline, your submission timeline needs to account for the full review and revision cycle, not just the submission date. Students who submit in the autumn expecting a published paper by winter are frequently surprised by how long the process actually takes. For more on navigating this, see our guide on how to choose the right journal for high school research.

How does your journal choice affect your college application?

Answer: A published paper in a peer-reviewed journal strengthens your application regardless of which journal you choose, but admissions readers do distinguish between journals with rigorous external review processes and those with lighter standards. JEI's structured peer review and nonprofit credibility give it strong recognition among admissions readers familiar with high school research.

On the Common App, a published paper appears in the Activities section or the Additional Information section, depending on how central it is to your academic narrative. Some students list their publication in both. What matters to admissions readers is not just the journal name but the evidence of sustained intellectual work: a clear research question, original data or analysis, and the ability to engage with peer feedback.

JEI's review model is particularly useful here. Because every submission receives written feedback, a student who has gone through JEI's process can speak specifically in an interview or essay about what the reviewers challenged, how they revised their methodology, and what they learned. That kind of reflective narrative is far more compelling than simply listing a publication.

RISE scholars publish across 40+ academic journals with a 90% publication success rate. RISE scholars are accepted to Top 10 universities at three times the standard rate. That outcome is not just about having a published paper. It is about having a paper that demonstrates genuine scholarly engagement, which is exactly what strong journal selection and rigorous preparation produce. You can see the full range of RISE scholar results on our outcomes page.

Where students working alone get stuck with JEI vs JHSS decisions

The first sticking point is journal fit assessment. Most students read a journal's scope statement and assume their paper fits because the subject area matches. Fit is more granular than that. JEI expects papers to follow a specific scientific structure, with a clearly stated hypothesis, a reproducible methodology, and a results section that is distinct from the discussion. Students who have written strong school-level science reports often find their papers need significant restructuring before they meet JEI's format requirements. Identifying this early, before submission, saves weeks of revision.

The second sticking point is responding to peer review. Both JEI and JHSS use peer review, and receiving reviewer feedback for the first time is genuinely disorienting. Reviewers may challenge your methodology, question your sample size, or ask for additional statistical analysis. Students working without guidance often either over-revise in ways that introduce new problems, or under-revise by treating reviewer comments as optional suggestions. Neither approach leads to acceptance.

The third sticking point is timing. Students frequently underestimate how long the full cycle takes, from final paper draft to submission to first decision to revision to acceptance to publication. A PhD mentor who has submitted their own work to journals knows exactly how to pace this process, which sections reviewers scrutinise most closely, and how to write a revision response letter that demonstrates genuine engagement with the feedback.

A mentor who has published in their own field brings something a student cannot easily find elsewhere: direct experience with what peer reviewers actually look for, not just what the journal's author guidelines say. This is the guidance RISE mentors provide at every stage of the publication process.

If you want expert guidance on JEI vs JHSS and the full publication process, book a free Research Assessment to find out whether RISE's Summer cohort is the right fit for your goals.

Frequently asked questions about JEI vs JHSS

Which journal has a higher acceptance rate, JEI or JHSS?

JEI does not publish its acceptance rate publicly. Based on the journal's structured two-stage review and its reputation among high school research communities, it is considered selective. JHSS does not publish an acceptance rate either. Neither journal should be treated as a guaranteed publication, and both require papers that meet genuine scientific standards.

Selectivity is not a reason to avoid a journal. It is a reason to ensure your paper is genuinely ready before you submit. A well-prepared submission to a selective journal is strategically stronger than a rushed submission to a more accessible one.

Do I need to choose my journal before I write my paper?

Yes, and this is one of the most common mistakes RISE mentors see. Choosing your journal before you write, or at least early in the drafting process, means you can structure your paper to meet that journal's specific format requirements from the start. Retrofitting a paper to a different journal's structure after the fact is time-consuming and often results in a weaker submission.

JEI, for example, has a specific section structure that differs from a standard school science report. If you write your paper without that structure in mind, you will need to substantially reorganise it before submission.

Can I submit my paper to JEI and JHSS at the same time?

No. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is not permitted in academic publishing. Both JEI and JHSS, like all legitimate peer-reviewed journals, require that submissions are not under review elsewhere. Submitting to both at once is a breach of academic publishing ethics and can result in rejection from both journals if discovered.

Choose one journal, submit, wait for the decision, and then decide whether to revise and resubmit or submit elsewhere based on the feedback you receive.

Is JEI or JHSS better for a biology research paper?

JEI is generally the stronger choice for a biology paper that includes original empirical data, a clear hypothesis, and a reproducible methodology. Biology is one of JEI's core subject areas, and its reviewer pool includes working scientists in biological fields. If your biology paper is more of a literature review or a preliminary investigation without original data collection, JHSS may be a better fit for your current stage of research.

For more on journals suited to specific science subjects, see our overview of top academic journals accepting high school research papers.

How long does it take to get a decision from JEI?

JEI's review process typically takes several months from submission to a first decision, though timelines can vary depending on reviewer availability and the volume of submissions. Students should expect the full cycle from submission to publication, including any revision rounds, to take six months or longer in many cases.

Plan your submission timeline accordingly. If you are targeting a specific application cycle, work backwards from your deadline and submit with enough time to complete at least one round of revisions before your application is due. A paper that is under review at a strong journal is still worth noting in your application, even if it has not yet been accepted.

The decision that shapes everything else

The JEI vs JHSS decision is not just an administrative choice. It shapes how you write your paper, how long the process takes, and how your publication reads to a university admissions officer. JEI's structured review and STEM focus make it the stronger choice for empirical science research with a clear methodology. JHSS offers a more accessible entry point for researchers at an earlier stage of their work.

What both journals share is a genuine peer-review process, which means neither is a shortcut. The students who publish successfully are those who understand what the journal expects before they submit, not after. For a broader view of your publication options, our guide to journals that publish high school research covers the full landscape.

If you want help navigating the JEI vs JHSS decision with a PhD mentor who has done this professionally, schedule a free Research Assessment and we will match you with the right mentor for your subject and publication goals. Summer cohort spots are limited.