The Concord Review & National Writing Board Program

The Concord Review, Inc., was founded in March 1987 to recognize and to publish exemplary history essays by high school students in the English-speaking world. With the Fall Issue (#137), more than 1,500 research papers (average 8,500 words, with endnotes and bibliography) have been published from authors in 46 states and 46 other countries. The Concord Review remains the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic history papers of secondary students.We need the best history papers we can find, and we welcome a chance to consider your best work. Essays are accepted on a "rolling admissions” basis and are eligible for the next four issues of the journal. 

​

We are frequently asked what types of papers we look for and are most likely to publish. There is no set criteria for this, but here are a few suggestions: 1) Having an interesting and informative topic that readers will learn something from. 2) Writing in an engaging and clear manner that will make your paper easy and enjoyable to read and 3) Having a substantial bibliography showing that you have done abundant research and using many of these sources in your paper through your endnotes.

​

Even if your work does not get immediately published (we only publish around 5% of essays we receive), we always suggest to students who are applying to college in the near future that they include on their college application that they submitted a paper to The Concord Review (include the title and the length of the paper) and that it is still being considered for publication. We have been around since 1987 so many college admissions officers are familiar with our work, and realize that any student submitting a paper to TCR is serious about their academic work and would do well in college.

​

National Writing Board Special Program:

The National Writing Board provides a unique independent assessment service for the history research papers of high school students. We have evaluated papers from 37 states and 11 other countries. Two senior secondary instructors review the paper, and a three- or four-page report is sent to the author, who may then decide which college admissions officers should receive it to add to the information they now have with which to evaluate an applicant. We have mailed our reports, at the requests of the authors, to more than 100 College Admissions Officers.

• The Concord Review
  • You may submit a history research paper to The Concord Review if you completed the paper before finishing secondary school and you have not yet enrolled in a college or university. You must be the sole author. The paper must be in English and may not have been previously published except in a publication of a secondary school that you attended. Public school, private school, and home school students are all eligible.
• National Writing Board Program
  • You may submit a paper to the National Writing Board if you completed the paper before finishing secondary school and you have not yet enrolled in a college or university. You must be the sole author. The paper must be in English.

• The Concord Review
  • Accepted essays are eligible for the next four issues of The Concord Review
  • Essays must be accepted by the following deadlines if a student is seeking publication in a particular issue
    • February 1st, 2025: Summer issue of The Concord Review
    • May 1st, 2025: Fall issue of The Concord Review
    • August 1st, 2025: Winter issue of The Concord Review
    • November 1st, 2025: Spring issue of The Concord Review

​

• National Writing Board Program
  • Rolling

• Students may submit a paper to The Concord Review if they have completed it before finishing high school.
• Students must be the sole author.
• The paper must be in English and may not have been previously published except in a publication of a secondary school attended by a student.
• Essays should be in the 5,000-7,000 (or more) word range, with endnotes and bibliography. The average paper published is over 8,000 words and the longest paper published was 21,000 words.
• Essays may be on any historical topic, ancient or modern, domestic (U.S.) or foreign, and must be submitted electronically.
• Students may submit more than one essay and essays may be on topics that previously published essays have covered.

National Writing Board Submissions:

• Three physical copies of the paper, with only the title and the number of words on the cover, should be sent, with the completed NWB submission form, to the National Writing Board, 730 Boston Post Road, Suite 24, Sudbury, MA 01776.