The Concord Review (TCR) is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious humanities competitions for high school students worldwide. Known for its exceptionally low acceptance rate and strong recognition by elite universities, TCR represents the gold standard of historical writing at the secondary-school level.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of TCR’s academic value, submission timeline, competition rules, awards, and benefits—everything students and families need to know before submitting.

How Prestigious Is TCR?

Extremely Low Acceptance Rate

TCR is famously selective. The acceptance rate for submitted papers is approximately 5%, with some reports suggesting it can be as low as 0.1%, making it one of the most competitive academic publications for high school students in the world.

Strong Recognition by Top Universities

According to official statistics, 42% of students whose papers were published in TCR were admitted to Ivy League or equivalent world-class universities.

Documented admissions outcomes include:

• 152 students admitted to Harvard University
• 123 to Yale University
• 86 to Stanford University
• 76 to Princeton University
• 30 to the University of Pennsylvania
• 17 to the University of Oxford

These outcomes demonstrate that TCR publication carries extraordinary weight in elite college admissions, particularly for students pursuing history, social sciences, or humanities majors.

What Is The Concord Review?

Founded in 1987, The Concord Review is the only quarterly academic journal in the world dedicated exclusively to publishing high school students’ scholarly history papers.

Its mission is to recognize and publish outstanding historical research written by secondary-school students in English-speaking countries. To date, TCR has published thousands of research papers from students across 46 U.S. states and 38 countries worldwide.

The journal’s authority is widely acknowledged. A former Harvard University Dean of Admissions once compared TCR to a top-tier academic journal in mathematics, underscoring its unparalleled academic standing in the field of history—on par with elite STEM competitions in rigor and recognition.

Submission Timeline

TCR accepts papers on a rolling basis, with submissions considered for publication in the next four upcoming issues.

As a quarterly journal, TCR offers four submission deadlines each year:

• August 1 – Winter Issue
• November 1 – Spring Issue
• February 1 – Summer Issue
• May 1 – Fall Issue

If a paper is accepted for the upcoming issue, authors are typically notified one month prior to publication. If a paper is not selected, authors do not receive notification, but the submission remains under consideration for future issues.

Eligibility & Participation Requirements

Eligible Students

• Open to current high school students in Grades 9–12 worldwide
• Students must not yet be enrolled in college
• All submissions must be individually authored; no co-authored papers are accepted

No recommendation letter is required. However, applicants must provide the name and email address of their school history teacher on the submission form.

Participation Format

• Individual submission only
• Each paper must have a single student author

Essay Requirements

Topic Scope

Papers may address any historical topic, including ancient or modern history, domestic or international subjects. Students are free to choose topics aligned with their academic interests.

Word Count

While TCR technically accepts papers over 4,000 words, successful submissions are typically much longer:

• Average accepted length: 5,500–7,000 words
• Some published papers exceed 20,000 words

Shorter papers may therefore be at a disadvantage during review.

Formatting & Submission Rules

• Language: English only
• Citation Style: Chicago Manual of Style (Turabian format)
• File Format: MS Word (.doc/.docx) or RTF only
  (Apple Pages, Google Docs, and PDFs are not accepted)
• Original Work: Papers must not have been previously published, except in the author’s high school publication
• File Name Format:
  FirstName LastName_FirstThreeWordsOfTitle.docx
  Example: MarieJones_TheFoundingFathers.docx

Additional Restrictions

• No images, tables, or charts (TCR does not publish visual materials)
• Multiple submissions allowed
  Students may submit more than one paper; account modifications can be requested via email

Review & Selection Process

All submissions follow a rolling review process. Approximately 5% of submitted papers are ultimately selected for publication.

TCR strongly advises students to:

• Conduct extensive reading on their chosen topic
• Complete at least one full revision before submission
• Carefully edit and proofread for clarity, structure, and academic rigor

Accepted authors are notified by email approximately one month before publication.

Awards & Honors

Each year, TCR selects 10 outstanding students from papers published in the previous year to receive the Emerson Prize, recognizing exceptional achievement in historical scholarship.

In addition, TCR awards the Fitzhugh Prize, named after the journal’s founder and editor, Will Fitzhugh, to honor exemplary historical research and academic excellence.

What Students Gain from TCR

One-Year Journal Access

All submitting authors receive one year (four issues) of digital access to The Concord Review. Print editions are available for an additional shipping fee.

Powerful College Application Asset

Published authors may order TCR Singles—printed copies of their individual papers. Many students include these publications directly in their college applications, as TCR is the first and only journal of its kind worldwide.

Monetary Awards

• Emerson Prize: Approximately 10 recipients per year
• Award Amount: $1,000 per student
• Fitzhugh Prize: Additional recognition established in 2021

These honors highlight students with exceptional promise in historical scholarship.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I submit more than one paper?
A: Yes. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves academically. Each submission requires a $70 submission fee.

Q: Can I submit a paper under 4,000 words?
A: Yes, but shorter papers will compete against significantly longer submissions.

Q: Can I write on a topic previously published by TCR?
A: Absolutely. New interpretations and perspectives are always welcome.

Q: Can I submit a paper written during an independent study?
A: Yes. TCR has published many outstanding papers completed under guided independent research.

Q: Can I submit the same paper to TCR and the National Writing Board?
A: Yes. The two organizations operate separate submission and evaluation processes, and each requires its own submission.