What Happens After You Finish a Research Program? Publication, Presentation, and Beyond
Updated: 9th October, 2026
TL;DR
Finishing your paper is the middle of the process, not the end. After a research program, you can submit to a journal, present at a conference or symposium, or use the work in your application as is. Journal review can take weeks to months, while presenting runs on a faster clock. None of these paths is required, so pick the one that fits your goals and deadlines. If you want a mentor to help you plan what comes next, look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It pairs you 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor for an independent research project.
Should you submit your research to a journal?
Maybe, but it isn't the default. Journal publication is one option after a program, and it's never a sure thing. Timelines vary a lot by venue. Some student journals reply in weeks, while others take months. A paper can be rejected, then sent somewhere else. No program can promise you a publication, no matter what its ads suggest.
Check a venue's process before you submit anywhere. Real journals describe how editors and reviewers handle each paper. Some venues take almost anything for a fee, with little review. If a venue's main pitch is speed and a sure "yes," look elsewhere. The free Think. Check. Submit. checklist, built by publishing groups such as DOAJ and COPE, helps you judge a journal before you send your paper. Our guide to publishing your research in high school also covers how to avoid pay-to-publish outlets. If you decide to submit, our step-by-step guide to publishing a research paper walks you through the process.
Can you present your research instead of publishing it?
Yes, and a presentation is a real result you can list on your application, even with no publication to go with it. A conference talk, or a program's own closing event, shows the same skill: communicating research clearly. It also runs on a faster clock than a journal. Many students find this the more realistic option once school starts back up in the fall.
Look for venues built for high school researchers. The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), run by the National Science Teaching Association, has students present original research at regional and national levels and compete for scholarships. Our guide on how to win JSHS shows how the rounds work. For a closer look at the tradeoffs, read our breakdown of conference talks versus journal publication.
Factor | Journal publication | Conference or symposium |
Typical time | Weeks to months | Often built into the program |
How picky | Varies a lot by venue | Often a lower bar |
What it shows | Rigor, checked by peers | Clear communication |
Is it okay to use your research without publishing or presenting it?
Yes. Not every project needs to go anywhere else to be worth doing. A well-written independent project stands on its own as an activity. The process, what you learned, and how your thinking shifted all make good essay material. That's true whether or not the paper ever leaves your mentor's inbox.
This path is often underrated. If you can clearly explain what you tried, what didn't work, and what you'd do differently next time, you're showing real intellectual honesty. That often reads better to admissions readers than a polished but shallow claim of "publication," especially if the venue turns out to be a weak one. To see how different activities stack up, read our guide to the types of extracurricular activities that count in high school.
How do you decide which path to take?
Start with what you want the research to do for you. If your goal was mainly to explore an interest, presenting or simply describing the work may be enough. If your target major cares a lot about publication, check the review timeline against your deadlines first. Our guide to timing a research program around deadlines shows how much runway you need. Publication is a path to take if the timeline works, not a rule that makes your research "count." What you did and learned matters more than which path got you there.
It also helps to ask your mentor what they'd recommend for a project like yours. A mentor who has guided many students through this choice can usually give you a clear, honest read on whether your paper is a strong fit for submission, or better used as a described activity. If you're still picking a mentor for a future project, our guide to choosing a research mentor and subject area can help.
How do you talk about your research on your application?
The way you describe the work matters more than which path you took. Whatever you decide, these four habits make your description stronger:
Be specific about your role. If you worked one-on-one with a mentor on your own project, say that plainly. If a project involved a team, say what part was yours. Vague language reads like an attempt to make a small contribution sound bigger, and readers notice.
Name what you did. State the question you asked, the method you used, and what you found. One clear sentence on each beats a long list of big words.
Match the label to the facts. Write "presented at" or "submitted to" only when it's true, and don't call a paper "published" until a journal accepts it.
Share what went wrong. A short note on what didn't work and what you'd change shows how you think, and it makes the rest of your story easier to believe.
Frequently asked questions: what happens after a research program
Do I need a publication to make my research worth including on my application?
No, you don't. A well-described, honestly presented project counts as a real activity on its own, whether or not you ever submitted it anywhere. Admissions readers care about what you did and what you learned. A weak venue can make a claim of "publication" look thin. Be clear about your role and your results, and the work speaks for itself.
Can a high school student publish a research paper?
Yes, some journals accept work from high school students, and a few are built for it. Acceptance is never guaranteed, and each journal sets its own rules on topics and review. Run any venue through a checklist like Think. Check. Submit. before you send your paper. Our list of journals that accept high school research is a good place to start comparing options.
How long does journal review take?
It varies widely, from a few weeks at some student journals to several months at more selective ones. Many journals post their usual timeline on their submission page. If you can't find one, email the editors and ask. Plan for a rejection or a revision round, because both are common.
Can I present at a conference and still submit to a journal later?
Usually yes. Many students do both, presenting first while a longer journal review is still pending. Check each venue's rules first, since some limit work that has already appeared elsewhere. If you're unsure, ask the editor before you present.
What if my mentor doesn't give a clear recommendation on next steps?
Ask directly rather than guessing. You could say, "What would you do with this paper, and why?" A program that can't tell you what usually happens after a project wraps is a sign to set expectations carefully going in. You can also compare the timeline for each path against your own deadlines and decide for yourself.
Is it better to submit to a well-known journal or a smaller, faster one?
It depends on your timeline and goals. A smaller, faster, but still legitimate venue is often the better fit if your main deadline is close, as long as it passes the review-process check above. A famous name only helps if the venue really reviews your work. Whichever you pick, read the journal's submission page before you send anything.
Worried you'll finish a research project and have no one to help you decide what comes next? Look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. You work one-on-one with a PhD mentor to produce an independent research project. Apply here. If cost is the main barrier, also look at the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income high school students.
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics before beginning a PhD at Harvard Business School. A former McKinsey & Company consultant and former researcher, his research has been covered by the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, and the Washington Post. In his articles for Forbes, he writes on what students and professionals can learn from high school research, high school passion projects, critical thinking, and mentorship. At Lumiere, he leads a selective research program where students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper. Connect with him on LinkedIn.