Forbes and Fifth

Frequently Asked Questions

  • When are writing submissions selected for publication?
    • After the deadline, editors have two weeks to read the articles and decide which submissions will be part of the journal. We send acceptance emails within one week of the decision being made. We send rejection emails by the third week in December for pieces submitted to the fall volume, or by the third week in April for pieces submitted to the spring volume.
  • When are art submissions selected for publication?
    • The decision will be made 1-2 weeks after the deadline ends. However, we may extend the art deadline to allow for more submissions depending on the volume we receive. We send acceptance emails one week after the decision. We will ask for a short bio to put with your artwork. We send rejection emails by the third week in December for pieces submitted to the fall volume, or by the third week in April for pieces submitted to the spring volume.
  • What does the process look like & what will happen if my piece is accepted?
    • After the submission deadline ends, it takes about 2 weeks for the team to decide which articles will be included in the journal. Shortly after, we reach out to the contributors, introduce ourselves, and offer to set up a meeting in order to discuss the content edits. We ask for a short bio to include with their work and send content edits within 2 weeks of initial contact. We ask for the content edits to be returned to us by the deadline set for that particular volume—no earlier than one week after we send the content edits to the contributor. The content edits are then copy edited for grammar and spelling mistakes by different editors than the ones who content edited the piece. The designer will design the journal, and by the end of the semester, we send the journal to the printers!
  • Am I required to take all the edits from the editors?
    • No. All edits are suggestions. At the end of the day, it is, and always has been, your piece. We want you to be happy and impressed with your writing, we are just trying to help! If you have any questions about the edits or need a further explanation, please reach out to your editors. All of our editors love what they do and are happy to help and talk about your article!
  • When is the journal printed and uploaded to the website?
    • The journal is printed at the end of the school semester. We get the printed copies within the first month of the following semester. Due to the journal being student-run, the journal is not uploaded to the website until the following semester. Please note, delays may occur due to COVID-19 or other unforeseen circumstances.
  • When can I get a copy of the journal/how do I get a copy of the journal?
    • If you are a contributor, we ask if you would like us to mail you one or more copies at the end of the process. You can visit our office in 1411 Posvar, by home plate, to get a copy of the journal, as well. If you would like a copy of the journal mailed to you, please email our@pitt.edu.
  • How competitive is the process?
    • Forbes & Fifth is one of the largest undergraduate journals. We receive submissions across the world from many different colleges and countries! We get about 100 submissions per volume, but the number is growing! Ten written works are selected for every volume of the journal. Eight art pieces are accepted.