Best Student Essays (BSE) is the premiere nonfiction student review of the University of New Mexico. It is published biannually by the UNM Student Publications Board and solicits nonfiction writing from UNM undergraduate and graduate students. BSE publishes all genres of nonfiction including essays, research, scientific writing, memoirs, photo essays, foreign language with English translation, and more. BSE considers nonfiction written for UNM coursework, nonfiction written at other institutions, and students’ personal nonfiction writing. The submission deadline for publication in the Fall issue is generally in early October. The deadline for the Spring issue is generally in early March.
For submission guidelines and printable submissions forms, click here.
Our Staff
Staff positions are filled by UNM students on an application basis. No previous publication experience is required for consideration. For more information, or for staff applications, please email bse@unm.edu.
Please note: the deadline for Fall 2011 staff applications has passed. Information on staff openings will be posted as often as they arise.
The Editorial Selection Process
The BSE Editorial Board makes all publication decisions for the magazine. The Board consists of the BSE Editor and four additional editors from various disciplines. Each submission is evaluated through a strict, blind-jury process. Essays are awarded up to ten points in each of eight categories of evaluation. Categories differ depending on submission genre (memoir as opposed to research, for example), and include clarity of authorial intent, support of argument, quality of writing, and originality of thesis. The Board totals the points for each submission and then makes final selections. While points earned by a given submission significantly influence its chance of publication, point totals are not the sole determinant of publication. Authors’ names and course information are revealed only in the final stages of magazine production, long after the selection process.
