should I upload my physics paper to common app? or only upload the abstract of this paper? I am applying for top 5 colleges.
I would not send the entire research paper with a college application.
Was the paper published in a peer reviewed journal?
Are you talking about a research paper that has been published in a respected, peer-reviewed journal? I would think that if you were to upload the abstract, which I assume would include the details about where the paper was published, that the admissions committee would see that, and might pass it along to someone in the Physics department, for them to read the paper where it was published, and give feedback to the committee. For that reason, I don’t think that you need to upload more than the abstract. If it has not yet been published, but has already been submitted, I think there may be regulations about what one can do with that paper in the interim. And if it is not something that you are submitting to a journal, then I’m not sure it should be included at all. So, if published already, definitely abstract and link to journal or the citation of it. If submitted but not yet accepted, ask journal whether you can, and send abstract and mention that it’s been submitted, and that the entire paper is available if they want it. And if not submitted, get advice from a University Physics professor in that area of research, as to what you should do.