Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 2025

Introduction

CollegeHound ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our college preparation service.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • Service refers to the CollegeHound application, website, and related services.
  • Personal Data refers to information that identifies or can reasonably be linked to an individual, including students, parents, and guardians.
  • Educational Records refers to information directly related to a student's academic performance, college preparation activities, and educational planning.
  • Usage Data refers to automatically collected data about how the Service is accessed and used.
  • You refers to the individual or family accessing or using the Service.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide to Us

We collect information when you:

  • Create or modify your account
  • Add student profiles and academic information
  • Use our college preparation tools and features
  • Communicate with us
  • Respond to surveys or questionnaires

This information may include:

Account Information:

  • Name and email address
  • Password and account preferences
  • Billing and payment information (when applicable)

Student Information:

  • Student name and basic demographics
  • Academic information (grades, GPA, courses, test scores)
  • Extracurricular activities and achievements
  • College interests and application materials
  • Educational goals and preferences

Family Information:

  • Parent/guardian contact information
  • Family collaboration preferences
  • Communication settings

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Provide Our Service: Deliver college preparation tools, guidance, and recommendations
  • Personalize Experience: Customize content and recommendations based on student profiles and goals
  • Family Collaboration: Enable secure sharing and collaboration between family members
  • Progress Tracking: Monitor academic progress and college preparation milestones
  • Communication: Send you updates, reminders, and important information about your account
  • Improvement: Analyze usage patterns to improve our Service and develop new features
  • Support: Respond to your questions, comments, and support requests
  • Legal Compliance: Comply with applicable laws and regulations

Student Data Protection

We are committed to protecting student educational information and follow best practices for educational data privacy:

  • Limited Data Collection: We only collect information necessary for our educational purpose of college preparation
  • Strong Security Measures: We implement appropriate technical and organizational safeguards to protect student information
  • No Commercial Use: We do not use student data for advertising or commercial purposes unrelated to education
  • Parental and Student Control: We provide parents and students with meaningful control over their data
  • Educational Purpose Only: Student information is used solely to provide college preparation services and guidance
  • No Unauthorized Sharing: We do not share educational records with unauthorized third parties
  • Respect for Educational Rights: We respect parents' and eligible students' rights regarding their educational information

Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell your personal information or student data to third parties.

We may disclose your information in the following situations:

With Your Consent

We may share your information when you explicitly consent to such sharing, including:

  • Sharing student profiles with colleges or scholarship organizations at your request
  • Connecting with educational consultants or tutoring services you choose
  • Integrating with other educational tools and platforms you select

Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party vendors and service providers who perform services for us, such as:

  • Cloud hosting and data storage providers
  • Payment processing services
  • Email and communication services
  • Analytics and customer support tools

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it for the specific purposes we specify.

Your Privacy Rights

For All Users

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: Request copies of your personal information
  • Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate information
  • Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances
  • Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format
  • Restriction: Request that we limit how we use your information

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Children's Privacy

COPPA Compliance

Our Service is designed for students aged 13 and older. For students under 13, we comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by:

  • Obtaining verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information
  • Limiting data collection to what is necessary for educational purposes
  • Not requiring children to disclose more information than reasonably necessary
  • Providing parents with the ability to review and delete their child's information

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: https://collegehound.com/contact
  • Mail: CollegeHound Privacy Team, [Address to be provided]

Data Protection Officer

For questions specifically related to data protection and privacy compliance, you may contact our Data Protection Officer at: [email protected]

This Privacy Policy was last updated on July 2025 and is effective immediately.