Privacy Policy

Your privacy is important to us. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information.

Last updated: August 22, 2025

Privacy at a Glance

What we collect:

• Account information (name, email)
• College search preferences
• Anonymous usage statistics

What we don't do:

• Sell your data to third parties
• Track you across other websites
• Use your data for advertising

Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your name and email address through our authentication provider (Clerk). This information is necessary to provide you with personalized college recommendations and save your preferences.

College Search Data

We collect information about your college preferences, including academic interests, GPA, test scores, location preferences, and other criteria you provide. This data is used solely to provide better college recommendations.

Usage Analytics

With your consent, we collect anonymous usage data including page views, search patterns, and feature usage. This helps us improve our service and understand how students use our platform.

Technical Information

We automatically collect certain technical information including IP address (anonymized), browser type, device information, and performance metrics to ensure our service works properly and securely.

How We Use Your Information

Primary Purposes

Provide personalized college recommendations based on your criteria
Save your search preferences and application planning data
Authenticate your account and maintain security
Communicate with you about your account and our services

Service Improvement

Analyze usage patterns to improve our algorithms and user experience
Monitor performance and fix technical issues
Develop new features based on user needs
Ensure our service is secure and functioning properly

Cookie Policy

We use cookies and similar technologies to provide and improve our services. You have control over which cookies you accept through our cookie consent banner.

Essential Cookies (Always Active)

Authentication and security
User preferences and settings
Basic functionality

Optional Cookies (Your Choice)

Analytics and performance monitoring
Feature usage tracking
User experience improvements

Note: We do not use advertising cookies or track you across other websites. All analytics data is collected anonymously and used only to improve our service.

Data Security & Protection

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information:

Encryption: All data is transmitted using HTTPS encryption
Authentication: Secure authentication provided by Clerk
Access Controls: Strict access controls and regular security audits
Data Minimization: We only collect data necessary for our services
Regular Updates: We keep our security measures current with best practices

Your Rights & Choices

You have several rights regarding your personal information:

Data Rights

Access your personal data
Correct inaccurate information
Delete your account and data
Export your data

Privacy Choices

Control cookie preferences
Opt out of analytics tracking
Update communication preferences
Manage account visibility

How to exercise your rights: Contact us at privacy@collegedecider.com or use the account settings in your dashboard to manage your preferences.

Third-Party Services

We use carefully selected third-party services to provide our functionality:

Clerk (Authentication)

Handles user authentication and account management. View their privacy policy at clerk.com/privacy

Google Analytics (Optional)

Anonymous analytics only with your consent. IP addresses are anonymized. View Google's privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy

Vercel (Hosting)

Provides secure hosting and performance optimization. View their privacy policy at vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

Email: privacy@collegedecider.com

Response Time: We aim to respond within 48 hours

Data Protection Officer: Available for GDPR-related inquiries

Return to Dashboard Back to Home