Privacy Policy

CollegeCompare ("we," "us," or "our") operates the website collegevs.com. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website. Please read this policy carefully. By using CollegeCompare, you consent to the practices described herein.

Information We Collect

We do not require you to create an account or provide personal information to use CollegeCompare. However, we may automatically collect certain information when you visit our site, including:

• Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, click patterns, referring URLs, and other interaction data.
• Device Information: Browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution, and language preferences.
• Network Information: IP address, approximate geographic location (city or region level), and internet service provider.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: Small data files stored on your device that help us recognize your browser and capture certain information. See the Cookies section below for more detail.

How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Operate, maintain, and improve CollegeCompare and its content.
• Analyze usage trends and user behavior to enhance the user experience.
• Monitor site performance, diagnose technical issues, and prevent abuse.
• Serve relevant advertisements and measure their effectiveness.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your data to build individual user profiles for purposes unrelated to CollegeCompare.

Third-Party Services

CollegeCompare uses third-party services that may collect information about you independently. These services include:

• Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our site. Google Analytics collects data such as pages visited, session duration, and demographic information using cookies. This data is aggregated and anonymous. You can opt out by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
• Google AdSense: We display advertisements served by Google AdSense. Google may use cookies and web beacons to serve ads based on your prior visits to our site and other websites. You can manage your ad personalization preferences at Google Ads Settings.
• Affiliate Programs: Some links on CollegeCompare are affiliate links. When you click an affiliate link and make a purchase or take a qualifying action, we may earn a commission. Our affiliate partners may use cookies to track referrals. See the Affiliate Disclosure section below.

These third-party services operate under their own privacy policies, which we encourage you to review.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device by websites you visit. We use cookies for the following purposes:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the basic functionality of the site, such as remembering your preferences.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with CollegeCompare by collecting and reporting usage data anonymously.
• Advertising Cookies: Used by our advertising partners to deliver relevant ads and track ad campaign performance.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Note that disabling cookies may affect site functionality.

Affiliate Disclosure

CollegeCompare participates in affiliate marketing programs. This means we may earn commissions on qualifying purchases or actions made through links on our site. These affiliate relationships do not influence our content, comparisons, or recommendations. We are committed to providing objective, research-driven college comparisons regardless of affiliate partnerships. The price you pay is not affected by whether you use an affiliate link.

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• GDPR (European Economic Area): If you are located in the EEA, you have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing, and port your personal data. You also have the right to withdraw consent and lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.
• CCPA (California): If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect, request its deletion, and opt out of its sale. We do not sell personal information.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below. We will respond to verified requests within the timeframes required by applicable law.

Data Retention

We retain automatically collected data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy. Analytics data is retained in aggregate form and is periodically purged in accordance with our data management practices and third-party service retention policies.

Children's Privacy

CollegeCompare is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us so we can promptly delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of CollegeCompare after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, contact us at: contact@collegevs.com