Overview
This Privacy Policy describes how America EDU ("we," "us," or "this site") collects, uses, and shares information when you visit america.edu (the "Site"). We are an independent education research and planning resource; we are not a college, government agency, or financial institution, and we do not process college admissions or financial aid applications. This policy is written to be read alongside our About page, which describes our editorial approach and advertising model in more detail.
Information we collect
We collect information in a few ways. Information you provide directly includes anything you submit through a contact form, such as your name, email address, and the content of your message. Information collected automatically includes standard web log data (IP address, browser type, device type, referring page, pages visited, and time spent on the Site), collected through server logs, cookies, and similar technologies described below. We do not knowingly collect Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, or other sensitive government identifiers through this Site, and we ask that you not include this type of sensitive information in any contact form submission unless it is genuinely necessary to address your specific inquiry. If a message submitted through our contact form does include this type of sensitive information, we will handle it with heightened care and delete it once it is no longer needed to address your inquiry.
Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help a website function and help site operators and their partners understand how the site is used. We and our third-party partners (including advertising and analytics providers) may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies for purposes including remembering your preferences, understanding site usage patterns, and serving relevant advertising. Most web browsers let you control cookies through their settings, including blocking or deleting them; note that blocking cookies may affect how parts of the Site function.
Advertising (Google AdSense)
This Site displays advertisements served through Google AdSense and potentially other third-party advertising networks. Google and its partners may use cookies and similar technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites. You can learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services, and manage your ad personalization settings, at Google's Ads Settings page and at google.com/policies/technologies/ads. Third-party advertising vendors may also participate in industry opt-out programs, such as those offered by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI). As described on our About page, advertising does not influence our editorial content, and we do not accept payment from colleges or education companies in exchange for favorable coverage.
Analytics
We may use web analytics services (such as Google Analytics or similar tools) to understand how visitors use the Site in aggregate — which pages are most visited, how visitors navigate the Site, and general traffic patterns. Analytics data is generally used in aggregated or pseudonymized form to improve site content and structure, not to identify individual visitors personally.
How we use information
- To operate, maintain, and improve the Site and its content.
- To respond to inquiries submitted through our contact page.
- To understand aggregate usage patterns and improve site navigation and content.
- To serve and measure the performance of advertising, in partnership with third-party ad networks.
- To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, abuse, or security concerns.
How information is shared
We do not sell personal information for money, and any sharing described here is limited to the purposes outlined in this policy. We may share information with: service providers who perform functions on our behalf (such as hosting, analytics, and advertising providers), each operating under their own privacy policies; law enforcement or other parties when required by law, legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of this Site, its users, or others; and in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which case information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to standard confidentiality protections.
Your choices and rights
Depending on your location, you may have rights under applicable privacy law (such as the California Consumer Privacy Act or the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation) to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your personal information, and to opt out of certain data sharing. To exercise these rights or ask a question about your information, use the contact page. We will respond to verifiable requests in accordance with applicable law. You can also manage cookie preferences through your browser settings and manage ad personalization through Google's Ads Settings and industry opt-out tools referenced above.
Legal basis for processing (EU/UK visitors)
For visitors in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom, we process personal information on one or more of the following legal bases, as applicable: your consent (for example, for certain non-essential cookies, which you can withdraw at any time); our legitimate interests in operating, securing, and improving the Site and in providing relevant advertising, balanced against your rights and interests; and compliance with a legal obligation, where applicable. Where consent is the basis for a specific processing activity, we will ask for it before that processing begins.
Information we do not collect through this Site
To be specific about scope: this Site does not process college admissions applications, financial aid applications (including the FAFSA), or scholarship applications directly — those are handled by the relevant college, the U.S. Department of Education, or the specific scholarship provider through their own official systems, governed by their own privacy policies. We do not require account creation or login to browse this Site's content, and we do not knowingly collect Social Security numbers, passport numbers, financial account numbers, or academic records through this Site. If you need to submit that kind of sensitive information as part of an actual application or aid process, do so directly through the official system involved (a college's admissions portal, studentaid.gov, or the equivalent), not through this Site.
Do Not Track signals
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) setting that sends a signal to websites requesting that they not track the user's browsing. There is currently no universally accepted industry standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals, and this Site does not currently respond differently to browsers with DNT enabled. You can still control tracking through cookie settings, ad personalization opt-outs, and browser privacy extensions as described above.
Additional disclosures for California, EU/UK, and other residents
Residents of California may have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended, including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to request deletion, and the right to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information (a term that can include certain advertising-related data sharing under CCPA's broad definition). Residents of the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and other jurisdictions with comprehensive privacy law may have rights under the GDPR/UK GDPR or equivalent local law, including rights to access, rectify, erase, or port personal information, and to object to or restrict certain processing; where consent is the legal basis for a specific processing activity (such as certain cookies), you may withdraw that consent at any time through your cookie or browser settings. To exercise any of these rights, use the contact page; we may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests, and we will respond within the timeframe required by the applicable law governing your request.
International data transfers
This Site and its service providers may process and store information in the United States and other countries. If you access the Site from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in a country with data protection laws that differ from those of your home jurisdiction. Where required by applicable law, we and our service providers rely on appropriate safeguards for such transfers, such as standard contractual clauses or another recognized transfer mechanism.
Third-party links
This Site links to third-party websites, including government agencies (such as studentaid.gov and bls.gov), accreditors, colleges, and other resources referenced throughout our content. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party sites, and we encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit through a link from this Site, particularly before submitting any personal or financial information to a third-party site such as a college's own application portal or the federal FAFSA system.
Children's privacy
This Site is intended for a general audience, including prospective college students who may be minors researching educational options; it is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 in the manner restricted by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information to us, contact us through the contact page so we can investigate and, where appropriate, delete that information promptly.
Data retention and security
We retain information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards to protect information, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you become aware of a security concern involving this Site, please report it through the contact page so we can investigate promptly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will post the updated policy on this page; material changes will be indicated by an updated effective date. Continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically, particularly if your use of the Site is ongoing rather than a one-time visit.
Contact
Questions about this Privacy Policy or requests regarding your personal information can be submitted through our contact page. Please describe your request as specifically as possible so we can route it appropriately and respond within the applicable timeframe.
This policy template is intended as a starting reference and does not constitute legal advice. Consult qualified legal counsel to confirm this policy meets your organization's actual data practices and all applicable legal requirements, including state, federal, and international privacy law, before publishing it as your operative privacy policy for this Site.
Questions about this policy
If you have questions about how this site handles data, cookies, or advertising personalization, or if you would like to exercise any rights available to you under applicable privacy law, use the contact page to reach us directly, and describe your specific question or request so we can route it appropriately. We review and, where needed, update this policy as our use of analytics and advertising tools changes, and the effective date at the top of this page reflects the most recent substantive revision.