EDCOUNSELOR PRIVACY POLICY

Last Updated: 8/30/2026

EdCounselor, LLC (“EdCounselor,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal and educational information entrusted to us.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect information when you access or use the EdCounselor website, applications, software, tools, and related services (collectively, the “Services”).

Because the Services may be used by high school students and their parents or legal guardians, this Privacy Policy includes additional provisions concerning minors, parental rights, educational information, and applicable children's privacy laws.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms of Service.

1. Definitions

For purposes of this Privacy Policy:

• “Personal Information” means information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be linked with an individual or household, as defined by applicable law.
• “Educational Information” means information relating to a student's education, academic history, educational activities, or interactions with educational institutions, including grades, assignments, academic records, courses, and similar information.
• “Student” means an individual who uses or accesses the Services for educational or college-planning purposes.
• “Parent/Guardian” means a parent or legal guardian with legal authority to act on behalf of a minor.
• “Service Provider” means a third-party company or contractor that processes information on EdCounselor's behalf to provide, maintain, secure, or improve the Services.
• “De-Identified Information” means information that has been processed so that it cannot reasonably be used to identify an individual, as permitted by applicable law.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide directly to us, information generated through your use of the Services, and, where applicable, information received from authorized third parties.

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Depending on how you use the Services, we may collect:

• name
• email address
• telephone number
• account credentials
• parent or guardian contact information
• residential address
• parent's education information
• school name
• grade level
• test scores (SAT/ ACT)
• academic interests
• educational goals
• college or career interests
• communications with EdCounselor AI
• information submitted through forms
• documents or files you upload
• school emails that you share with EdCounselor AI
• essays, assignments, or other educational materials
• academic records
• grades and coursework
• standardized testing information, if provided
• extracurricular activities
• preferences and interests and
• other information you voluntarily provide.

2.2 Educational Information

The Services may allow users to provide educational information, including:

• grades
• GPA
• coursework
• assignments
• academic records
• school information
• academic interests
• extracurricular activities
• college preferences
• test scores (SAT/ACT)
• school newsletters, catalogs, and other emails from schools
• admissions-related information and
• other information relating to a student's educational experience.

You are not required to provide information that is not necessary for the particular feature you are using.

2.3. Information From Parents or Guardians

Parents or legal guardians may provide information about themselves or a student, including:

• parent/guardian name
• contact information
• residential address
• educational background
• relationship to the student
• consent or authorization information
• student's college preferences
• account information and
• information necessary to administer parental rights or controls.

2.4 Information From Schools or Other Authorized Parties

Where authorized and legally permitted, EdCounselor may receive information from schools, educational institutions, counselors, or other authorized parties for purposes of providing or supporting the Services.

EdCounselor will not request or access educational records from a school unless the applicable disclosure is authorized and permitted under applicable law and the relevant arrangement with the school or educational institution.

2.5 Automatically Collected Information

When you access or use the Services, we may automatically collect information such as:

• IP address
• browser type
• operating system
• device type
• device identifiers
• general location information derived from IP address
• pages or features accessed
• referring and exit pages
• dates and times of access
• interactions with features
• search or navigation activity within the Services
• crash reports
• performance information and
• other technical or usage information.

2.6 Cookies and Similar Technologies

We may use cookies, pixels, web beacons, local storage, software development kits, and similar technologies to:

• operate the Services
• remember preferences
• maintain sessions
• authenticate users
• understand how users interact with the Services
• measure performance
• detect fraud or abuse
• maintain security and
• improve the Services.

Where required by law, we will provide appropriate notice and choices regarding non-essential cookies and similar technologies.

3. Information We Receive From Third Parties

Depending on the Services you use, we may receive information from:

• schools or educational institutions
• parents or guardians
• authorized counselors or educators
• service providers
• authentication providers
• analytics providers
• security and fraud-prevention providers
• publicly available sources
• third-party integrations and
• other parties with appropriate authorization.

We will use information received from third parties in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

4. How We Use Information

We may use Personal Information and Educational Information for the following purposes:

Providing the Services

• creating and maintaining accounts
• providing educational tools
• manage school communications
• personalizing educational experiences
• providing school or college recommendations
• organizing academic information
• providing admissions-planning tools
• tracking progress
• responding to questions and requests and
• providing customer support.

Improving the Services

• understanding how users interact with the Services
• identifying bugs and technical problems
• developing and testing new features
• improving usability
• evaluating performance
• conducting internal research and analysis and
• maintaining and improving security.

Communications

We may use contact information to:

• respond to inquiries
• provide account notices
• communicate about Services
• send administrative messages
• provide security notifications and
• send marketing communications where permitted by law and, where required, with appropriate consent.

You may unsubscribe from promotional communications using the method provided in the communication.

Safety, Security, and Fraud Prevention

We may process information to:

• detect and prevent fraud
• investigate misuse
• protect accounts
• protect students and other users
• detect security incidents
• prevent unauthorized access
• enforce our Terms of Service and
• protect the rights, safety, and property of EdCounselor and others.

Legal Compliance

We may process information to:

• comply with applicable law
• respond to lawful governmental requests
• comply with court orders and subpoenas
• establish or defend legal claims and
• satisfy regulatory obligations.

5. AI-Powered Features

Some EdCounselor features may use artificial intelligence, machine learning, automated decision-support systems, or third-party AI technologies (“AI Features”).

AI Features may process information that users submit to the Services, including educational information and other information necessary to generate personalized responses, recommendations, summaries, or other outputs.

AI Inputs

Information submitted to an AI Feature may be transmitted to EdCounselor's systems and, where necessary to provide that feature, to authorized third-party AI or technology providers.

EdCounselor will require applicable service providers to process information only for authorized purposes and subject to appropriate contractual and security requirements.

AI Model Training

EdCounselor will not use identifiable student information to train general-purpose AI models unless permitted by applicable law and disclosed to users in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

AI Providers

Where EdCounselor uses third-party AI providers, those providers may process information on EdCounselor's behalf solely as necessary to provide the applicable feature and subject to applicable contractual restrictions.

EdCounselor will identify material third-party AI providers or categories of providers where required by applicable law.

AI Outputs

AI-generated responses may be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated. Users should not assume that an AI-generated response is authoritative or professionally verified.

AI Features should not be used as a substitute for professional legal, medical, financial, mental-health, or other professional advice.

6. How We Share Information

EdCounselor does not sell Personal Information or Educational Information as described in this Privacy Policy.

We may disclose information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We may share information with service providers that help us operate the Services, including providers supporting:

• cloud hosting
• data storage
• analytics
• authentication
• security
• customer support
• communications
• AI technologies
• software infrastructure
• database management and
• other business operations.

Service providers are authorized to process information only for permitted business purposes and subject to appropriate contractual protections.

Schools and Educational Institutions

Where authorized and legally permitted, we may disclose Educational Information to schools or educational institutions to provide requested services, support educational activities, or comply with applicable educational privacy requirements.

Parents and Guardians

Where legally appropriate, we may provide information to a student's parent or legal guardian, including information necessary to exercise applicable parental rights.

Legal and Safety Disclosures

We may disclose information where reasonably necessary to:

• comply with law
• respond to legal process
• respond to governmental requests
• enforce our Terms
• investigate suspected fraud or abuse
• protect the safety of users
• prevent harm or
• protect the rights and property of EdCounselor or others.

Business Transactions

Information may be transferred or disclosed as part of an actual or proposed:

• merger
• acquisition
• financing
• reorganization
• bankruptcy
• sale of assets
• sale of the company or
• similar corporate transaction.

Any such transfer will remain subject to applicable legal requirements.

Professional Advisors

We may disclose information to attorneys, accountants, auditors, insurers, financial advisors, and other professional advisors where reasonably necessary to operate or protect our business.

7. Data Minimization

EdCounselor seeks to collect and process information that is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Users should avoid submitting sensitive information that is not requested or necessary for the particular Service.

If a feature does not require a particular category of information, users should not voluntarily provide it.

8. Sensitive Personal Information

Certain information may be considered “sensitive personal information” or a similar protected category under applicable law.

Depending on the Services used, this may include information such as:

• precise geolocation
• account login credentials
• certain government identifiers
• certain financial information
• information concerning health or similar protected characteristics or
• other information classified as sensitive under applicable law.

EdCounselor will process sensitive information only as reasonably necessary for disclosed purposes and as permitted by applicable law.

EdCounselor does not require users to submit sensitive information unless it is reasonably necessary for a particular feature or service.

9. Children's and Minors' Privacy

The Services are intended primarily for students who are at least fourteen (14) years old, unless otherwise expressly stated by EdCounselor.

EdCounselor does not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under fourteen (14), as the application is not meant for children younger than fourteen (14).

If we learn that we have collected Personal Information from a child under fourteen (14), we will take reasonable steps to delete the information as required by applicable law.

EdCounselor does not knowingly collect Personal Information from children between fourteen (14) and eighteen (18) without verifiable parental consent where such consent is required by applicable law.

If we learn that we have collected Personal Information from a child between fourteen (14) and eighteen (18) without the required parental consent, we will take reasonable steps to delete the information as required by applicable law.

Parents or legal guardians may contact us regarding a child's information using the contact information below.

Under special circumstances, where a child of age 13 requires access, parents must request for permission from EdCounselor officers by emailing to admin@edcounselor.ai and wait to get a formal, written approval from EdCounselor before providing consent to the child to access EdCounselor.

10. Parental and Guardian Rights

Where required by applicable law, parents and legal guardians may have rights concerning a minor's Personal Information, including the ability to:

• review information collected from the child
• request correction of inaccurate information
• request deletion of information
• request that certain collection or use cease
• manage or withdraw parental consent where applicable and
• exercise other rights provided by applicable law.

We may take reasonable steps to verify the identity and authority of a person making a parental request before providing information or taking action.

11. Educational Records and FERPA

EdCounselor recognizes that certain information handled through the Services may constitute education records subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) when provided by or maintained on behalf of a covered educational institution.

Where EdCounselor acts as a service provider or school official for an educational institution, EdCounselor will handle applicable education records in accordance with the applicable agreement, authorized purpose, and requirements of FERPA and other applicable law.

EdCounselor does not independently determine that information is subject to FERPA solely because the information concerns a student.

Where applicable, EdCounselor will use Educational Information only for authorized educational purposes and will not use such information for unrelated purposes inconsistent with the applicable agreement or law.

12. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live and applicable law, you may have rights concerning your Personal Information.

These rights may include:

• the right to know or access Personal Information
• the right to correct inaccurate Personal Information
• the right to request deletion
• the right to obtain a copy of certain information
• the right to opt out of certain sales or sharing of Personal Information
• the right to limit certain uses of sensitive Personal Information where applicable
• the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent and
• the right not to receive discriminatory treatment for exercising applicable privacy rights.

The availability and scope of these rights depend on applicable law and may be subject to legal exceptions.

13. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”), to the extent the law applies to EdCounselor and your information.

These rights may include:

• Right to Know

You may request information about the categories and specific pieces of Personal Information we collect, use, disclose, or otherwise process, subject to applicable exceptions.

• Right to Delete

You may request deletion of Personal Information, subject to exceptions permitted by law.

• Right to Correct

You may request correction of inaccurate Personal Information.

EdCounselor currently does not sell or share Personal Information for cross-context behavioral advertising

• Right to Limit Certain Sensitive Information

Where applicable, you may have the right to limit certain uses and disclosures of sensitive Personal Information.

• Non-Discrimination

EdCounselor will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights provided by applicable law.

14. How to Submit a Privacy Request

To submit a privacy request, contact us at:

Email:admin@edcounselor.ai

Requests should identify:

• the name associated with the account
• the type of request
• sufficient information for us to identify the relevant account or information
• and
• any other information reasonably necessary to verify the request.

For security purposes, EdCounselor may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests.

Where a request is submitted by a parent or guardian on behalf of a minor, we may require reasonable verification of the parent's or guardian's identity and authority.

We will respond to verified requests within the time required by applicable law.

15. Withdrawal of Consent

Where EdCounselor relies on consent to process Personal Information, you may withdraw consent by contacting us using the information provided in this Privacy Policy, subject to applicable legal and operational limitations.

Withdrawal of consent will not affect processing that occurred before consent was withdrawn.

Certain Services may not function properly if information necessary to provide those Services is deleted or if applicable consent is withdrawn.

16. Data Retention

EdCounselor retains Personal Information and Educational Information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• provide the Services
• maintain accounts
• fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy
• comply with legal obligations
• resolve disputes
• enforce agreements
• prevent fraud and abuse
• protect security
• maintain business and financial records
• or
• otherwise fulfill legitimate and lawful business purposes.

When information is no longer required, EdCounselor will take reasonable steps to delete, de-identify, or securely isolate the information, subject to applicable legal requirements and technical limitations.

Certain information may remain in backup systems for a limited period before being securely overwritten or deleted.

17. Data Security

EdCounselor maintains reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect Personal Information and Educational Information against unauthorized access, acquisition, alteration, disclosure, destruction, or misuse.

Depending on the circumstances, safeguards may include:

• encryption in transit
• encryption at rest where appropriate
• access controls
• authentication procedures
• role-based access
• security monitoring
• secure infrastructure
• employee confidentiality requirements
• vendor security requirements
• and
• procedures for responding to security incidents.

No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. Accordingly, EdCounselor cannot guarantee that information will never be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed through a security incident.

If EdCounselor determines that a security incident requires notification under applicable law, we will provide notice as required by law.

18. Data Export and Account Deletion

Where supported by the Services, users may request access to or export of certain information associated with their account.

Users may also request account deletion, subject to applicable legal and operational requirements.

Deletion of an account may not immediately result in deletion of all information where retention is required or permitted by law, necessary to resolve disputes, protect security, prevent fraud, or otherwise fulfill a lawful purpose.

19. De-Identified and Aggregated Information

EdCounselor may create or use information that has been aggregated or de-identified so that it cannot reasonably be used to identify an individual.

To the extent permitted by law, EdCounselor may use de-identified or aggregated information for purposes including:

• analytics
• research
• service improvement
• product development
• security
• reporting
• benchmarking and
• understanding general usage trends.

EdCounselor will not attempt to re-identify de-identified information except where permitted or required by applicable law.

20. Third-Party Websites and Services

The Services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, educational institutions, social media platforms, or other services.

EdCounselor does not control those third parties and is not responsible for their privacy practices.

Information submitted directly to a third-party service is governed by that third party's privacy policy and terms.

We encourage users and parents/guardians to review third-party privacy policies before providing information.

21. Third-Party Service Providers

EdCounselor may use third-party providers to support the Services.

Depending on the Services offered, these providers may include providers of:

• cloud hosting
• databases
• analytics
• authentication
• communications
• customer support
• cybersecurity
• AI technology
• error monitoring
• billing and payment processing
• content delivery and
• other infrastructure.

EdCounselor will seek to require applicable service providers to maintain appropriate safeguards and to use information only for authorized purposes.

22. Social Media and Public Features

If EdCounselor offers integrations with social media platforms or public-facing features, information you choose to post or disclose publicly may become accessible to others.

EdCounselor cannot control how third parties may use information that you voluntarily make public.

Users should avoid publicly posting sensitive educational, personal, or identifying information.

23. International Data Processing

EdCounselor is based in the United States.

Depending on the Services and third-party providers used, Personal Information may be stored or processed in the United States or other jurisdictions where EdCounselor or its service providers operate.

Where required by applicable law, EdCounselor will implement appropriate safeguards for international transfers.

24. Information Concerning Payments

If EdCounselor offers paid Services, payment information may be processed by third-party payment processors.

EdCounselor may receive limited payment-related information, such as transaction status, billing information, or the last four digits of a payment card, but payment card information may be processed and stored directly by the applicable payment processor.

Payment processing may be governed by the payment processor's own privacy policy and terms.

25. Business Changes

If EdCounselor is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, restructuring, bankruptcy, sale of assets, or other corporate transaction, Personal Information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Any transfer will remain subject to applicable privacy obligations.

26. Changes to This Privacy Policy

EdCounselor may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in:

• our data practices
• the Services
• technology
• applicable laws
• or
• business operations.

When we make material changes, we will provide notice through the Services, by email, or by another legally appropriate method.

The revised Privacy Policy will include an updated “Last Updated” date.

Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of an updated Privacy Policy will be subject to the revised policy to the extent permitted by applicable law.

27. Contact Us

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

EdCounselor, LLC

admin@edcounselor.ai

(714) 209 3500

For privacy requests, please use:

Privacy Contact: admin@edcounselor.ai

For requests concerning a minor, please identify yourself as the child's parent or legal guardian and provide sufficient information for us to verify your relationship and the applicable account.