Privacy Policy

Introduction

Spark Apply("we," "our," or "us") is a college admissions preparation platform used by students and their parents or guardians. Because many of our users are minors, we hold ourselves to a high standard of privacy protection. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you use our service. It is part of our Terms of Service.

Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

• Account information (name, email address, and parent/guardian contact details)
• Student profile information used to personalize recommendations (grade level, school, GPA, coursework, interests, intended majors, geographic and financial preferences)
• Content you create in the Service (goals, notes, saved colleges and scholarships)
• Payment information (processed securely by our payment providers; managed by a parent or guardian)

Children's Privacy

We take children's privacy seriously and design the Service to comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and applicable state student-privacy laws:

• Users under 13 may only use the Service after a parent or guardian completes a verifiable consent process
• For all users under 18, a parent or guardian agrees to our terms on the student's behalf
• We collect only the information reasonably needed to provide the Service
• Parents may review, correct, or request deletion of their child's information at any time

Our Student Data Commitments

• We never sell personal information, and we never sell student data to anyone
• Student data is not used to train third-party AI models
• Certain student content (such as journal entries and essay drafts) is private to the student by default and is not visible to parents unless the student chooses to share it
• Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and stored in the United States

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and personalize the Service (College matching, scholarship and extracurricular recommendations, planning roadmaps)
• Show parents and guardians progress summaries and upcoming deadlines
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Communicate with you about service updates
• Ensure security and prevent fraud

Analytics

We may use analytics tools to understand how users interact with our Service. This includes tracking page views, feature usage, and general usage patterns to help us improve the experience. Analytics data is kept separate from personally identifiable information.

Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• With service providers who assist in operating our platform, under contractual privacy obligations
• Between linked student and parent accounts, as described in the Service
• To comply with legal obligations or protect our rights
• With your consent or at your direction

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encryption, secure authentication, and access logging for records containing minors' personal information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention & Deletion

We retain account data for as long as an account is active or as needed to provide services. We do not retain minors' data indefinitely. You (or a parent/guardian, for a minor's account) may request deletion of an account and its associated data at any time, and we honor deletion requests in accordance with applicable law.

Your Rights

You (and parents/guardians on behalf of minors) have the right to:

• Access and review personal information
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Delete the account and associated data
• Opt-out of marketing communications

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date, and where required, by notifying parents/guardians directly.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@sparkapply.ai