Information CampusGrader collects

CampusGrader may collect information that you provide directly, technical information generated when you use the website and information processed by service providers that support website operations.

Information you provide directly

• Your name or chosen display name.
• Your email address.
• Your reviewer role, such as current student, alumnus, former student or transfer student.
• Your years attended, major, academic program or graduation year when provided.
• Your college ratings, recommendation response and written review.
• Your conflict or relationship disclosure when applicable.
• Your consent to publication.
• Messages, corrections, complaints, reports or questions sent through a form.
• Any other information you voluntarily include in a submission.

College reviews and moderation

College reviews submitted to CampusGrader are held for moderation. Submitting a review does not guarantee publication.

Only approved reviews affect public star ratings, CampusGrader letter grades, category scores, review counts, college comparisons and rankings. Pending, rejected, removed or unapproved reviews do not affect those public results.

CampusGrader may review submissions for relevance, authenticity, privacy, safety, conflicts, manipulation, harassment, spam and compliance with the Review Guidelines.

CampusGrader may reject a submission, request clarification, correct formatting, remove personal information, limit public profile details or remove previously published content when reasonably necessary.

What may be public and what remains private

Conflict or relationship disclosures

Conflict or relationship disclosures are primarily used for moderation and integrity review. CampusGrader does not automatically publish the full disclosure.

When appropriate, CampusGrader may display a limited transparency notice, such as indicating that the reviewer disclosed a relevant relationship, without publishing unnecessary personal details.

Information collected automatically

When you visit CampusGrader, the website and its service providers may automatically process technical and usage information such as:

• Internet Protocol address.
• Browser and device type.
• Operating system.
• Referring and exit pages.
• Pages viewed and approximate visit times.
• General location derived from an IP address.
• Form-submission events.
• Error, performance and security logs.
• Cookie or device identifiers when applicable.

This information may be used to operate the website, identify technical issues, understand general usage, prevent abuse and protect CampusGrader.

Cookies and similar technologies

CampusGrader and services supporting the website may use cookies, local storage, pixels or similar technologies when those tools are enabled.

Browser settings may allow you to block or remove cookies. Disabling essential cookies may prevent certain website features from working properly.

Where applicable law requires consent for nonessential technologies, CampusGrader will provide an appropriate consent or preference mechanism.

How CampusGrader uses information

CampusGrader may use information to:

• Receive, evaluate, moderate and publish eligible college reviews.
• Calculate star ratings, letter grades, category scores and review counts.
• Maintain college profiles, comparisons and rankings.
• Respond to questions, corrections, complaints and privacy requests.
• Verify submissions and investigate possible fraud or manipulation.
• Prevent spam, automated submissions and abusive activity.
• Protect the security and reliability of the website.
• Improve website content, accessibility, navigation and performance.
• Maintain appropriate business, moderation and security records.
• Enforce CampusGrader policies and comply with legal obligations.

How information may be disclosed

CampusGrader may disclose information only when reasonably necessary for website operations, moderation, security, legal compliance or a legitimate business transaction.

Service providers

Information may be processed by service providers that perform functions such as website hosting, form processing, email delivery, security, analytics, backups, content delivery, technical support and website maintenance.

Service providers may process information only in connection with the services they perform, subject to their agreements and applicable law.

Legal, integrity and safety reasons

CampusGrader may preserve or disclose information when reasonably necessary to respond to lawful requests, protect rights and safety, investigate abuse, prevent fraud, enforce policies or comply with applicable law.

Business transactions

Information may be transferred as part of a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of assets or similar transaction, subject to applicable legal requirements.

Sale, sharing and targeted advertising

CampusGrader does not allow a college to purchase control over approved student opinions, star ratings, letter grades, rankings or review counts.

Some state privacy laws use specialized definitions of “sale,” “sharing” or “targeted advertising” that may include certain advertising or tracking technologies even when money is not exchanged.

If CampusGrader later uses technologies that create an applicable opt-out right, CampusGrader will provide a suitable privacy choice mechanism and update this policy.

How long information is retained

CampusGrader retains information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, review integrity, security, dispute resolution, legal compliance and legitimate business records.

Typical retention considerations

• Approved reviews may be retained while they remain relevant to a college profile and CampusGrader’s historical rating records.
• Reviewer contact information may be retained for moderation, verification, dispute handling and review-integrity purposes.
• Rejected, duplicate, fraudulent or abandoned submissions may be retained temporarily to prevent repeated abuse or resolve a dispute.
• Contact messages may be retained while a request is being handled and for reasonable follow-up or recordkeeping.
• Security and technical logs may be retained for fraud prevention, troubleshooting and website protection.
• Backup copies may remain for a limited period until backup systems are replaced or securely deleted.

Information that is no longer reasonably needed may be deleted, anonymized or de-identified.

Information security

CampusGrader uses reasonable administrative, technical and organizational safeguards intended to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

Safeguards may include access controls, software updates, encrypted connections, backups, anti-spam systems, security monitoring and limiting access to information based on operational need.

No website, storage system or transmission method can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Users should avoid submitting unnecessary sensitive information.

Your privacy choices and rights

Depending on where you live, the law that applies and whether CampusGrader meets an applicable legal threshold, you may have rights concerning personal information associated with you.

These rights may include the ability to:

• Confirm whether CampusGrader processes personal information about you.
• Request access to qualifying personal information.
• Request correction of inaccurate personal information.
• Request deletion of qualifying personal information.
• Request a portable copy of certain information.
• Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.
• Opt out of qualifying sales, sharing or targeted advertising.
• Appeal a decision concerning a qualifying privacy request.
• Use an authorized agent where permitted by applicable law.

Submitting a request

Use the CampusGrader Contact page and choose Privacy Concern. Describe the request and identify the email address or submission involved.

CampusGrader may request reasonable information to verify your identity, protect reviewer privacy and confirm that the request relates to you.

Authorized-agent requests may require proof of authorization and direct identity confirmation from the person whose information is involved.

CampusGrader will respond to verified requests within the period required by applicable law. Some requests may be denied or limited when an exception applies, including security, fraud prevention, legal obligations, freedom of expression, recordkeeping or review-integrity needs.

Non-discrimination

CampusGrader will not unlawfully discriminate against a person for exercising a qualifying privacy right.

Children’s privacy

CampusGrader is intended for prospective college students, current college students, former students, alumni, families and adults researching higher education. The website is not directed to children under 13.

CampusGrader does not knowingly seek to collect personal information online from children under 13.

If CampusGrader learns that personal information was submitted by a child under 13, CampusGrader may remove the information and take other appropriate steps. A parent or guardian may report a concern through the Contact page.

Third-party websites and service providers

CampusGrader may link to college websites, government resources, social platforms, maps, videos or other external services.

Third-party services operate under their own terms, privacy policies and security practices. CampusGrader does not control how an external website handles information after you leave CampusGrader.

The categories of service providers CampusGrader may use include:

• Website hosting and content-delivery providers.
• WordPress, theme and plugin providers.
• Form-processing and email-delivery providers.
• Security, anti-spam and bot-prevention services.
• Analytics and website-performance services.
• Backup and technical-support providers.

Visitors outside the United States

CampusGrader is operated in the United States. Information submitted from another country may be transferred to, stored in or processed in the United States or another location where CampusGrader’s service providers operate.

Privacy protections and legal requirements may differ from those in your country. Where applicable law grants additional rights, you may submit a privacy request through the Contact page.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

CampusGrader may update this policy when the website, its review system, service providers, business practices or applicable requirements change.

The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. When legally required, CampusGrader may provide additional notice or request consent before applying a material change.