Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for Use of BestCollegesOnline.com (Effective Date January 29, 2016)
Thank you for visiting our site and making use of our content and services. By using BestCollegesOnline.com, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy explained herein. Below, we document the types of information we gather and how we use it to enhance our content and the related products and services on our site.
We generally collect two types of information: submitted and automatic.
Submitted information encompasses all information — name, telephone number, email and mailing addresses — voluntarily given to us through web forms. When you request further information about a school or program, and fill in one of these forms, that information is saved and shared with the relevant schools and entities. This allows them and us to contact you regarding the information you requested.
In accordance with all applicable laws, the submission of a web form authorizes BestCollegesOnline.com and our affiliated schools and partners to contact you using the information you provided. You reserve the right to opt out of any email correspondences and will be provided with an unsubscribe link in the email you receive from us, a school, or a third party. If you choose to unsubscribe, you will be removed from mailing lists for that sender.
Automatic information is anonymous information — browser version, operating system version, IP address — collected through the use of “cookies”. This information is gathered any time you interact with BestCollegesOnline.com and is used for site optimization and analytics. Cookies are also used to create advertisements based on the information you interacted with most while on our site.
By visiting and using BestCollegesOnline.com, you agree that the information collected on our website may be shared with our affiliates, including schools, companies, and third party marketing partners and vendors for the purpose of informing you about degrees, programs, and other education products and services. You also grant us and our affiliates permission to contact you for a period of time. Your submission waives any rights granted to you by the Do Not Call list and may exempt us from other applicable laws.
Through use of our site, you acknowledge and agree that we retain the right to share your personal information when required by law in order to protect our rights and ensure your safety and the safety of others. We may also release your information in reply to a legal or governmental request, subpoena, and/or in the case that BestCollegesOnline.com merges with, is acquired by, or sells some or all of it’s assets to a third party.
Changes to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
The Terms of Use and Privacy Policy may change periodically. We recommend that you revisit this document to review changes to our practices regarding your personal information and privacy.
The Use of Cookies
Cookies are pieces of data sent from a website to a user’s web browser. Using Google Analytics, a tool created and provided by Google, Inc., we use information gathered by cookies to analyze how our site is used. Collecting information through cookies allows us to measure anonymous data to optimize our website. We are also able to determine the relevance of our content, the quality of user experience, and advertising effectiveness. Read Google’s privacy policy for more information on how Google Analytics uses and protects your automatic information.
Cookies used to create advertisements do not contain identifiable information; users remain anonymous, but advertisers are able to make ads based on the user’s interests. This type of advertising cookie is sometimes called a third-party cookie because they work on behalf of a third party entity.
Refusing and Removing Cookies and Third Party Advertising
By going into your browser’s settings, you can remove your browsing history and any cookies your use of the internet has placed therein. You will need to do this every time you use the web if you do not want cookies to remain attached to your browser.
You can opt-out of receiving personalized advertisements from third party vendors. By visiting the websites for the Network Advertising Initiative or the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising, you can remove ads based on your browsing history from all vendors who are members of these organizations.