Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

CollegeCostTruth.com ("we," "our," or "the site") is an independent educational tool that helps students and families estimate the true cost of college after financial aid. We are not affiliated with any college, university, loan servicer, or financial institution.

For privacy-related questions, contact us at: privacy@collegecosttruth.com

2. Information we do NOT collect

The calculator on this site runs entirely in your browser (client-side JavaScript). When you enter your income bracket, school type, family information, or intended major:

• None of that information is sent to our servers
• None of it is stored in a database
• None of it is linked to your identity
• None of it is sold or shared with third parties

When you close or refresh the page, all calculator inputs are gone. We have no record of them.

3. Information we do collect

Analytics (aggregate, anonymous)

We use web analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to understand how people use the site in aggregate — for example, how many visitors we receive, which pages are most popular, and what browsers or devices are used. This data is anonymous and cannot be used to identify you individually.

Analytics data we collect includes:

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• General geographic location (country and state — not city or address)
• Browser type and operating system
• Referring website (where you came from)
• Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)

Server logs

Like all websites, our servers automatically record basic request data when you visit: your IP address, the page requested, and the time of the request. These logs are used for security and performance monitoring and are retained for no more than 30 days.

4. Google AdSense and advertising cookies

This site uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google AdSense uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to show you ads that are relevant to your interests. This is the primary way this free tool is funded.

Through AdSense, Google may collect and use:

• Cookies stored in your browser to identify returning visitors
• Your general location (based on IP address)
• Browsing behavior across websites in the Google advertising network
• Device identifiers and browser fingerprint data

Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to this site and other sites on the internet. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.

For more information on how Google collects and uses data from AdSense, see Google's Privacy & Terms.

5. Cookies

Our site itself does not set first-party cookies for tracking purposes. However, third-party services we use — primarily Google AdSense and Google Analytics — do set cookies in your browser. These cookies are governed by Google's privacy policy, not ours.

You can control or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect how ads are displayed but will not affect the calculator's functionality.

6. Children's privacy

CollegeCostTruth.com is intended for use by prospective college students (typically age 16 and older) and their parents or guardians. We do not knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information through this site, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

This site complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

7. Data security

Since we do not store personal calculator inputs, there is no database of your financial information to protect. For the limited server log and analytics data we do retain, we use industry-standard security practices including HTTPS encryption for all site traffic.

8. Third-party links

This site may contain links to external resources such as government websites (FAFSA, IPEDS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or college financial aid pages. These sites have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their content or practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit.

9. California residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) to know what personal information is collected about you, the right to request deletion of your personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of your personal information.

We do not sell personal information. Because our calculator collects no personally identifiable data, there is minimal personal information associated with your use of this site. For any CCPA-related requests, contact us at privacy@collegecosttruth.com.

10. European visitors (GDPR)

If you are visiting from the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) including the right to access, rectify, and erase personal data we hold about you. Our lawful basis for processing the limited data we do collect (server logs, aggregate analytics) is legitimate interest in operating a secure and functional website.

Google AdSense's use of cookies for personalized advertising requires consent under GDPR. If you are in the EEA, Google will request your consent before serving personalized ads.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle data, please contact us: