What “data broker” means at Appily
You may have seen the phrase “data broker” in our footer and wondered what it means. We know it can sound alarming without context. The term “data broker” can have different meanings under different state privacy laws.
Appily includes that language because certain state privacy laws use broad definitions for how companies collect, use, or share personal information. In some cases, those laws may apply to services like ours. For you, that does not change what Appily is here to do: help you explore colleges, find scholarships, and make more informed decisions about what comes next.
How we use student information
We use information to power the helpful tools and experiences you find on Appily. This personalization allows you to:
• search for colleges that match your interests and academics
• find scholarships that fit your profile
• get relevant college match recommendations
• explore the most relevant and interesting parts of campus through virtual tours
• see your chances for admission and compare how colleges stack up for you
• connect with real college admission offers
We also use student information to improve our site and build better products and services over time.
Where our information comes from
Appily works directly with colleges, universities, scholarship organizations, and publicly available educational and institutional data sources to gather, validate, and share college and scholarship information.
We also use information you provide to personalize your experience and make our recommendations more useful. In some cases, we may share your information with colleges or other organizations as described in our Privacy Notice, including where you express interest in hearing from institutions or where institutions may be interested in students with similar interests or qualifications.
What this does and does not mean
Seeing the phrase “data broker” in our footer does not mean Appily is collecting information without a purpose or consumer-facing service. It means privacy laws may classify certain types of data use or sharing in ways that are broader than most people expect.
At Appily, our goal is to use information to help you discover colleges, scholarships, and opportunities that are relevant to you.
Do I have choices?
Yes. Depending on your state of residence, you may have choices regarding how your personal information is used, including the ability to opt out of certain sales, sharing, or targeted advertising activities.
Our Privacy Notice explains how Appily collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information, along with the choices and rights available to consumers under applicable law.
Will I get spammed if I sign up?
Appily is designed to help you discover colleges and scholarships that fit you. We may share information with schools you’ve expressed interest in and, in some cases, with schools may align with the interests and information you choose to provide. The goal is to make the college and scholarship search process easier and more relevant and useful to you.
You can update your preferences or delete your account at any time.
In some circumstances, Appily may share personal information with colleges, scholarship providers, advertising partners, analytics providers, or other organizations as described in our Privacy Notice and applicable state privacy notices.
How Appily helps protect information
Appily respects your privacy and uses administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to help protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. We also believe you should be able to understand how your information is used, which is why we provide privacy notices, preference tools, and additional explanations like this one.
