Dream College Path LLC · Dream College Planner
Cookie Policy
- Effective Date: February 25, 2026
- Last Updated: April 2, 2026
- Applies To: Dream College Planner Web Application and Mobile Application (iOS and Android)
- Operated By: Dream College Path LLC, 6200 Village Parkway, STE 200, Dublin, CA 94568
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and similar tracking technologies are, how Dream College Path LLC ("Dream College Path," "we," "us," or "our") uses them in the Dream College Planner application ("App" or "Service"), and the choices available to you.
This Cookie Policy is part of and incorporated into our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Capitalized terms not defined here have the meanings given in those documents. By using the Service with your browser or device cookies enabled, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy. You may withdraw your consent at any time using the controls described in Section 5.
Note. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party behavioral tracking cookies. We do not sell data derived from cookies to advertisers or data brokers.
1. What Are Cookies and Similar Technologies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) by websites and applications you visit. They are widely used to make sites and apps work or work more efficiently, to remember your preferences, and to provide information to the site or app operator.
In addition to cookies, we may use the following similar technologies:
- Local Storage and Session Storage: Browser-based storage mechanisms that function similarly to cookies but are stored directly in your browser's local storage and are not transmitted to our servers on every request.
- Pixel Tags / Web Beacons: Tiny, invisible image files embedded in web pages or emails that communicate with our servers when you load a page or open an email, confirming delivery and enabling analytics.
- Mobile Device Identifiers: On mobile devices, we may use device advertising identifiers (such as Apple IDFA or Google Advertising ID) for analytics and functional purposes. You can reset or limit these identifiers through your device settings.
- SDKs: Mobile software development kits embedded in our App that allow third-party analytics providers (e.g., Amplitude) to collect usage data.
2. Categories of Cookies We Use
We use four categories of cookies and similar technologies. The table in Section 3 lists specific cookies by name, purpose, duration, and provider.
2.1 Essential (Strictly Necessary) Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the Service to function and cannot be disabled without breaking core features. They include cookies that authenticate your session, prevent cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and store your cookie consent preferences. Because they are strictly necessary, they do not require your consent; however, we disclose them here for transparency.
2.2 Functional Cookies
Functional cookies enable enhanced features and personalization, such as remembering your language preference, timezone, notification settings, and the last section of the App you were viewing. If you disable these cookies, some features may not work as intended, but the core Service will remain functional.
2.3 Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies help us understand how users interact with the Service so we can improve features and fix issues. We use Google Analytics and Amplitude for this purpose. These tools collect data in aggregate or pseudonymous form, including page views, feature usage, session duration, and error events. We do not use analytics cookies to identify you personally or to serve targeted advertising.
2.4 Third-Party / Integration Cookies
When you use third-party features integrated into the Service — such as payment processing (Stripe) or Single Sign-On (e.g., Sign in with Google) — those third parties may set their own cookies on your device. These cookies are governed by the respective third party's privacy policy, not this Cookie Policy. We include them in our cookie inventory (Section 3) for transparency.
3. Cookie Inventory
The table below lists the cookies and similar technologies currently deployed in the Service. We update this table when we add, modify, or remove cookies.
| Cookie Name / Category | Type | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| session_id / auth_token | Essential | Maintains your authenticated session so you do not have to log in on every page. | Session (deleted on logout) | Dream College Path |
| csrf_token | Essential | Prevents cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks by validating form submissions. | Session | Dream College Path |
| cookie_consent | Essential | Stores your cookie consent preferences so we do not show the consent banner on every visit. | 12 months | Dream College Path |
| user_prefs | Functional | Remembers your display preferences such as language, timezone, and notification settings. | 12 months | Dream College Path |
| last_visited_section | Functional | Restores your last viewed section of the App to improve navigation continuity. | 30 days | Dream College Path |
| _ga / _ga_* | Analytics | Google Analytics — tracks sessions, page views, and feature usage in aggregate to help us improve the Service. No personally identifiable information is sent. | 2 years (_ga); 13 months (_ga_*) | Google LLC |
| _gid | Analytics | Google Analytics — distinguishes users for 24-hour reporting windows. | 24 hours | Google LLC |
| amplitude_id | Analytics | Amplitude product analytics — tracks in-app feature engagement in aggregate to guide product development. | 10 years (persistent) | Amplitude Inc. |
| __stripe_mid / __stripe_sid | Third-Party / Payment | Stripe — fraud prevention and payment session management during checkout. Data is processed by Stripe under their privacy policy. | 1 year / Session | Stripe Inc. |
| __Host-next-auth.csrf-token | Third-Party / Auth | NextAuth.js or equivalent SSO library — secure session cookie used during OAuth login flows (e.g., Sign in with Google). | Session | Dream College Path / Google LLC |
Note: Duration listed for persistent cookies refers to maximum lifetime. Cookies may expire earlier if you clear your browser cookies, use private/incognito mode, or delete the App. "Session" means the cookie is deleted when you close your browser or log out.
4. Cookies and Children
We do not use analytics or functional cookies to track children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. Where a minor Student uses the Service with parental consent, essential cookies required for authentication and security are used, and analytics data is collected in aggregate form only. We do not use third-party advertising cookies for any users, including minors.
Parents and guardians may manage cookie settings on behalf of their minor child using the controls described in Section 5.
5. Your Cookie Choices and Opt-Out Options
You have several ways to control the use of cookies. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Service.
| Method | What It Does | How To |
|---|---|---|
| In-App Cookie Banner | Accept or decline non-essential cookies when you first use the App. You can revisit your choices at any time. | Tap/click "Cookie Settings" in the App footer or settings menu. |
| Browser Settings | Block or delete cookies for all websites. May prevent some Service features from working. | Go to your browser's Privacy / Cookies settings. |
| Mobile OS Settings | Limit ad tracking and reset advertising identifiers on iOS and Android. | iOS: Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. Android: Settings > Privacy > Ads. |
| Google Analytics Opt-Out | Prevent Google Analytics from collecting data about your browsing across all websites where it is installed. | Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. |
| Amplitude Opt-Out | Opt out of Amplitude analytics tracking. | Contact us at privacy@dreamcollegepath.com to submit an opt-out request. |
| Do Not Track (DNT) | We honor Do Not Track browser signals by disabling non-essential analytics cookies when a DNT signal is detected. | Enable DNT in your browser settings. |
Note. Opting out of analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use core Service features such as account management, academic planning, scheduling, or payment.
6. Do Not Track Signals
Some browsers transmit "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals to websites. We honor DNT signals: when a valid DNT signal is detected, we disable non-essential analytics and functional cookies for that session. Because there is currently no industry-wide standard for how DNT signals should be interpreted, our implementation covers analytics cookies (Google Analytics, Amplitude) but cannot extend to third-party cookies set by integrated services (e.g., Stripe, Google SSO), which operate under their own policies.
7. Third-Party Cookie Policies
The following third-party services may set cookies in connection with the Service. We encourage you to review their privacy and cookie policies for more information:
- Google Analytics — policies.google.com/privacy
- Google Sign-In / OAuth — policies.google.com/privacy
- Amplitude — amplitude.com/privacy
- Stripe — stripe.com/privacy
- Apple Sign-In — apple.com/legal/privacy
We do not control third-party cookies and are not responsible for the practices of third-party services. We select third-party partners that maintain privacy practices consistent with our commitment to user privacy.
8. Mobile Application and Cookie Equivalents
The Dream College Planner mobile application (iOS and Android) does not use browser cookies. Instead, it uses equivalent technologies such as:
- Secure local storage for session tokens and authentication credentials.
- Mobile analytics SDKs (Amplitude, and potentially Firebase/Google Analytics for Firebase) that collect usage data under the same principles as our web analytics cookies.
- Device advertising identifiers (IDFA on iOS, GAID on Android) — used only for product analytics, not for advertising. You can reset or opt out of these identifiers through your device settings as described in Section 5.
On iOS, the App complies with Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework. We will request permission before accessing your IDFA. If you decline, we will not access your advertising identifier.
9. Data Retention and Cookie Lifespan
Session cookies expire automatically when you close your browser or log out of the App. Persistent cookies remain on your device for the duration listed in Section 3 unless you delete them earlier. Analytics data collected through cookies is retained in aggregated or pseudonymous form for up to 26 months (Google Analytics default retention) or 12 months (Amplitude default), after which it is automatically deleted or anonymized.
You can delete all cookies stored on your device at any time through your browser or device settings.
10. Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the technologies we use, our Service, or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy and, where appropriate, notify you via the App or email. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any updated Cookie Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.
11. Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us:
- Company: Dream College Path LLC
- Address: 6200 Village Parkway, STE 200, Dublin, CA 94568
- Privacy Email: privacy@dreamcollegepath.com
- Support Email: support@dreamcollegepath.com
For requests related to your personal information more broadly, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
This Cookie Policy is intended to comply with applicable U.S. privacy laws (including CCPA/CPRA), COPPA, and international standards including GDPR/ePrivacy Directive best practices, the Google Play Store Data Safety requirements, and the Apple App Store Privacy Nutrition Label requirements.