Privacy Policy

Last updated: 7 September 2026

This policy explains what personal information Academic Portfolio Advising collects, why, and what control you have over it. It is written to be read, not to be endured.

Who is responsible for your data

Academic Portfolio Advising is a sole-practitioner advising service operating from New York City, United States. For the purposes of data protection law, I am the "data controller" — the person who decides how your information is handled.

You can reach me at any time at hello@academicportfolioadvising.com.

What I collect

Information you give me directly

Your email address, if you request the Portfolio Checklist.
Anything you choose to send me by email — for example when you request a consultation call, you may tell me your name, location, target schools, application timeline, and what you would like help with. You decide how much to share.

Information collected automatically

Basic technical data — IP address, browser type, pages visited, and timestamps, recorded in standard server logs by my hosting provider for security and reliability.
Your language preference — when you switch between English and 中文, that choice is stored locally in your own browser so the site remembers it. This never leaves your device and is not used to identify you.

What I do not do: there are no advertising trackers, no analytics profiling, and no cookies used to follow you across other websites. I do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to anyone, ever.

Why I use it, and on what legal basis

To send you the checklist you asked for — on the basis of your consent.
To reply to your enquiry and arrange a consultation — on the basis of your request and our pre-contractual dealings.
To send occasional useful guidance by email, if you have opted in — on the basis of your consent, which you may withdraw at any time.
To keep the site secure and working — on the basis of my legitimate interest in operating a functional, non-abused website.

Who else handles your data

I keep the number of third parties deliberately small. Those involved are:

Netlify (United States) — hosts this website and stores checklist form submissions on my behalf.
Google Fonts — the site loads typefaces from Google's servers, which means your IP address is visible to Google when the fonts load. No cookies are set for this.
My email provider — receives and stores messages you send me, as any email service does.

These providers act as processors handling data on my instructions, not for their own purposes.

Where your data is stored, and international transfers

I operate from the United States, and the services above store data on servers located in the United States. If you are writing from China, the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area, or anywhere else outside the US, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States.

US data protection law differs from the law in your country and may offer fewer protections. By sending me your information, you understand that this transfer is necessary for me to respond to you and provide the service you have asked for. Where required, I rely on your explicit consent and on standard contractual protections offered by my providers.

How long I keep it

Checklist email addresses — kept until you ask me to remove you, or after roughly two years of no contact, whichever comes first.
Enquiry and consultation emails — kept for up to three years so I can pick up a conversation where we left off, then deleted.
Server logs — retained for a short period by my hosting provider, typically a matter of weeks.

Your rights

Wherever you live, you may ask me to:

tell you what information I hold about you, and give you a copy;
correct anything inaccurate;
delete your information;
stop sending you email;
restrict or object to how I use your information;
withdraw consent you previously gave.

Email me and I will action your request within 30 days, free of charge. I will not treat you differently for exercising these rights.

If you are in the UK or the European Economic Area

You hold these rights under the UK GDPR and the EU GDPR, including the right to receive your data in a portable format and the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority.

If you are in mainland China

Under the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), you have the right to know how your personal information is handled, to access and correct it, to request its deletion, to withdraw consent, and to ask me to explain these practices. Because my services are offered to individuals in China from outside China, I handle your information on the basis of your separate, informed consent — which you give by choosing to contact me or request the checklist, and which you can withdraw at any time by email.

If you are in California

You have the right to know what personal information is collected, to request deletion, and not to be discriminated against for exercising those rights. I do not sell personal information.

Applicants under 18

Many people applying to art, fashion, and design programmes are 17 or younger, and this service is often arranged by a parent or guardian. I do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16 without the involvement of a parent or guardian. If you are under 16, please ask a parent or guardian to make contact on your behalf, or to be present when you do. If you believe a child has given me personal information without that involvement, email me and I will delete it promptly.

Security

This site is served entirely over an encrypted HTTPS connection, and the services I use apply industry-standard safeguards. That said, no method of transmitting information over the internet is completely secure, and I cannot guarantee absolute security. Please don't send me sensitive personal details — financial information, identity documents, or health data — by email.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the revised version will appear on this page with a new "last updated" date. Significant changes affecting how I use your information will be communicated by email where I have a way to reach you.

Governing law

This policy is governed by the laws of the State of New York, United States, without prejudice to the rights available to you under the data protection laws of your own country.

Questions, or want your data removed?

Email hello@academicportfolioadvising.com and I'll respond personally.

This policy was prepared as a plain-language description of actual practice and is not legal advice. If your practice grows — adding analytics, a booking platform, payments, or an email marketing tool — this policy will need updating, and a qualified privacy professional should review it.