Student privacy, family trust, and authorship.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 11, 2026.

This policy explains how Paperweight Studios handles information submitted through this website, diagnostic requests, intake forms, meetings, payment workflows, and ongoing essay coaching. It is written for students and families, including international families applying to U.S. colleges.

Information the studio collects

• Contact details, such as a parent or guardian name, email address, location, time zone, and preferred communication method.
• Student context, such as grade level, application cycle, curriculum, deadline timing, essay status, school list, and support goals.
• Application and writing materials that a family chooses to share, such as drafts, outlines, brainstorm notes, activity lists, resumes, supplement prompts, and optional transcripts.
• Session and delivery records, such as scheduling details, notes, next-step memos, package scope, and parent update summaries.
• Website and campaign details, such as page URL, submission timestamp, referral or UTM parameters, and basic anti-spam signals.
• Payment records, such as purchase status, invoice details, package type, and transaction identifiers supplied by the payment provider.

How information is used

The studio uses this information to respond to inquiries, assess fit, schedule diagnostics, deliver essay strategy and coaching, prepare written feedback, manage payments, prevent spam or misuse, maintain records, and improve the website and client experience. The studio does not sell student or family information.

Student materials and authorship

Student drafts, notes, and application materials are treated as private client materials. The studio does not publish them, use them as public portfolio samples, or identify students or families in marketing without explicit permission.

Paperweight Studios does not ghostwrite essays, fabricate stories, generate final essays for submission, or guarantee admission. Coaching may include questions, structure, feedback, revision strategy, and editorial suggestions, but final application writing must remain substantially student-authored.

If AI tools are discussed or used in coaching, they are used to support planning, questions, or review. The studio does not submit sensitive student materials to public AI tools for rewriting without family permission, and AI does not replace the student's own thinking or language.

Payments

When online payments are offered, card payments are processed through a payment provider such as Stripe. Paperweight Studios does not store full card numbers, card security codes, or bank login credentials on this website. Payment providers may process payment details under their own privacy and security terms.

Service providers

The studio may use trusted service providers to operate the site and deliver services, including Vercel for website hosting and form processing, Resend or a similar transactional email provider for form notifications, scheduling, video meetings, document collaboration, CRM or spreadsheet records, payment processing, analytics, and advertising measurement. These providers receive only the information needed for their role.

Analytics and advertising

The website may capture campaign parameters submitted with a form so the studio can understand which page or campaign led to an inquiry. If analytics or ad pixels are enabled later, the studio will update this page to name the tools used and describe opt-out options before those tools collect visitor data.

Students under 18

Paperweight Studios works with high-school students through their families. A parent or guardian must approve coaching, payment, and intake for students under 18. This website is not intended for children under 13, and the studio does not knowingly collect information directly from children under 13. If a child under 13 submits information, a parent or guardian may request deletion.

Retention and deletion

The studio keeps information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected, unless a longer period is required for legal, accounting, dispute, or fraud-prevention reasons.

• Diagnostic inquiries may be kept for up to 24 months after the last interaction.
• Payment and basic business records may be kept for the period needed for accounting and tax records.
• Essay drafts, uploaded application materials, and detailed coaching notes are deleted or anonymized within 12 months after an engagement ends unless the family asks for continued storage or an active dispute requires retention.
• Families may request access, correction, or deletion of their information, subject to records that the studio must keep for legitimate business or legal reasons.

Security

The studio uses reasonable administrative and technical safeguards for student and family information, including limiting access to client materials, using reputable service providers, and avoiding public sharing of private drafts or records. No website or online service can guarantee perfect security.

International families

Families outside the United States may submit information through this website or during coaching. Information may be processed in the United States or in other countries where the studio's service providers operate. By contacting the studio, families understand that their information may be transferred and processed outside their home country.

Contact and updates

Paperweight Studios may update this policy as the website, payment workflow, service providers, analytics setup, or legal requirements change. For privacy requests, email hello@paperweight.company.