1. Definitions

For purposes of these Terms:

• “Client” means the individual who purchases, contracts for, or pays for Services, including a parent or legal guardian purchasing Services for a Student.
• “Student” means the individual applicant, prospective applicant, student, or other person receiving the benefit of the Services.
• “User” means any Client, Student, website visitor, account holder, or other person accessing the Platform or Services.
• “Order” means any invoice, order form, checkout page, proposal, statement of work, engagement agreement, package description, written service confirmation, or other document identifying Services purchased from DegreeMentors.

Where the Client and Student are the same person, references to either term apply to that person as appropriate.

2. Acceptance and Contracting Authority

By accepting these Terms, you represent and warrant that:

1. you have the legal capacity and authority to enter into a binding contract;
2. all information you provide to DegreeMentors is truthful, accurate, and complete;
3. if you are accepting these Terms on behalf of another person or organization, you are authorized to bind that person or organization; and
4. you will comply with these Terms and all applicable laws, rules, regulations, institutional policies, and application requirements.

If a parent, guardian, or other person purchases Services for a Student, that purchaser is independently bound by these Terms and is responsible for all payment obligations associated with the Services.

3. Students Under 18

Many DegreeMentors Students are minors.

A Student under the age of eighteen must have the authorization of a parent or legal guardian to purchase paid Services or enter into a contractual relationship with DegreeMentors.

Where a parent or legal guardian purchases Services for a minor Student, the parent or guardian:

1. represents that they have authority to act on behalf of the Student;
2. consents to the Student receiving the Services;
3. consents to reasonable direct communications between DegreeMentors personnel and the Student for purposes of providing the Services;
4. remains responsible for all payment obligations;
5. agrees to supervise the Student’s participation as the parent or guardian considers appropriate; and
6. agrees to these Terms both individually and on behalf of the Student to the extent legally permitted.

Nothing in these Terms limits any protection provided to minors under applicable law.

4. Children Under 13

The Platform and Services are not directed to children under thirteen years of age.

A child under thirteen may not independently create an account, submit personal information through the Platform, purchase Services, or communicate personal information to DegreeMentors online.

If DegreeMentors learns that it has collected personal information online directly from a child under thirteen without legally required parental consent, DegreeMentors may restrict the account, stop providing online Services to that child, and take reasonable steps to delete or appropriately handle the information in accordance with applicable law.

Parents or guardians seeking Services for a child under thirteen should contact DegreeMentors directly before providing the child’s personal information.

5. Nature of DegreeMentors Services

DegreeMentors provides educational, mentoring, consulting, and application-support services.

Depending on the package purchased, Services may include, without limitation:

• undergraduate admissions consulting;
• first-year and transfer application guidance;
• graduate and professional-school application consulting;
• law school, medical school, dental school, business school, and other graduate application support;
• school-list development;
• major and program selection strategy;
• application planning;
• essay and personal statement brainstorming;
• editing and revision assistance;
• supplemental essay support;
• activity and honors section review;
• résumé review;
• interview preparation;
• extracurricular planning;
• academic planning;
• mentorship;
• application review;
• proofreading;
• scholarship-related guidance;
• financial-aid and FAFSA-related guidance;
• annual or year-round consulting;
• educational resources;
• workshops;
• communications with mentors or consultants; and
• other related services identified in an Order.

Services are advisory and educational in nature.

DegreeMentors does not control any admissions institution, admissions officer, scholarship committee, testing agency, government agency, financial-aid authority, or other third party that ultimately evaluates or acts on a Student’s application.

6. Order-Specific Terms and Scope of Services

The exact Services purchased by a Client are determined by the applicable Order.

No Service, deliverable, number of meetings, number of revisions, response time, application, school, essay, consultation, or other benefit is included unless it is expressly stated in the applicable Order or otherwise confirmed by DegreeMentors in writing.

Marketing materials, website content, and general descriptions of DegreeMentors’ capabilities do not expand the scope of a specific Client’s purchased package. Package descriptions on the Platform are summaries; prices marked as “starting” prices, or as varying, are estimates that depend on the scope confirmed in the Order.

Unless expressly stated otherwise:

• Services are personal to the Student;
• Services may not be transferred to another person;
• unused portions of a package may not be exchanged for different Services;
• additional Services may require additional payment;
• “support,” “access,” “unlimited,” or similar language does not mean unlimited work, unlimited revisions, or immediate access, and is subject to reasonable-use limits described in Section 16; and
• DegreeMentors may determine the reasonable methods, personnel, workflow, sequencing, and technology used to perform the Services.

If a signed or expressly accepted Order contains a term that directly conflicts with these Terms, the more specific term in the Order controls solely with respect to that particular subject. All other provisions of these Terms remain in effect.

7. No Guarantee of Admission, Scholarships, Financial Aid, or Other Results

DEGREEMENTORS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMISSION TO ANY SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE, PROGRAM, PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL, GRADUATE PROGRAM, SCHOLARSHIP, HONORS PROGRAM, OR OTHER INSTITUTION.

DegreeMentors also does not guarantee:

• admission to a Student’s first-choice or “dream” school;
• admission to any particular number of schools;
• scholarship awards;
• financial-aid eligibility;
• financial-aid amounts;
• grants;
• loans;
• tuition discounts;
• interviews;
• waitlist movement;
• acceptance after deferral;
• admissions outcomes;
• standardized-test results;
• academic outcomes;
• employment outcomes; or
• any other specific result.

Admissions and financial-aid decisions depend on many factors outside DegreeMentors’ control, including institutional policies, application volume, applicant pools, admissions criteria, funding availability, academic records, testing policies, institutional priorities, deadlines, governmental rules, and decisions of third parties.

A Student may follow all advice provided by DegreeMentors and still receive an unfavorable result.

The purchase of Services is payment for consulting, mentorship, review, time, expertise, and the other Services described in the applicable Order. It is not payment for an acceptance, scholarship, financial-aid award, or other outcome.

8. Historical Results, Acceptance Rates, Scholarships, and Testimonials

DegreeMentors may publish historical information about student outcomes, including acceptance rates, numbers of students served, schools to which students have been admitted, scholarship amounts, testimonials, success stories, or similar information.

This information describes past experiences or historical data and is not a promise, warranty, prediction, or guarantee regarding any particular Student.

Admissions outcomes differ materially based on the individual applicant, school, program, admissions cycle, and other circumstances.

Any acceptance-rate or outcome statistic depends on the methodology, population, time period, available information, and definitions used to calculate it. Upon reasonable request, DegreeMentors will describe the general basis for any statistic it publishes.

Testimonials reflect the experiences or opinions of the individuals providing them and do not guarantee that another Student will obtain the same or similar results. DegreeMentors publishes testimonials only with the permission of the person providing them.

9. DegreeMentors Is Not Affiliated With Admissions Institutions

Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing, DegreeMentors is an independent private business and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, controlled by, or acting on behalf of:

• any college or university;
• the University of California;
• Common App;
• College Board;
• ACT;
• the Law School Admission Council (LSAC);
• AMCAS, AACOMAS, or the Association of American Medical Colleges;
• AADSAS or the American Dental Education Association;
• Federal Student Aid, the FAFSA, or the U.S. Department of Education;
• any scholarship provider;
• any admissions committee;
• any governmental agency; or
• any other third-party application or educational organization.

References to third-party institutions, platforms, names, logos, trademarks, programs, or organizations are for identification and informational purposes only. All such names and marks belong to their respective owners.

DegreeMentors personnel have no authority to make admissions decisions on behalf of any institution.

10. Mentors, Consultants, and Service Personnel

DegreeMentors may provide Services through founders, employees, contractors, independent consultants, mentors, editors, advisors, specialists, or other service providers.

DegreeMentors may assign, replace, or reassign personnel at its reasonable discretion.

Purchasing Services does not guarantee continued access to a particular mentor, founder, consultant, advisor, or other individual unless expressly stated in a written Order.

Mentor biographies, educational affiliations, experience, and similar information reflect information reasonably available when presented and may change.

A mentor’s attendance at, graduation from, acceptance to, or other connection with a particular institution does not mean that the institution endorses the mentor or DegreeMentors.

No mentor, consultant, contractor, or other representative may modify these Terms, promise an admissions result, or otherwise bind DegreeMentors unless DegreeMentors has expressly authorized that person in writing to do so.

11. Off-Platform and Personal Interactions

DegreeMentors may authorize communications through email, telephone, text messaging, videoconferencing platforms, collaboration tools, or other approved communication systems.

Any separate personal, financial, employment, commercial, transportation, housing, social, or other relationship voluntarily formed between a User and an individual mentor outside the scope of the Services is not part of DegreeMentors’ Services, and DegreeMentors is not responsible for it, unless DegreeMentors expressly approves it in writing.

Users should not send payments directly to mentors or other individual service providers for DegreeMentors Services unless specifically directed to do so by DegreeMentors in writing.

Users should report any conduct by a mentor or other service provider that they believe is unsafe or inappropriate to contact@degreementors.org.

DegreeMentors may suspend or terminate Services where it reasonably believes a User or service provider has engaged in unsafe, inappropriate, fraudulent, abusive, exploitative, or unauthorized conduct.

12. Client and Student Responsibilities

Clients and Students remain responsible for managing their own application processes.

The Student is ultimately responsible for:

• knowing application deadlines;
• knowing testing deadlines;
• understanding institutional requirements;
• creating necessary third-party accounts;
• requesting transcripts;
• requesting recommendation letters;
• providing accurate information;
• reviewing all application materials;
• complying with school-specific instructions;
• submitting applications;
• paying application fees;
• completing interviews;
• monitoring applicant portals;
• responding to schools;
• submitting deposits;
• managing financial-aid requirements;
• reviewing communications from institutions;
• confirming that each application was successfully received; and
• making final enrollment decisions.

DegreeMentors may assist with these matters but does not assume the Student’s legal or institutional responsibilities.

The Student must provide DegreeMentors with complete and accurate information in a timely manner.

DegreeMentors is not responsible for delays, errors, missed deadlines, incomplete work, or adverse outcomes caused in whole or in part by:

• a Client’s or Student’s delay;
• failure to provide requested materials;
• inaccurate or incomplete information;
• failure to review materials;
• failure to follow instructions;
• technical problems outside DegreeMentors’ reasonable control;
• third-party outages;
• school or government system failures;
• changes in institutional requirements; or
• other circumstances outside DegreeMentors’ reasonable control.

13. Application Authenticity and Academic Integrity

DegreeMentors provides coaching, brainstorming, editing, strategy, feedback, and other legitimate application support. DegreeMentors does not write application essays for Students.

The Student remains responsible for the authenticity, accuracy, substance, and final submission of every application.

The Student may not use the Services to:

• fabricate achievements;
• falsify grades;
• invent extracurricular activities;
• misrepresent awards;
• create fraudulent recommendation letters;
• impersonate another person;
• plagiarize;
• submit another person’s work as the Student’s own;
• circumvent institutional integrity requirements;
• make materially false statements; or
• otherwise violate application certifications or institutional rules.

DegreeMentors may refuse to assist with, and may terminate Services because of, conduct it reasonably believes to be dishonest, fraudulent, unlawful, or contrary to applicable admissions or academic-integrity rules.

Any reference on the Platform to “drafting,” “essay drafting,” or similar assistance means collaborative coaching in which the Student writes their own material. It does not authorize a Student to violate any certification, authorship requirement, institutional rule, or applicable law.

Students are responsible for understanding each institution’s rules about outside assistance, editing, artificial intelligence, authorship, collaboration, and originality.

Before submission, the Student must independently review and approve every application and confirm that all statements are truthful and permitted.

DegreeMentors is not responsible for disciplinary action, rescinded admission, rejection, investigation, or other consequences resulting from information submitted or conduct undertaken by a Student.

14. FAFSA and Financial-Aid Services

Financial-aid and FAFSA-related Services are educational and administrative support only.

DegreeMentors is not a government agency, financial institution, accountant, financial adviser, tax adviser, attorney, or fiduciary.

DegreeMentors does not guarantee eligibility for federal, state, institutional, or private financial aid.

Each FAFSA contributor is responsible for entering, reviewing, certifying, consenting to, approving, signing, and submitting information as required by applicable law and the U.S. Department of Education.

USERS MUST NOT PROVIDE DEGREEMENTORS WITH THEIR STUDENTAID.GOV ACCOUNT PASSWORD, FSA ID PASSWORD, TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION CODE, OR ANY OTHER CREDENTIAL THAT FUNCTIONS AS THE USER’S ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE. DEGREEMENTORS WILL NEVER ASK FOR THEM.

DegreeMentors may explain forms, assist a User while the User completes an application, help organize information, or otherwise provide lawful support, but the User remains responsible for all information entered and all legally required signatures.

Clients should consult a qualified financial, tax, or legal professional about individualized financial, tax, or legal questions.

15. No Legal, Medical, Tax, or Financial Advice

Unless DegreeMentors expressly states otherwise in a separate written agreement, the Services do not constitute:

• legal advice;
• tax advice;
• investment advice;
• financial planning;
• medical advice;
• mental-health care;
• accounting advice; or
• any other regulated professional service.

Information about careers, financing, scholarships, immigration considerations, professional programs, employment, or similar topics is provided for general educational purposes only.

Users should consult an appropriately licensed professional when professional advice is required.

16. Deadlines, Turnaround Times, and Availability

DegreeMentors makes reasonable efforts to provide Services in a timely manner but does not guarantee a particular turnaround time unless expressly agreed in writing.

Users should provide materials well in advance of relevant deadlines. DegreeMentors is not obligated to accept rush work or accommodate last-minute requests.

Email support, telephone support, messaging support, year-round support, priority scheduling, “unlimited” check-ins, mentor access, and similar descriptions mean reasonable access during normal business operations. They do not guarantee continuous twenty-four-hour availability, immediate responses, unlimited time, or real-time access to any particular individual, and DegreeMentors may apply reasonable scheduling and frequency limits to prevent excessive use.

Reasonable delays may occur because of weekends, holidays, staffing, application-season demand, illness, travel, technical issues, or other operational circumstances.

17. Meetings, Cancellations, and No-Shows

Unless an applicable Order sets a different policy, Users should provide at least twenty-four hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule a scheduled meeting.

DegreeMentors may treat a late cancellation or missed meeting as completed or forfeited if personnel reserved time specifically for that meeting.

Repeated missed appointments, unreasonable delays, or lack of participation may affect DegreeMentors’ ability to complete the Services.

If DegreeMentors must cancel a scheduled session, it will make reasonable efforts to reschedule. A missed meeting caused by DegreeMentors will not be treated as a completed session.

Sessions are not recorded unless all participants are notified in advance and give any consent required by law.

18. Prices and Payment

Prices are those shown on the Platform, in an Order, or otherwise communicated by DegreeMentors at the time of purchase. Prices shown on the Platform may be starting prices, and the final price is the price stated in your Order.

DegreeMentors may change its prices at any time for future purchases. A later price change does not alter the price of a completed purchase unless the applicable Order provides for recurring or variable charges.

By providing a payment method, the Client represents that they are authorized to use that payment method and authorizes DegreeMentors and its payment processors to charge the amounts due under the applicable Order.

Clients are responsible for applicable taxes, fees, or other governmental charges unless DegreeMentors states that they are included.

Third-party payment processors may have their own terms and privacy practices.

19. Installment Plans

If DegreeMentors permits payment in installments, the installment schedule is a payment convenience and does not convert a package into separate month-to-month purchases unless the Order expressly states otherwise.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, agreeing to an installment plan is a commitment to pay the full package price.

Stopping participation, failing to schedule sessions, abandoning an application, deciding not to apply, changing schools, or no longer wanting the Services does not automatically cancel outstanding installment obligations.

DegreeMentors may charge scheduled installments to the authorized payment method in accordance with the Order.

If a payment fails, DegreeMentors may:

• retry the payment;
• request an updated payment method;
• suspend Services;
• withhold additional deliverables;
• restrict account access;
• cancel future sessions; and
• pursue lawful collection remedies.

To the extent permitted by law, the Client is responsible for reasonable costs incurred in collecting valid unpaid amounts.

20. Automatic Renewal and Continuous Services

No Service automatically renews merely because these Terms exist.

A Service will automatically renew or continue billing only if the applicable checkout flow, Order, or other purchase process clearly and conspicuously tells the Client that the Service renews automatically or is a continuous service.

Where DegreeMentors offers an automatically renewing or continuous service, the purchase process will identify the material renewal terms, including the billing frequency and the amount or method of determining recurring charges, and DegreeMentors will obtain the affirmative consent required by applicable law, including California’s Automatic Renewal Law.

DegreeMentors will provide legally required acknowledgments, renewal reminders, price-change notices, and cancellation methods. Where applicable law requires online cancellation for an online purchase, DegreeMentors will provide an online cancellation method.

Cancelling a future automatic renewal does not retroactively cancel amounts already properly charged or eliminate obligations under a separately agreed fixed-term package.

21. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks

If you have a concern about a charge, please contact contact@degreementors.org first so DegreeMentors can try to resolve it.

If a Client disputes or reverses a charge for Services that were purchased and made available, DegreeMentors may suspend Services, provide transaction records and communications to the payment processor, and seek to recover the disputed amount and any fees permitted by law.

22. Intellectual Property

The Platform and all DegreeMentors materials, including website content, guides, templates, worksheets, videos, curricula, frameworks, feedback methods, and the DegreeMentors name and logo, are owned by DegreeMentors or its licensors and are protected by intellectual property laws.

DegreeMentors grants each Student a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use DegreeMentors materials solely for the Student’s own applications in connection with the Services.

Users may not copy, distribute, sell, publish, share with other applicants, post online, or use DegreeMentors materials to create competing products or to train artificial-intelligence models, without DegreeMentors’ prior written permission.

Students retain ownership of their own application materials. Suggestions and edits provided by DegreeMentors may be used by the Student in the Student’s own applications.

23. User Materials, Testimonials, and Permissions

By submitting essays, drafts, résumés, transcripts, or other materials, you grant DegreeMentors a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to store, copy, review, edit, comment on, and otherwise use those materials solely to provide the Services, operate its business, comply with law, and maintain records.

DegreeMentors will not publish a Student’s application essays or identify a Student by full name in marketing without permission.

If you provide a testimonial, review, photo, or video for publication, you grant DegreeMentors permission to use it, together with your name, initials, image, and other details you approve, on the Platform and in marketing. You may ask DegreeMentors to stop future use at any time by emailing contact@degreementors.org, although content already distributed may not be retrievable. For minors, a parent or guardian must provide this permission.

You represent that you have the right to share any materials you provide and that they do not infringe anyone else’s rights.

24. Confidentiality, Privacy, and Data Security

DegreeMentors treats application materials and personal information as confidential and uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect them. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and DegreeMentors cannot guarantee absolute security.

DegreeMentors may share information with its personnel and service providers who need it to provide the Services, when required by law, or when reasonably necessary to protect the safety or rights of any person.

DegreeMentors does not sell Users’ personal information.

Please do not send Social Security numbers, account passwords, full financial account numbers, or similar sensitive information unless DegreeMentors specifically requests it through a secure method.

Additional information about how DegreeMentors collects and uses personal information may be provided in a separate privacy policy, which, when published, is incorporated into these Terms.

25. Communications Consent

By providing an email address or phone number, you agree that DegreeMentors may contact you by email, phone call, or text message about your inquiry, the Services, scheduling, and billing. For minors, the parent or guardian provides this consent.

DegreeMentors will send marketing text messages only with any separate consent required by law. You can opt out of text messages by replying STOP and out of marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link or emailing contact@degreementors.org. Message and data rates may apply.

You agree that DegreeMentors may provide notices, agreements, and other communications electronically, and that electronic communications satisfy any legal requirement that they be in writing.

26. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• use the Platform or Services for any unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful purpose;
• harass, threaten, or abuse DegreeMentors personnel, mentors, or other Users;
• share account access or DegreeMentors materials with anyone not covered by your Order;
• misrepresent your identity or your relationship to a Student;
• copy, scrape, or collect data from the Platform by automated means;
• interfere with, disrupt, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Platform or its systems;
• upload viruses or other malicious code; or
• attempt to avoid paying for Services, including by arranging to receive DegreeMentors Services directly from personnel outside of DegreeMentors.

27. Third-Party Services and Links

The Platform may link to or use third-party services, such as social media platforms, scheduling tools, online forms, payment processors, and video-conferencing providers.

DegreeMentors does not control and is not responsible for third-party services, their content, their availability, or their privacy practices. Your use of those services is governed by their own terms.

28. Disclaimer of Warranties

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE PLATFORM AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” DEGREEMENTORS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTY THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR SECURE, OR THAT THE SERVICES WILL PRODUCE ANY PARTICULAR RESULT.

DegreeMentors will perform the Services with reasonable care and skill consistent with generally accepted standards for educational consulting services.

29. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, DEGREEMENTORS AND ITS OWNERS, EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, MENTORS, AND AGENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF ADMISSION, SCHOLARSHIPS, FINANCIAL AID, TUITION, EDUCATIONAL OR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, EARNINGS, OR DATA, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE PLATFORM OR SERVICES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, DEGREEMENTORS’ TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS, THE PLATFORM, OR THE SERVICES WILL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT THE CLIENT PAID TO DEGREEMENTORS FOR THE SERVICES GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM IN THE TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE THE CLAIM AROSE, OR ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS IF NOTHING WAS PAID.

These limitations do not apply to liability that cannot be limited under applicable law, including liability for fraud, gross negligence, or willful misconduct.

30. Dispute Resolution, Binding Arbitration, and Class Action Waiver

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT REQUIRES MOST DISPUTES TO BE RESOLVED BY INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION INSTEAD OF IN COURT, AND IT WAIVES JURY TRIALS AND CLASS ACTIONS.

Informal resolution. Before starting arbitration, you and DegreeMentors agree to try to resolve any dispute informally. The party raising the dispute must send a written description of it, including the relief requested, to the other party (for DegreeMentors, to contact@degreementors.org). If the dispute is not resolved within thirty days, either party may begin arbitration.

Agreement to arbitrate. Except as provided below, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Platform, or the Services, including questions about the scope or enforceability of this agreement to arbitrate, will be resolved by final and binding arbitration before a single arbitrator administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules then in effect. The arbitration will take place in Los Angeles County, California, or by video conference if the parties agree, and may be decided on written submissions for claims under ten thousand dollars. The Federal Arbitration Act governs this Section.

Costs. Payment of filing, administrative, and arbitrator fees will be governed by the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitrator may award any individual relief that a court could award.

Exceptions. Either party may bring an individual claim in small claims court if it qualifies, and either party may seek temporary injunctive relief in court to prevent misuse of intellectual property or confidential information.

Class action and jury waiver. You and DegreeMentors may bring claims against each other only in an individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated, or representative proceeding. The arbitrator may not consolidate claims of more than one person. YOU AND DEGREEMENTORS WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL.

Public injunctive relief. Nothing in this Section waives any right to seek public injunctive relief to the extent such a waiver is prohibited by law. Any such claim will be severed, stayed until the individual arbitration is complete, and then decided by a court.

Opt-out. You may opt out of this agreement to arbitrate by emailing contact@degreementors.org within thirty days after you first accept these Terms, stating your name and that you wish to opt out of arbitration. Opting out does not affect any other part of these Terms.

Severability. If the class action waiver is found unenforceable as to any claim, that claim will proceed in court and not in arbitration. If any other part of this Section is found unenforceable, the rest of this Section remains in effect.

Minors. Nothing in this Section limits any right a minor has under applicable law.

31. Indemnification

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless DegreeMentors and its owners, employees, contractors, mentors, and agents from any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees arising out of: your breach of these Terms; information or materials you provide; any false, misleading, or unauthorized statement in an application; your violation of any law, institutional rule, or third-party right; or your misconduct.

32. Suspension and Termination

DegreeMentors may suspend or terminate your access to the Platform or Services if you breach these Terms, fail to pay amounts due, engage in conduct described in Sections 11, 13, or 26, or if DegreeMentors reasonably believes continuing would expose it or others to legal, safety, or reputational risk.

Sections that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including those concerning payment, intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, dispute resolution, and indemnification.

33. Governing Law and Venue

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules, except that the Federal Arbitration Act governs Section 30.

For any matter not subject to arbitration, you and DegreeMentors agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Los Angeles County, California.

34. Events Beyond Our Control

DegreeMentors is not responsible for any delay or failure to perform caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, public-health emergencies, power or internet outages, third-party platform failures, government actions, labor disputes, or acts of war or terrorism.

35. Changes to These Terms

DegreeMentors may update these Terms from time to time. The updated Terms will be posted on the Platform with a new “Last Updated” date. If a change is material, DegreeMentors will make reasonable efforts to notify active Clients, such as by email.

Changes apply to purchases and use of the Platform after they are posted. They do not apply to disputes that arose before the change, and they do not change the price or scope of a completed purchase. Continued use of the Platform or Services after an update means you accept the updated Terms.

36. General Provisions

• Entire agreement. These Terms, together with any applicable Order, are the entire agreement between you and DegreeMentors about their subject matter and replace any prior understandings.
• Severability. If any provision is found unenforceable, it will be enforced to the maximum extent permitted, and the remaining provisions will remain in effect.
• No waiver. A failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of the right to enforce it later.
• Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without DegreeMentors’ written consent. DegreeMentors may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of its business.
• Relationship. Nothing in these Terms creates a partnership, joint venture, agency, employment, or fiduciary relationship.
• Headings. Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.
• Language. These Terms are written in English, which controls over any translation.

37. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms, cancellation requests, arbitration opt-out notices, and other legal notices may be sent to: