TrueCost Calculator (TCC) Privacy Notice

Purpose of Notice

This notice provides information for prospective students and other stakeholders about the Office of Admissions’ use of TrueCost Calculator (TCC) solution—powered by Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL)—for featuring general college affordability information.

USE OF TRUE COST CALCULATOR (TCC)

General Note

The TCC is a net cost calculator that meets federal requirements for institutions by providing estimated cost of attendance information to prospective students and their families based on what similar students paid in the comparison year. Net price is defined as the estimated cost (price) of attendance—including tuition and required fees, books and supplies, housing and dining, and other related expenses—minus estimated grant and scholarship aid.

Data Collected

Two tiers of information are captured by the TCC’s online form. The first tier—required to generate estimated net costs—captures non-personal data:

  • High School Grade Point Average (or College Grade Point Average, for Transfer students)
  • State of residency
  • Age
  • Marital status
  • Veteran status
  • Intent of on- or off-campus living
  • Expected Family Contribution (EFC), as calculated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The TCC’s optional second tier of data collection gathers the following personal information:

  • First and last name
  • Affiliation (whether a prospective student or parent of prospective student)
  • Email address
  • Mailing address (street, city, state, zip code)
  • Date of birth
  • Year of high school graduation year

Use of Data

Data provided in the first-tier form is used to generate an estimated cost of attendance to the University (e.g. tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc.) minus any scholarships, grants, and other resources for which the user is eligible to receive. For those who voluntarily share data in the form’s second tier of data collection, WWU promotes messages consistent with university marketing and communications within the context of a prospective student’s college search process. Those messages feature relevant and timely information about academic programs, location and setting, community and campus life, admission and scholarship application processes, financial aid resources, course advising and registration, visit programs and experiences, as well as important dates, deadlines, and tasks associated with enrolling in the institution.

Data Retention

Data is retained within Slate, the Office of Admission’s Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) system, in accordance and compliance with University data retention policies and schedules.

Access to Slate CRM

System Access to Slate CRM is restricted to WWU staff with appropriate levels of data training, management, authority, and security authorization. Access to the system by all others is prohibited.

Requesting Information About Data We Have Maintained

Users who have engaged with TCC forms may request a report detailing what, if any, personal data may be retained within the Slate CRM systems.

Contact Information

For questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@wwu.edu.