Terms of Service

1. User Eligibility

Ascend Scholar is available to users who are 13 years of age or older. Users under 13 must have verifiable parental consent before creating an account, in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Users ages 13–17 must have parental or guardian acknowledgment of these terms. By creating an account, you confirm that you meet this eligibility requirement or have obtained the required parental consent.

2. Platform Availability

Ascend Scholar is available as a web application at ascendscholar.co and as a mobile application on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Payment is processed through Apple App Store or Google Play billing when using the mobile app.

3. Payment Terms

Ascend Scholar offers lifetime access for a one-time fee of $2.99 USD. On iOS, payment is processed by Apple. On Google Play, payment is processed by Google. On web, payment terms will be specified at checkout. This payment is non-refundable except as required by Apple App Store or Google Play refund policies, which govern mobile purchases.

4. Data Usage Policy

We collect the personal information you provide during onboarding to match you with relevant scholarships and generate personalized essay assistance. Your data is stored securely in Supabase with row-level security enabled. We do not sell your personal data to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for full details on data handling.

5. AI Content Disclaimer

Ascend Scholar uses Claude, an AI model created by Anthropic, to provide essay coaching, scholarship matching, and related features. AI-generated content is a coaching tool — not a finished product. Students must write, review, and personalize all essay content before submission. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work without disclosure may violate scholarship application rules. Ascend Scholar is not responsible for any consequences of submitting AI-assisted content.

6. Scholarship Accuracy Disclaimer

Scholarship information on Ascend Scholar, including deadlines, award amounts, and eligibility requirements, is provided for informational purposes only. We strive for accuracy but cannot guarantee that all information is current or complete. Always verify scholarship details directly with the awarding organization before applying.

7. Essay Contribution Rights

If you choose to contribute your winning essay to the Ascend Scholar Essay Library, you grant Ascend Scholar a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to display an anonymized excerpt of your essay to other platform users for educational purposes. Your full name will never be displayed without explicit consent. You may only contribute essays for scholarships you genuinely won.

8. Prohibited Uses

You may not use Ascend Scholar to:

• Submit essays you did not write or meaningfully edit
• Create accounts for other people without their consent
• Attempt to circumvent the age verification system
• Use the platform for any purpose other than personal scholarship discovery and essay coaching

9. Intellectual Property

Ascend Scholar, its logo, brand, and all platform content are the property of Meek Systems LLC. Students retain full ownership of their personal essays and story content submitted through the platform.

10. Termination

Meek Systems LLC reserves the right to terminate or suspend accounts that violate these terms, with or without notice.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Meek Systems LLC shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of the platform, including but not limited to scholarship application outcomes.

12. Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wyoming, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be resolved in the courts of Wyoming. Questions about these Terms? Contact us at hello@ascendscholar.co.