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Running Start — Terms of Service

Effective date: [DATE] Version: 1.0

Draft for attorney review. These terms were drafted to cover the specific mechanics of the Running Start platform, but I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. Because this service involves minors, minors on video calls, and payments made on behalf of minors, have a licensed attorney review all three documents before launch. California-specific consumer protection and minor-privacy rules are areas where getting it wrong is expensive.

1. Who we are and what this is

Running Start ("Running Start," "we," "us") operates runningstartmentor.com, a platform that connects high school students with current college students ("Mentors") for academic and college-application mentorship.

Running Start is a mentorship and educational support service. We are not a guarantor of admission to any school. See Section 9.

2. Who may use this service

Accounts must be created and bookings made by a parent or legal guardian who is at least 18 years old. Students under 18 may not create accounts, make purchases, or enter into these Terms on their own behalf.

By booking, you represent that:

  • You are the parent or legal guardian of the student who will receive mentorship, or you are a student who is at least 18 years old
  • You consent to your student participating in video sessions with a Mentor
  • All information you provide is accurate

We do not knowingly permit children under 13 to create accounts or provide personal information directly. See our Privacy Policy.

3. What you're buying

A Mentorship Package consists of:

  • Four (4) one-on-one video sessions, approximately 45 minutes each, held weekly over four consecutive weeks
  • Sessions are with the same Mentor throughout the package
  • Access to that Mentor's own college application materials, which may include their Common Application, University of California application, personal insight question responses, essays, résumé, and awards
  • Application and essay review during sessions

Price: $200 per package, charged in full at booking.

We may also offer a free introductory consultation of approximately seven minutes. Consultations are subject to Mentor availability and are not a guarantee of a booking.

4. Payment

Payments are processed by Stripe. We do not store your payment card information. By booking, you authorize the charge shown at checkout.

5. Cancellations and refunds

Please read this section carefully.

No refunds for family cancellation or missed sessions. Once a package is purchased, the Mentor has reserved four specific weekly time slots for your student. If your student cancels, reschedules without agreement, or does not attend a scheduled session, that session is considered delivered and is not refundable.

If the Mentor cannot complete the package, you may choose either:

  • (a) Reassignment — we will match you with a comparable Mentor to complete the remaining sessions at no additional cost, or
  • (b) Prorated refund — a refund covering only the undelivered sessions, calculated at $50 per undelivered session

Example: if two of four sessions were delivered and the Mentor becomes unavailable, you may receive a $100 refund or continue with a new Mentor.

Mentor-initiated rescheduling. A Mentor may occasionally need to move a single session (for an exam, illness, or similar). You will be notified. This is a reschedule, not a cancellation, and does not trigger a refund.

6. Sessions happen on our platform

All sessions, messages, and communication between families and Mentors must occur through the Running Start platform and the video links we generate.

You agree not to:

  • Request or accept a Mentor's personal phone number, email address, social media handle, or other direct contact information
  • Arrange or attempt to arrange sessions with a Mentor outside the platform
  • Meet a Mentor in person
  • Record any session without the express written consent of all participants

These rules exist to protect both your student and the Mentor. Violating them may result in termination of your access without refund.

7. Mentor application materials — what you may and may not do

Mentors share their real application materials with you. These materials remain the property of the Mentor.

You may: view them, discuss them with your Mentor, and use them as reference and inspiration for your student's own application.

You may not: copy them verbatim into your student's application, redistribute them, publish them, sell them, share them outside your immediate family, or upload them to any website, forum, group chat, or AI service.

Plagiarism warning. Submitting another person's essay content as your own is academic dishonesty and can result in rescinded admission offers. These materials are a model to learn from, not text to reuse. Running Start bears no responsibility for consequences arising from misuse of a Mentor's materials.

8. Acceptable conduct

You and your student agree not to harass, threaten, demean, or discriminate against any Mentor or Running Start staff. We reserve the right to terminate access immediately, without refund, for conduct that endangers or mistreats a Mentor.

9. No guarantee of admission or outcomes

Running Start does not guarantee admission to any college or university, any scholarship, any grade, or any specific outcome.

Mentors share their personal experience and materials. Admissions decisions are made solely by institutions based on factors outside our control. Nothing on our site, in our marketing, or said by a Mentor should be understood as a promise of any result.

10. Not affiliated with any school or application system

Running Start is an independent company. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any college or university, the Common Application, the University of California, or any admissions body. References to schools describe where our Mentors were admitted, nothing more.

11. Mentors are independent contractors

Mentors are independent contractors, not our employees. We vet Mentors and set platform standards, but we do not control the substance of their advice. We are not responsible for the accuracy of any individual Mentor's guidance or opinions.

12. Disclaimers

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or that video sessions will be free of technical issues.

13. Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, RUNNING START'S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.

WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST OPPORTUNITIES OR DENIED ADMISSIONS.

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so parts of this section may not apply to you.

14. Termination

We may suspend or terminate access at any time for violation of these Terms. You may stop using the service at any time; Section 5 governs refunds.

15. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be posted with a new effective date. Continued use after changes means you accept them.

16. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Disputes shall be brought in the state or federal courts located in California.

17. Contact

Questions about these Terms: runningstarthsprep@gmail.com