PCAT Privacy Policy
Privacy and Cookies Policy
At the Pharmacy College Admission Test ® (“PCAT”) we recognize the importance of protecting the privacy of your Personal Data. This Privacy and Cookies Policy (hereinafter “Privacy Policy”) is global in nature and describes our data protection practices, the types of Personal Data that we may receive or collect from you or from authorized third parties on your behalf; from users of all websites and web pages offered by PCAT that provides a link to this Privacy Policy (collectively, the “Site”); from users of our products and services; and from individuals purchasing study aides, practice tests, and any of our other products and services found on PCAT’s Sites. PCAT is owned by NCS Pearson, Inc. whose operations and data servers, where your data is sent and held, are located wholly within the United States. By providing information to us on the Site, you accept the terms of this Privacy Policy. All references to ‘our’, ‘us’, or ‘we’ as used in this Privacy Policy are deemed to refer to PCAT and PCAT websites.
We are a global organization that complies with all laws and regulations in the areas in which we do business and we have developed our privacy program to comply with relevant privacy laws and regulations.
These rights and responsibilities in our Privacy Policy do not cover third party websites that may be linked to our Site(s) or referred to on this Site(s). These third party websites have their own privacy policies and we encourage you to read them.
For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, Personal Data means information that identifies, relates to, describes, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household.
Your Rights and Responsibilities
You agree that by visiting and/or providing, transmitting, or having another party you have authorized transmit your Personal Data to us on any of our Sites, you are accepting the practices described in this Privacy Policy and any updates made to this Privacy Policy. It is your responsibility to read this Privacy Policy and check for updates on a regular basis. By continuing to use our Site, products or services after such updates have been made you are agreeing to be bound by any changes to this Privacy Policy.
You are never required to provide us with your Personal Data. If you do not agree to this Privacy Policy, please do not provide, transmit or allow an authorized third party to provide your Personal Data to us; however, then you may not be able to register, schedule, take a test or purchase products or services from us.
You agree that we may collect or receive, use, process, disclose, transfer and store your Personal Data as described herein. This Privacy Policy governs your use of any and all of our Sites and our testing services in general. We will use your Personal Data only for the purposes set forth herein.
As the subject of the Personal Data collected, you have rights related to the Personal Data that we hold about you.
At any time you have the right to:
- Request access to the information we hold about you.
- Ask us how to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information we have about you or request us to make the corrections.
- Request us to delete your information from our records.
- Opt-out of the sale of your Personal Data.
Upon receiving any request listed above, we may need to verify your request. In this case, we may ask you to provide additional information, including information you have previously disclosed to us, to confirm your identity. If you wish to designate an authorized agent under any law or regulation, please contact us at scoring.services@pearson.com and we will coordinate that designation. We will respond to access requests within a reasonable amount of time in accordance with state and national laws and requirements. We recognize that you may have a right to not receive discriminatory treatment by exercising any of the rights listed above.
California residents may submit a Right to Know and Right to Deletion request to Pearson by using the online form or calling the toll-free phone number on our Rights Request page.
Under California law, Pearson will only respond to verifiable requests that are made either: (a) by a California resident; (b) by a person registered with the California Secretary of State who a California resident has authorized to act on their behalf; or (c) by a parent or legal guardian, if the California resident is a minor.
We will not require a California resident to set up an account in order to make a request or receive the requested information. In order to respond to a request, however, we must be able to reasonably verify, understand and fulfill the request. We will not be able to respond to the request if we are unable to verify identity or the authority to make the request. In conducting verification, we generally will use Personal Data previously collected by us. If the request is made on behalf of another individual, we may require additional verification and documentation of the individual’s authority to make the request. In responding to requests, we may limit the information provided for privacy and security reasons, as permitted by law.
We will not charge a fee to respond to a request, unless it is excessive, repetitive or unfounded. If a fee will apply, we will advise the requester before completing the request, explain why a fee applies and provide an estimate of the fee.
To opt-out of the sale of your Personal Data, please see DISCLOSURE AND SALE OF PERSONAL DATA AND OPTING-OUT below.
If you have concerns with these Rights and Responsibilities or our compliance with them, you may contact us at scoring.services@pearson.com.
Our Rights & Responsibilities
We will provide you access to these Rights and Responsibilities and any subsequent updates. We reserve the right to modify the terms of this Privacy Policy at any time, without notice. Modifications may be posted here, and you are deemed to be apprised of and bound by any changes. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any modifications or updates.
The Pharmacy College Admission Test®
The PCAT is a specialized test that helps identify qualified applicants to pharmacy colleges. It measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for the commencement of pharmaceutical education. The PCAT is constructed specifically for colleges of pharmacy. Personal Data we collect from you in connection with test registration is used in accordance with this Privacy Policy and with your consent. For example, your Personal Data and test scores may be provided to (a) the schools you designate to receive your scores; (b) testing centers; (c) if you have opted-in, other schools of pharmacy and scholarship programs; (d) parties providing support services to any of the organizations described in this Privacy Policy. PCAT may provide you with information about products, services, or special offers from PCAT. Providing your Personal Data is voluntary, but may be necessary. We will handle and treat all Personal Data collected and received by us in connection with the PCAT in the manner as described in this Privacy Policy.
Personal Data Collected
When you register for a the PCAT or to use PCAT’s services, we may collect your name, social security number, date of birth, mailing address and email address. We may also collect or receive the following additional information at registration or in the testing process, at your option, including, but not limited to, ethnicity, current citizenship status, and educational background. Certain information is requested but not mandatory to provide. We will identify to you at the time of collection which information fields are required.
For candidate verification and identification purposes, we may collect all or part of a government-issued identification. At the test center we may also collect your signature, photographic image, and palm vein pattern scan. PCAT may grant a waiver to the requirement for the collection of your palm vein pattern scan in limited circumstances. You may request to waive the palm vein pattern scan by contacting us at scoring.services@pearson.com. In instances where we have collected a palm vein pattern scan for Illinois residents, this data will be retained for no longer than three years.
When a test is administered to you, we may collect and score your test responses and then derive a test score and generate a report about your test results.
In the event that you submit a request for an accommodation for your test, you may be asked to submit health information records, including, but not limited to, documentation from your physician evidencing your need for accommodations. We will use this information to evaluate your eligibility for an accommodation and if an accommodation is granted to allow us to implement that accommodation.
Data Categories Collected
We may collect and/or disclose to third parties the following categories of data in order to manage day to day business needs including, but not limited to, providing you with our services, performing services on behalf of a business, payment processing and financial account management, business planning and forecasting, system improvements, security and fraud prevention, and compliance with legal and regulatory obligations:
(A) Identifiers such as a real name, address, unique personal identifiers, or email address
(B) Customer records such as signature
(C) Characteristics of protected classifications under California or federal law
(D) Commercial information, such as products or services purchased, obtained, or considered
(E) Biometric information
(F) Internet or other electronic network activity information such as information regarding a consumer’s interaction with an Internet Web site, application, or advertisement
(G) Geolocation data
(H) Sensory data, such as audio, electronic, visual, or similar information
(I) Education information
(J) Inferences about preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, preferences, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes
Testing Centers
Computer based tests are delivered only at authorized Pearson VUE testing centers. These authorized testing centers are required to use all data collected by or on behalf of PCAT in compliance with this Privacy Policy. For more information on Pearson VUE we encourage you to review Pearson VUE’s Privacy and Cookies Policy located at www.pearsonvue.com. If you have unaddressed concerns about a testing center relating to test services supplied by PCAT, please contact us at scoring.services@pearson.com.
Disclosure and Sale of Personal Data and Opting-Out
When registering with PCAT, you will have the option to opt-in or opt-out of program that will allow us to disclose and/or sell your Personal Data to schools of pharmacy or scholarship programs. These schools and/or scholarship programs may contact you in order to provide you with information regarding their school or scholarship program(s). If you choose to opt-in or have already chosen to opt-in, you may opt-out by sending an email with this request containing your name and the email address you used to register and clearly state you DO NOT WISH FOR US TO SELL YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION to scoring.services@pearson.com or calling 1-877-460-2204.
Data Categories Sold
(A) Identifiers such as a real name, address, unique personal identifiers, or email address
(B) Education information
(C) Inferences about preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, preferences, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes
E-Commerce
PCAT’s E-commerce Sites provide you with the opportunity to purchase PCAT test related products and services.
Personal Data Collected for E-commerce
We clearly identify what information you must provide in order for us to deliver the various products, services, and information that you may request. Depending on your choices, we will require different types of information for these various products, services, and information. You may also choose to provide additional or optional information to enhance the services provided to you. The Personal Data that we may collect includes, but is not limited to
- Payment information including cardholder name, card type, credit card/debit card numbers, and billing address
- Contact and shipping information, as well as purchase history, and payment information.
- Information regarding your use of the E-commerce Site (i.e., pages visited, files downloaded). We will use this information to understand the habits of our E-Commerce Site users and to improve the products, services, and content we offer.
Third Party Websites and Social Media
We may also collect information via third party websites such as Google, or via social media such as Twitter and Facebook. This information may include your name, address, username, email address, website visited, content posted, IP address, nationality, language, and other publicly available demographics. This information is used to improve the products and services that we offer, to identify and resolve customer service issues, and to provide the information and services you request.
Information Received from Internet Service Providers through this Website
This Site receives information that is automatically generated by a user’s Internet service provider (ISP), browser, or mobile device. This information may include the IP address (a number automatically assigned to a computer by the ISP), the associated URLs, domain types, the browser type used to access our Site, the country, state and telephone area code, the location of the ISP’s servers, the pages of our Site that the user views, any search terms entered on this Site, and the user’s website address and email address. This information may be collected for system administration purposes, to gather broad demographic information and to monitor the level of activity on the Site. We reserve the right to link this information to your Personal Data in order to protect the integrity of our system and for security purposes.
Transfer of Information
Data collected and received by us will be transmitted to the United States. Our computer operations are currently based in the United States. The Internet is a global environment. By using this Site and sending information to us electronically, you consent to trans-border and international transmission of any data that you may choose to supply us to any country in the world, including countries without an adequate level of data protection. Information transmissions to this Site and emails sent to us may not be secure. Given the inherent operation and nature of the Internet, all Internet transmissions are done at the user’s own risk.
Transfer of Information to Schools of Pharmacy
By registering for the PCAT test through us, you give your consent for your Personal Data (with the exception of your debit/credit card information) to be transmitted to the School(s) of Pharmacy of your choice. The schools require your Personal Data so that (a) your academic ability and scientific knowledge can be verified and (b) you can receive further information about academic testing and educational opportunities. For further information about how a specific school may use your personal information we encourage you to contact the school.
Transfer of Information to Scholarship Organizations or other Schools of Pharmacy
As authorized by you, we may sell data collected, including your personal information to a list of other Schools of Pharmacy and scholarship organizations who wish to receive your personal information. Schools of Pharmacy and scholarship organizations main purpose is to deliver you information on schools, programs, and scholarships that you may not be aware of. These Schools of Pharmacy and scholarship organizations are restricted from further transfer of your data. If you have authorized this disclosure, you may opt-out following the instructions listed under Disclosure and Sale of Personal Data and Opting-Out.
Other Transfer of Information
We may disclose personal information in the following situations: (a) in response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted and required by law; (b) to protect your security, or the security of other persons, consistent with applicable law; (c) to address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities; (d) in connection with a sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of the assets of PCAT or its parent company NCS Pearson, Inc.; and (e) to our contractors or agents, including independent testing centers and fulfillment vendors, who are committed or obliged to protect your privacy in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy. By registering for an examination through us, you give your consent for your personal information to be transmitted in the situations outlined above.
Information from Children
We recognize the importance of protecting privacy where children are involved. We are committed to protecting children's privacy and we comply fully with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and similar laws and regulations. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If a child under the age of 18 has provided us with personal information, we ask that a parent or guardian contact us at scoring.services@pearson.com . If you are under 18, please be sure to read this Privacy Policy with your parent(s) or legal guardian(s), ask questions about things you do not understand, and consult with your jurisdiction regarding your eligibility to test.
Emails
We may use your email address to send you information about PCAT testing and other related services. You may opt out of receiving these emails at any time by notifying us by email at scoring.services@pearson.com or following the opt-out or unsubscribe instructions provided in the email.
Marketing by Third Parties
PCAT honors your preferences with regard to sharing your personal information outside PCAT for marketing purposes. Prior to our sharing your personal information with our affiliates or other third parties for marketing purposes, you will be given the opportunity to indicate whether you wish your personal information not to be shared with such parties.
Cookies and Web Beacons
With the use of cookies and other technologies, PCAT may receive and store certain types of information about you whenever you interact with this Service.
Cookies are small text files that we transfer to your hardware, through your web browser or app, to (a) speed your navigation on the Service, (b) recognize you and your access privileges, (c) track your usage and preferences of the Service, (d) detect the existence of any cookies previously set by our server, and (e) identify certain information on how and when you accessed the Service such as type of browser, operating system, domain names, IP addresses and the like. The Help portion of the toolbar on most browsers will tell you how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, or how to disable cookies altogether. Additionally, you can disable or delete similar data used by browser add-ons, such as Flash cookies, by changing the add-on’s settings or visiting the website of its manufacturer. However, cookies allow you to take full advantage of this Service (disabling cookies may prevent proper functioning of certain parts of the Service), and we recommend that you leave them turned on.
PCAT may also use single pixels images, web beacons and other similar technology (collectively “Beacons”) to (a) track your usage of the Service, (b) track response rates to certain activities and promotions within the Service and in marketing campaigns, and (c) identify certain information on how and when you accessed the Service such as type of browser, operating system, domain names, IP addresses and the like.
Resolution of Concerns
If you have questions or concerns about this Policy or how we handle personal information, please contact us at scoring.services@pearson.com or 1-877-460-2204.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Privacy Policy from time to time by posting an updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes or updates.
How to Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at scoring.services@pearson.com or 1-877-460-2204.
Effective Date of this Privacy Policy is December 31, 2019.