ADVi SMS Privacy Policy

Last updated August 19, 2026

1 – Introduction

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is committed to data privacy. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains how the THECB (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and safeguards personal information when you sign up for or interact ADVi (“ADVi”), also known as “Ask ADVi” and as the “Virtual Advising Project,” including information collected in connection with ADVi’s SMS (text messaging) communications.

2 – Privacy Policy for Conversational Messages

This SMS Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our conversational SMS messaging service. The THECB complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), which generally restricts the release of student personally identifying information and education records without the student’s consent, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”), 10DLC SMS messaging regulations required by U.S. mobile carriers for business-to-consumer communications. and other relevant laws and regulations.

3 – Opt-In Consent for SMS Communications

By providing your mobile phone number and opting in to receive SMS messages from ADVi and the THECB, you are expressly consenting to receive SMS messages for conversational purposes. These SMS messages may include, but are not limited to, application reminders, enrollment information, responses to your inquiries, service updates, and other communications relevant to your interactions with the THECB.

4 – How We Obtain Consent (Opt-In)

To sign up for ADVi SMS/text messages, you must have an ApplyTexas or My Texas Future account and complete the applicable opt-in process for either platform: 

Through ApplyTexas: Complete the application screener to determine your eligibility for ADVi messages. If eligible, an invitation to opt in will appear in a pop-up on your dashboard. To opt in, provide your mobile phone number, select your learner type (high school student or adult learner/college student), consent to receive messages from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and its authorized representatives at the number provided, and select “Save.” 

Consent to ADVi messages is not required to create an ApplyTexas account, submit applications, or opt in to receive text message notifications directly from institutions through their applications hosted in the ApplyTexas system. Consent is not a condition of purchase. 

Through My Texas Future: Set up your learner profile and identify your learner type (high school student or adult; middle school users are not eligible to sign up for ADVi). High school students must also provide their grade level. This information is used to determine eligibility for ADVi messages. If eligible, you can opt in to SMS/text notifications by editing the Communication Preferences section of your profile. To opt in, provide your mobile phone number, consent to receive messages from the THECB and its authorized representatives at the number provided, and save your profile preferences. 

Consent to ADVi messages is not required to create a My Texas Future account or use the website and its other tools and resources. Consent is not a condition of purchase. 

By opting in, you expressly consent to receive SMS (text) messages from the THECB, including messages sent using automated technology, AI-assisted systems, and/or prerecorded messages. 

5 – What Data We Collect

Information we collect from ApplyTexas and My Texas Future for SMS Communications: When you opt in to receive SMS/text messages from ADVi, we may collect the following personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information connected to your ApplyTexas and/or My Texas Future accounts, both at the time of opt in and throughout your use of the service, as applicable:

  • Your name 
  • Your mobile phone number 
  • Your ApplyTexas or My Texas Future account email address 
  • Your data of birth 
  • Your learner type and grade level, if applicable 
  • Your ApplyTexas application screener responses 
  • Your eligible application types in ApplyTexas 
  • Your ApplyTexas application status 
  • Information about the high school or college you most recently attended 
  • Your highest level of education 
  • Your participation in Direct Admissions through My Texas Future 
  • Information about your SMS opt-in and consent 
  • Usage data from your ApplyTexas or My Texas Future account, such as a timestamp of when you opted in or a service eligibility indicator 

Information self-reported by you for SMS Communications: While using the service, we may ask you to provide personally or non-personally identifiable information so we can assist you with your questions about colleges and universities in the State of Texas. For example, we may ask you to share the name of the college you are most interested in so we can send you messages that are specific to that college. Or we may ask you to reply yes or no to a question about your application progress so we can tailor future messaging to where you are in the process. These questions are optional and you are not required to answer them to participate in services.

Usage data we collect through SMS communications: THECB may collect data about your use of ADVi, including frequency of use, duration of use, and engagement with specific components and functionality of the services, such as the number of times you ask to speak to a human advisor or your responses to an ADVi satisfaction survey. Collecting and analyzing this data is necessary for us to understand how students and educators are using the resources, to improve their efficacy, and to develop training materials for educators implementing the resources.

Conversation Logs: Your conversations with the ADVi chatbot may be reviewed by our content team to improve results. While the system retains logs of these conversations, conversational data is neither used to train AI models nor shared with third parties. Although there are mechanisms in place to protect any sensitive data shared with the chatbot, we advise you to not disclose any personal information like your social security number or banking information. The ADVi chatbot will never ask you for this type of information.

6 – How We Collect Data

ADVi data integrations with ApplyTexas and My Texas Future: When you opt in to receive SMS/text messages from ADVi, you agree to share limited personally and non-personally identifiable information from your ApplyTexas and/or My Texas Future accounts with THECB and its authorized representatives and service providers. While opted into the service, updates you make in your ApplyTexas or My Texas Future account(s) may be collected and shared with ADVi to ensure our messages continue meeting your needs. If you opt out of text messages, ADVi stops collecting information from these accounts.

7 – How We Use Data

How We Use Your Information for SMS Communications: We may use the information collected when you opt in to receive text messages and use the service to:

  • Provide and improve our services 
  • Communicate with you 
  • Respond to inquiries 
  • Comply with legal obligations and auditing

How We Use Cookies: Cookies are small pieces of data stored by the web browser. Cookies are used to remember information about preferences and pages you have visited. We use Session Cookies to operate some of our services, such as the Ask ADVi website, and we use Security Cookies for security purposes.

8 – How We Share Data

Mobile information will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. 

We do not sell or rent personal information. We may share information only with: 

  • Research partners: ADVi account or usage data may be shared with qualified researchers and other personnel engaged by the THECB to inform agency reporting, services, and insights, as well as to better understand and support learners 
  • Service providers necessary to deliver SMS: Data may be shared with telecommunications and messaging providers (including Twilio) that help operate the Service. 
  • Legal and safety authorities: We may share data with certain authorities if required by law or to protect rights, safety, and security. 

Disclaimer: Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties, excluding aggregators and providers of the Text Message services.

9 – How We Store Data

Destruction of Data: THECB will maintain your ADVi profile information, usage data, and conversation logs while the service is active. The information that is collected about you will be retained and maintained as required by Texas records retention laws (Section 441.180 et seq. of the Texas Government Code) and rules. Different types of information are kept for different periods of time.  

Data Stored after Opt-Out: If you choose to opt out of ADVi SMS communications, the THECB may maintain the information you shared for research purposes and agency operations, unless you have contacted us to request that your ADVi account record and associated data be deleted. Data will be destroyed per agency record retention policies.

10 – How We Protect Data

Data Privacy: Data you provide ADVi is considered confidential under Texas Education Code § 61.0511(l) and may only be released in conformity with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99). This means THECB will not sell your personal information you give us and will keep it confidential in compliance with State and Federal law. 

Security of Your Data: Although no computer system is 100 percent secure, data collected through ADVi will be protected and secured in compliance with privacy and confidentiality regulations, to the fullest extent allowed by law. THECB has a sound data security program that complies with State and Federal cybersecurity and privacy laws and protects both data at rest and in transmission.

11 – Third-Party Links from Other Websites

ADVi’s SMS communications may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by THECB. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services, and we encourage you to review their policies. You further acknowledge and agree that we shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any such content, goods, or services available on or through any such web sites or services.

12 – Your Privacy Rights

As a user of the ADVi text messaging service, you may request to: 

  • Access the personal information associated with your ADVi profile 
  • Correct inaccurate information 
  • Request deletion of your data 

To make a request, email the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board at AskADVi@highered.texas.gov.

You also have the right to opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP in your conversation(s) with ADVi. After you send STOP, we will send one final confirmation message, and after that, you will no longer receive messages unless you re-enroll in the service by texting START to the same number you opted out from.

13 – Changes to Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this SMS Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting the revised SMS Privacy Policy on our applicable websites or through other communication channels. Your continued use of our service after the posting of any changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.

14 – Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about the evaluation or use of your data or these Terms, please email the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board at AskADVi@highered.texas.gov.