Privacy Policy for MCATBooster AAMC Extension

Last Updated: July 6, 2026

Introduction

MCATBooster AAMC Extension ("the Extension") is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy policy explains what data we access, how we use it, and how we protect it.

Data We Access

1. MCAT Official Prep Website DataWhen you use the Extension on mcatofficialprep.org, we temporarily access:
  • Session Authentication Token: Used to make API requests to MCAT Official Prep on your behalf. This token is never transmitted to BoosterPrep servers or any third party — it is used exclusively to fetch data directly from mcatofficialprep.org.
  • Score Report Data: Your exam scores, section performance, and question responses
  • Question Data: The questions you've answered, including question IDs, your selected answers, and correctness
  • User Profile Data: Basic profile data needed to identify which score reports belong to you
Important: This data is accessed only from the MCAT Official Prep website while you're actively using the Extension. We do NOT access data from any other websites.2. BoosterPrep Authentication DataTo provide explanation content, we store:
  • Authentication Tokens: Short-lived access tokens from your BoosterPrep account
  • User Profile Data: Basic profile data, used to display your account avatar, name and status in the extension popup

How We Use Your Data

Display Score ReportsWe use your MCAT Official Prep score report data to:
  • Display your exam results in an interface similar to the actual MCAT exam
  • Show your selected answers and correct answers
  • Present questions in the same format you experienced during the exam
Provide ExplanationsWe match your questions with our explanation content to provide:
  • Detailed text explanations for each answer choice
  • Video solution walkthroughs
  • Subject-specific learning resources
Question FilteringWe process your response data to enable filtering by:
  • Exam section
  • Correctness (correct, incorrect, skipped)
  • Subject tags and content categories
  • Flag for review
Improve Explanation QualityWe collect anonymized statistics about which answer choices students commonly select.This anonymized data helps us:
  • Identify questions that need better explanations
  • Prioritize video content creation
  • Improve explanation clarity and relevance
  • Understand common misconceptions to address in explanations
Important: While we save answer statistics for each question, this data is completely anonymized and NOT linked to your MCAT Official Prep and BoosterPrep accounts or any personal information.

Data Retention

Temporary (In-Memory Only)
  • MCAT Official Prep User Profile Data and Session Token: Never stored persistently. Exists only in memory during your active session and is discarded when you close the tab or browser. It is never written to chrome.storage or transmitted to BoosterPrep servers.
Persistent StorageStored Locally on Your Device (chrome.storage.local):
  • MCAT Official Prep Exam, Score Report and Question Data: Fetched on-demand from mcatofficialprep.org using your session token and cached in the extension's background service worker memory for up to 5 minutes to avoid redundant requests. Because Chrome may suspend the background service worker when inactive, this data is also persisted in chrome.storage.local as a performance fallback, with the same 5-minute expiry. It is never sent to BoosterPrep servers.
  • BoosterPrep Authentication Data: Stored securely in Chrome's encrypted local storage. Automatically refreshed when expired.
  • User Preferences: Stored locally in Chrome storage to remember your settings.
Stored on Our Servers (Anonymized):
  • Answer Attempt Statistics: We save which answer choices were selected for each question, but this data is NOT linked to your account or identity. It exists purely as anonymous statistics (e.g., "Question #123: Option A selected 45% of the time, Option B selected 30%...").
What We Never Store
  • Your MCAT Official Prep password or login credentials
  • Your MCAT Official Prep user profile data and session token (in-memory only, never persisted)
  • Your MCAT Official Prep personal exam history or performance data linked to your account
  • Which specific user answered which questions (answers are saved anonymously only)

Data Security

Chrome Security Features
  • Encrypted Storage: Data stored using Chrome's chrome.storage.local is encrypted at the OS level
  • Extension-Only Access: Storage is scoped exclusively to the Extension and not accessible from web pages
  • Origin Validation: We validate message origins to prevent unauthorized access
Communication Security
  • HTTPS Only: All communication with external servers uses secure HTTPS
  • Message Origin Checking: Cross-origin messages are validated to ensure they come from trusted sources only (mcatofficialprep.org and boosterprep.com)
  • Restricted Permissions: The Extension only accesses mcatofficialprep.org, boosterprep.com, and api.boosterprep.com domains
Network Security
  • No Third-Party Analytics: We do not use Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or any third-party analytics SDKs
  • No Advertising Networks: No ads or ad tracking
  • Limited External Connections: Only connects to:
    • mcatofficialprep.org (to fetch exam and score report data using your session token)
    • boosterprep.com (to authenticate your BoosterPrep account and sync login state)
    • api.boosterprep.com (to fetch question explanations and sync practice attempt data from the BoosterPrep API)
    • youtube.com and vimeo.com (video explanations only, embedded via <iframe> — no user data is passed to these services beyond standard video playback)

Third-Party Data Sharing

We do NOT sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties.Specifically:
  • Your MCAT Official Prep session token is used solely to fetch data from mcatofficialprep.org and is never transmitted to BoosterPrep servers or any third party
  • Your question answers are saved as anonymized attempt statistics only, never in identifiable form
  • No data is shared with advertisers, data brokers, or marketing companies

Required Permissions Explained

storage PermissionWhy we need it: To cache exam data locally as a fallback when Chrome suspends the background service worker, and to save your BoosterPrep authentication data and extension preferences.What we store:
  • MCAT Official Prep exam, score report and question data (cached with 5-minute expiry, never includes session token)
  • BoosterPrep authentication data
  • Your extension preferences (e.g., default filters, UI settings)
What we don't store: MCAT Official Prep credentials, session token, or complete exam history.Host Permissions (mcatofficialprep.org)Why we need it: To inject the extension interface and fetch exam, score report and question data from MCAT Official Prep on your behalf.What we access:
  • Your score reports and exam performance data
  • Question content and your selected answers
  • Applied question filters
  • Your MCAT Official Prep session token (in-memory only, never persisted or transmitted elsewhere)
What we do with it: Display it in an enhanced interface with explanations. Session token is used only to call mcatofficialprep.org APIs directly.Host Permissions (boosterprep.com)Why we need it: To authenticate your BoosterPrep account and sync login state when you sign in on the website.What we access: Authentication services only.externally_connectable: The extension accepts authentication state messages from boosterprep.com web pages via Chrome's externally_connectable API. This is used solely to sync your BoosterPrep login state into the extension when you sign in on the website. No other data is exchanged through this channel.Host Permissions (api.boosterprep.com)Why we need it: To fetch question explanations and sync practice attempt data from the BoosterPrep API.What we access: Question explanation text, video links, and anonymized attempt statistics.What we do with it: Display explanations alongside your exam questions. Attempt statistics are stored anonymously on our servers to improve explanation quality.

Your Rights

You have the right to:
  • Access: View what data is stored locally by inspecting Chrome's extension storage
  • Delete: Remove the Extension at any time, which deletes all locally stored data
  • Opt-Out: Stop using the Extension if you don't agree with this policy
  • Contact Us: Ask questions about your data and our practices

Children's Privacy

The Extension is intended for students preparing for the MCAT exam, typically ages 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy periodically. Changes will be posted with a new "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the Extension after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Information

If you have questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Compliance

This Extension complies with:
  • Chrome Web Store Developer Program Policies
  • Google API Services User Data Policy
  • General privacy best practices for browser extensions

Summary

What we access: Your MCAT Official Prep score reports and questions (only when you're actively using the Extension on mcatofficialprep.org).Why we access it: To display your exam results in an enhanced interface with detailed explanations.How we protect it: Session token is held in-memory only, used exclusively to call mcatofficialprep.org APIs, and is never transmitted to any other server. All connections use HTTPS. No third-party sharing.What we save anonymously: Answer attempt statistics (which answers were chosen) without any link to your account or identity, used solely to improve explanation quality.What we never do: Store your MCAT Official Prep session token, transmit it to our servers, sell your data, or track your browsing activity outside mcatofficialprep.org.