College admission offices rank prospective students before they apply by tracking their personal data, including web browsing habits and financial history, according to records reviewed by The Washington Post. The report found at least "44 public and private universities in the United States work with outside consulting companies to collect and analyze data on prospective students ... to measure each student’s likelihood of enrolling." These actions have raised concerns schools are not obtaining student permission before sharing their data with third parties — a potential violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Meanwhile, CNBC reports a Florida initiative is gathering data on students in an attempt to predict school shootings. (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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