Next Step Academic Consulting — Terms of Service
Last updated: August 2026
Please read these Terms carefully before booking a session or purchasing a service. By booking, paying, or submitting a form, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms.
1. About These Terms
These Terms of Service govern all services provided by Next Step Academic Consulting ("NSAC"), operated by Valerie Dietz. They apply to all clients, including students, parents, and guardians who book or pay for services on behalf of a student.
2. Services Offered
NSAC provides the following educational mentorship services:
Biology Tutoring (high school and undergraduate)
College and Scholarship Essay Support (live 1:1 sessions)
Written Essay Review (asynchronous written feedback)
All live sessions are conducted remotely via Google Meet. Written Essay Review is delivered asynchronously by email.
3. What Is Not Included
NSAC services are educational in nature. They do not include:
Admissions consulting, school list building, or application strategy
Guarantees of college admission, scholarship awards, grade improvements, or employment outcomes
Ghostwriting or producing written work on a client's behalf
Ongoing revisions beyond the scope of a single session or purchased review
Professional legal, financial, medical, or mental health advice
Standardized test preparation or test coaching
Follow-up feedback after a session is complete unless a separate service is purchased
Review of more than one essay per purchased Written Essay Review order. Each Written Essay Review covers one essay submission up to 650 words — the Common App personal essay maximum. Scholarship essays and supplemental responses within that word count follow the same scope. Additional essays require a separate purchase.
4. Payment
Payment is required at the time of booking. Sessions are confirmed upon receipt of payment. For the Written Essay Review service, payment is required before submitting your essay through the intake form.
Five-session packages are paid in full at the time of purchase. Package credits expire after 24-months from purchase date and are non-transferable.
5. Cancellation, Rescheduling and Late Arrival/No-Show
You may cancel or reschedule a session at no charge with at least 24 hours' notice using the link in your booking confirmation email.
Cancellations made with less than 24 hours' notice will forfeit the session fee. One courtesy exception may be granted at my sole discretion and does not establish a continuing policy.
If I need to cancel a session, you will receive a full refund or the option to reschedule at no additional cost.
If you have not joined the session within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time and have not contacted me in advance, the session will be considered a no-show. No-show sessions forfeit the full session fee and are not eligible for the one-time grace exception offered for late cancellations. If you experience a genuine emergency, contact me directly and I will review the situation at my discretion.
6. Refund Policy
Session fees are non-refundable except when a cancellation is initiated by NSAC. Package credits are non-refundable once any session in the package has been used and are non-transferable.
Written Essay Review fees are non-refundable once the intake form has been submitted and review of the submitted essay has begun.
7. Educational Nature of Services
All services provided by NSAC are educational and mentorship-based. They are grounded in my personal academic and professional experience and do not constitute professional advice of any kind, including legal, financial, medical, or clinical guidance.
Content shared during sessions reflects my lived experience, academic training, and evidence-based educational practices. Clients are encouraged to make independent decisions and consult licensed professionals for needs outside the scope of educational mentorship.
8. No Guarantee of Outcomes
Participation in NSAC services does not guarantee any specific outcome. This includes college admission, scholarship awards, grade improvements, or career outcomes. Results depend on many factors outside my control, including individual effort, third-party decisions, and circumstances unique to each client.
9. Student Ownership of Work
All written work produced or developed through NSAC services belongs to the student. I work in an advisory and editorial capacity only. I do not write, ghostwrite, or produce original written content on behalf of clients.
Educational materials, templates, worksheets, and other resources provided by NSAC remain the intellectual property of NSAC and may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
10. Confidentiality
I will not share identifying information about clients or session content with third parties. Client materials are used solely for the purpose of providing the services you have purchased.
Sessions conducted via Google Meet are subject to Google's own privacy and data policies, which are outside my control.
11. Communication
All client communication takes place via email at nxtstepacademic@gmail.com. I do not accept session-related inquiries or communications through social media messages, personal email, or text. I respond within 24 to 48 hours (business hours).
12. Clients Under 18
Students under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian complete a Parental Consent Form before their first session. The completed form must be received before the session takes place.
I communicate directly with students during sessions. Parent or guardian attendance during live sessions is not permitted unless agreed upon in advance in writing.
Scheduling confirmations and billing communications for minor clients will be directed according to the preferences specified in the Parental Consent Form.
13. Right to Decline or Discontinue Services
I reserve the right to decline or discontinue services at my discretion. If services are discontinued by NSAC after payment has been received, a prorated refund will be issued for any unused sessions.
14. Changes to These Terms
These Terms may be updated periodically. Continued use of NSAC services following an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.