Terms & Conditions

The Consultant agrees to provide high-level strategic interview preparation, behavioral execution coaching, and high-fidelity mock simulations (including Traditional, MMI, and Panel formats) as specified in the purchased package description. The Client explicitly acknowledges and agrees that:

Fixed-Scope Policy: The Services are strictly limited to interview presentation, verbal delivery, strategic mock simulations, and mechanical feedback. The Services strictly exclude, and the Consultant is not responsible for, basic proofreading, personal statement editing, primary/secondary application structural reviews, or written document generation.

Active Cycle Boundaries (Commencement and Termination): Interview Preparation Packages are purchased exclusively for a single, immediate academic application cycle. For the purposes of this Agreement, the "Active Cycle" is officially defined as running from May 1st through April 30th of the following calendar year.

Commencement: Services officially begin on May 1st, or on the Date of Purchase if bought after May 1st. Any package purchased prior to May 1st for a future cycle will remain strictly dormant, and no sessions may be booked until the cycle officially opens.

Termination: Active coaching access automatically, permanently terminates on April 30th of the active cycle, or upon completion of the applicant's final scheduled interview (including waitlist interviews secured prior to April 30th), whichever occurs first. Services cannot be rolled over, bridged, or transferred to subsequent application years.

Lifecycle Pacing Phases (Unlimited Package Only): To protect the Client from strategy fatigue and manage Consultant capacity, the Unlimited Package operates on a strict pacing lifecycle: Phase 1 (Foundation — May to August): Capped at a maximum of two (2) sessions per calendar month. Phase 2 (Peak Season — September to January): Standard pacing of one (1) session per calendar week. Phase 3 (Acceleration Sprint): Triggered exclusively by receipt of an official institutional interview invitation, unlocking up to two (2) sessions per calendar week. Sessions may not be "hoarded" or rolled over into back-to-back daily bookings.

Total Investment: The Client agrees to pay the non-negotiable fee designated for the selected package at checkout ($1,500.00 for the Standard 3-Session Program, or $5,000.00 for the Unlimited Interview Package).

Two-Part Retainer Structure — Standard Package: A 50% retainer ($750.00) is due upon execution prior to scheduling the initial session. The remaining 50% balance ($750.00) is invoiced separately following the conclusion of Session 2 and is not automatically charged to the payment method on file.

Two-Part Retainer Structure — Unlimited Package: A 50% retainer ($2,500.00) is due upon execution. The remaining 50% balance ($2,500.00) is invoiced separately at 30 days post-purchase or following Session 4, whichever occurs first, and is not automatically charged to the payment method on file.

Late Payments & Suspension: Late payments are subject to an interest fee of 1.5% per month on the outstanding balance. DRH Academic Pathways reserves the right to suspend active advisory services — including portal access and live sessions — if any invoice or installment remains unpaid past its designated due date. Services will resume promptly upon payment.

Post-Purchase Agreement Copy: Upon completion of checkout, the Client will receive a confirmation email containing a direct link to the version of these Terms & Conditions active on the date of purchase. This link serves as the Client's contemporaneous copy of the agreement to which they assented. The Client is encouraged to save or print this copy for their records.

Order Summary Controls: The confirmation email will include an order summary reflecting the package(s) purchased, the amount charged at checkout, and the balance (if any) to be invoiced separately. In the event of any discrepancy between the order summary and the amounts actually charged, the Client must notify DRH Academic Pathways at [email protected] within seven (7) calendar days of receipt. Failure to raise a discrepancy within that window constitutes acceptance of the order summary as accurate.

Dispute Process: All billing disputes must be submitted in writing to DRH Academic Pathways at [email protected] before initiating any third-party process. DRH Academic Pathways will respond within ten (10) business days. If the dispute is not resolved, either party may proceed under Section 11.

Financial Institution Rights Preserved: Nothing in this Agreement waives, restricts, penalizes, or conditions any right the Client may have under applicable law or the procedures of a card network, bank, payment processor, or financial institution to dispute a charge. DRH Academic Pathways may submit the accepted agreement, order summary, service records, and other relevant evidence in response to a payment dispute, but will not seek to collect the same amount twice.

Pre-Service Cancellation Window: A partial refund is available ONLY if all of the following conditions are simultaneously met: (a) Fewer than seven (7) calendar days have elapsed since the Date of Purchase; AND (b) The Client has attended ZERO live consulting or mock interview sessions.

Administrative Fee Deduction: Eligible refunds are subject to a flat non-refundable administrative fee of $150.00 (Standard 3-Session Program) or $250.00 (Unlimited Interview Package). This fee covers onboarding, scheduling, and capacity reservation costs actually incurred.

Post-First-Session Partial Cancellation & Prorated Refund: The initial live mock interview or coaching session represents a distinct, completed consulting milestone with a defined standalone value of $650.00 across both Interview Preparation packages. Once the first live session has convened, the Client is no longer eligible for a full package refund. If the Client elects to discontinue services after the completion of Session 1 but prior to Session 2, and the 7-day pre-service window has already closed, the following applies: (a) Session Value & Administrative Fee Retained: DRH Academic Pathways will retain $650.00 as the combined standalone session value and administrative fee for the completed initial session (comprising the earned session value plus an administrative component covering onboarding, scheduling, and capacity reservation costs actually incurred). (b) Refund of Unused Balance: For the Standard 3-Session Program: the $750.00 retainer less the $650.00 retained value results in a $100.00 refund to the original payment method within ten (10) business days, and the Phase 2 balance invoice ($750.00) will be cancelled. For the Unlimited Interview Package: the $2,500.00 retainer less the $650.00 retained value results in a $1,850.00 refund to the original payment method within ten (10) business days, and the Phase 2 balance invoice ($2,500.00) will be cancelled. (c) License Revocation: Upon cancellation, the Client's license to any custom behavioral rubrics, mock scenarios, or strategic frameworks created during Session 1 is immediately revoked under Section 7, concurrent with the issuance of any applicable refund.

Post-Service Fees: Once a live session has convened, that session is considered rendered and the corresponding fee is non-refundable. For packages with a two-part payment structure, only the portion corresponding to sessions not yet rendered remains eligible for credit or refund consideration under Section 10 (Termination for Cause).

No Acceleration of Unearned Fees: Cancellation, inactivity, or account closure does not make the price of unperformed future sessions immediately due solely because the relationship ends. DRH Academic Pathways may collect only amounts lawfully owed for services already performed or otherwise earned under this Agreement.

Expiration of Pre-Service Window: If 7 calendar days pass from purchase without a cancellation request, the pre-service cancellation window closes. Following expiration of this window, the Client shall only be invoiced or held responsible for installments corresponding to completed milestones or active review windows as outlined in Section 2. DRH Academic Pathways will not invoice or pursue payment for sessions not yet rendered or milestones not yet reached.

To maintain institutional efficiency and respect the limited advisory capacity of DRH Academic Pathways, the following strict attendance rules apply:

Standard Booking Advanced Notice: To guarantee adequate custom curriculum preparation and school-specific simulation building, all sessions must be scheduled a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours in advance.

Standard Rescheduling: The Client may reschedule a scheduled session without financial penalty by providing written notice at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the start of the session.

Late Rescheduling Fee: Any request to reschedule made between twenty-four (24) and forty-eight (48) hours prior to the session start time will incur a $50.00 Rescheduling Fee, billed immediately to the Client's payment method on file.

Late Cancellation Fee: Cancellations or rescheduling requests made with less than twenty-four (24) hours' notice will incur a strict $100.00 Cancellation Fee AND result in the immediate forfeiture of that session from the Client's package allocation. No makeup session will be provided for that hour.

The 15-Minute No-Show Rule: If the Client fails to log in or arrive within fifteen (15) minutes of the scheduled start time, the session is deemed a "No-Show." A No-Show results in the automatic forfeiture of the session and triggers a $100.00 No-Show Administrative Fee.

Engagement Expectation: The Client is expected to maintain regular engagement and momentum throughout the interview cycle. If the Client fails to communicate, respond to the Consultant's inquiries, or book a coaching session for a period of forty-five (45) consecutive calendar days, DRH Academic Pathways will send written notice to the Client's email address on file. All formal notices from the Client must be sent to [email protected].

Notice and Cure: The Client will have ten (10) calendar days from the date of that notice to re-engage and resume services. If the Client does not respond or re-engage within that period, the contract will be deemed abandoned and services will be terminated.

Financial Consequences of Abandonment: Upon confirmed abandonment, DRH Academic Pathways will retain fees corresponding to services actually rendered up to the date of termination. Any prepaid fees corresponding to sessions not yet rendered will be credited to the Client's account for use within twelve (12) months, or refunded at DRH's discretion. Any outstanding installment balances for sessions not yet rendered will be cancelled.

Preparation and Readiness: The Client agrees to arrive at all live mock sessions prepared, in professional attire (if requested for high-fidelity simulations), and in a quiet, distraction-free environment.

Official Communication Channels: All official scheduling notices and formal requests must be submitted exclusively via email or the official DRH client portal. Messages sent via SMS or social media will not be monitored for official notice requirements or scheduling timing.

Accuracy and Authenticity: The Client represents and warrants that all background clinical histories, academic metrics, and personal narratives provided to the Consultant to build mock interview scenarios are completely accurate and authentic.

Disciplinary History Disclosure: The Client is required to disclose upon enrollment, and on an ongoing basis throughout the engagement, any past, pending, or present academic misconduct findings, institutional disciplinary actions, honor code violations, or criminal history that could reasonably impact their admissions eligibility. Omission or non-disclosure of such history constitutes a material breach of this Agreement and absolves DRH Academic Pathways of any responsibility for admissions outcomes under Section 11.

Strategic Control: DRH Academic Pathways retains ultimate strategic control over the advisory framework, behavioral rubrics, and feedback mechanisms. If a Client repeatedly refuses to adopt behavioral feedback or disrupts the simulation environment, it serves as grounds for contract termination under Section 10.

All proprietary methodologies, strategic frameworks, behavioral grading rubrics, custom MMI scenarios, ethical drill banks, and written templates provided by DRH Academic Pathways are the exclusive intellectual property of the Consultant. The Client is granted a single-user, non-transferable license to use these materials for their personal preparation process only.

Prohibition of Distribution: The Client is strictly prohibited from sharing, publishing, selling, copying, or distributing these proprietary materials or recorded mock sessions to any third party, online forum, or competing consultancy.

Session Notes Policy: DRH Academic Pathways does not record live audio or video consulting sessions. Session notes, strategic action plans, and key decisions are captured in written form only and shared with the Client following each session. The Client acknowledges that no audio or video recording of sessions will be made by DRH Academic Pathways, and that the written session notes constitute the official record of each advisory engagement.

During the term of this Agreement and for a period of two (2) years following its termination, the Client shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit, hire, contract, or attempt to hire any employee, contractor, execution coach, or associate consultant affiliated with DRH Academic Pathways for independent services outside of the firm's structured ecosystem.

Both parties agree to maintain a professional, respectful relationship throughout the engagement.

Mutual Accuracy Covenant: Neither party shall make knowingly false statements of fact about the other party, or disclose the other party's confidential information in violation of applicable law. This covenant does not restrict either party from publishing truthful, good-faith feedback or reviews based on their actual experience.

Client Conduct: The Client agrees to engage respectfully with the Consultant and staff. DRH Academic Pathways reserves the right to terminate service under Section 10 if the Client engages in abusive, threatening, or harassing conduct.

DRH Academic Pathways may terminate service for cause in the following circumstances:

Immediate Termination (No Cure Period): Service may be terminated immediately, without prior notice, if the Client: (a) Engages in material misrepresentation or falsification of academic/clinical records submitted to DRH or to any admissions institution; or (b) Exhibits abusive, threatening, or harassing conduct toward the Lead Strategist, execution coaches, or staff.

Termination with Notice and Cure: For other material breaches — including repeated failure to cooperate, repeated violations of scheduling policies, or repeated violations of the abandonment policy — DRH Academic Pathways will provide written notice describing the breach. The Client will have seven (7) calendar days to cure the breach before services are terminated.

Financial Consequences: Upon termination for cause, DRH Academic Pathways will retain fees corresponding to sessions actually rendered and completed milestones up to the date of termination, plus any applicable administrative or session cancellation fees incurred under Section 4. Prepaid fees for sessions not yet rendered will be refunded on a pro-rated milestone basis. Outstanding installment balances for unrendered future milestones will be cancelled and will not be invoiced or collected.

Limitation of Liability: In no event shall DRH Academic Pathways be liable to the Client for any indirect, consequential, special, or punitive damages. The maximum aggregate liability of the Consultant under any circumstance shall not exceed the total amount of fees actually paid by the Client to DRH Academic Pathways.

Indemnification: The Client agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless DRH Academic Pathways, its operators, employees, and contractors from any claims, losses, or damages resulting from the Client's interview performance, admissions outcomes, or misrepresentations.

No Guarantee of Admission: The Client explicitly acknowledges that passing an interview and gaining admission to any undergraduate, BS/MD, or medical school program depends entirely on variables outside the Consultant's control — including institutional quotas, fluctuating applicant pools, interviewer bias, and independent committee metrics. DRH Academic Pathways does not guarantee acceptance into any school or program.

Dispute Resolution — Mandatory Pre-Arbitration Notice: Before initiating arbitration, the party asserting a claim must send written notice to the other party describing the dispute and the relief sought. The parties will have thirty (30) days from receipt of that notice to attempt to resolve the dispute in good faith.

Binding Arbitration: If the dispute is not resolved within the 30-day notice period, it shall be submitted to binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, which are available at www.adr.org. The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator. The seat of arbitration will be Wayne County, Michigan, though hearings may be conducted remotely by mutual agreement. The arbitrator's award will be final and binding, and judgment may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. If the AAA is unable or unwilling to administer the arbitration, the dispute shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by a mutually agreed-upon independent arbitration service in Michigan.

Costs: AAA filing fees will be allocated in accordance with the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules. Each party will bear its own attorneys' fees unless the arbitrator finds that a claim or defense was frivolous, in which case the arbitrator may award fees to the prevailing party.

Exceptions: Either party may seek emergency injunctive or other equitable relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending arbitration. Nothing in this section prevents either party from filing a claim in small claims court for disputes within that court's jurisdictional limits.

Governing Law: This Agreement and any disputes arising out of or related to it shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Michigan, without regard to its choice or conflict of law rules.

Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable under applicable Michigan or federal law, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Entire Agreement: This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Client and DRH Academic Pathways regarding the subject matter herein and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements, understandings, or representations.

Force Majeure: Neither party shall be liable for failure or delay in performance (other than payment obligations) caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, severe technology network outages, or government actions.

Consumer Rights Savings Clause: Nothing in this Agreement waives or limits any right or remedy that cannot lawfully be waived under federal, state, or local consumer-protection law, payment-card rules, privacy law, or other applicable law. If applicable law requires a specific cancellation notice, cooling-off period, venue, refund right, or other consumer protection, that required protection will apply notwithstanding any inconsistent term in this Agreement.

Privacy & Data Protection: All academic records, clinical logs, personal narrative history, and coaching materials provided by the Client are kept strictly confidential and handled in accordance with the DRH Academic Pathways Privacy Policy. DRH Academic Pathways does not sell, rent, or distribute Client personal data to third parties.

Retention Period: Client application materials are retained only for the duration of the active application cycle plus twelve (12) months, after which they are securely archived or destroyed.

Minor Contracting Party: If the applicant is under eighteen (18) years of age, a parent or legal guardian must execute this Agreement as the contracting party and is jointly and severally liable for all financial obligations herein. The parent or guardian acknowledges that the applicant is the sole client for purposes of strategic advisory decisions, coaching direction, and confidential communications, and that DRH Academic Pathways will direct all strategic guidance to the applicant directly. Where a third party who is not a parent or legal guardian finances the package on behalf of the applicant, that party agrees to be financially responsible for all amounts due but does not acquire any right to direct or override the applicant's strategic advisory relationship.