College & Career Advising

ASFA college and career advising assists students with developing long-range goals leading to college admission and guiding them through the process of discovering the best fit for their particular college placement. The college and career advisor also works in conjunction with the specialty faculty in aligning the students’ experience with future career opportunities.

Start Here with The Next Step: Planning for Life After ASFA, our handbook covering college admissions, paying for college, gap years, and careers.

Click here to view ASFA College and Career videos.

ASFA's School Code or CEEB is 010-326.

When college or scholarship applications ask for Counselor Information, please use Ms. Rutsky (below) instead of your grade-level counselor:

Rebecca Rutsky
College & Career Counselor
1800 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.
Birmingham, AL 35203
Ph: (205) 458-7252
Email: rrutsky@asfa.k12.al.us

Transcript Requests

Current Students: All requests for transcripts to be sent to colleges MUST be submitted through SCOIR. For any other reason, e.g. scholarship application, insurance, etc. please contact Mrs. Norman at rhnorman@asfa.k12.al.us or (205) 458-7255.
Alumni: Please contact Mrs. Norman at rhnorman@asfa.k12.al.us or (205) 458-7255.

College Visits at ASFA

Calendar of Upcoming College Visits to ASFA
Note that this calendar is updated frequently during the fall semester. College Admission Representatives: We welcome you to schedule a visit on Scoir or email rhnoman@asfa.k12.al.us.

SCOIR Login

Rebecca Rutsky
College & Career Counselor
rrutsky@asfaschool.org
Ph: (205) 458-7252

College & Career Events in the Area

College & Career Events in the Area

National College Fairs
Information and registration for upcoming college fairs at https://www.nacacfairs.org/

National Portfolio Days
National Portfolio Days are free educational events for young artists and designers held throughout the US and Canada. College representatives review students' artwork, offer critiques, and share information about their schools. These events are not tests or competitions. Representatives are interested in students’ creative development and in providing helpful information about the college search. More information and registration at https://nationalportfolioday.org.

Campus Preview Days

One of the best things a student can do is visit a campus. Even if you think you know the college, preview and visit days allow you to learn more about all the opportunities available. Here’s a list of Campus Preview Days around the State and nearby: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yN_dVxNGG_wjD3FNXS896yBc2ZTLWgkjAQ2NzpB-3aU/edit

Ongoing & Older Events

The following events are from last year, so deadlines for this year may change. Consult website for details.

Cahaba Valley Healthcare: Provides healthcare screenings to low-income populations, mainly dental and vision, mainly on Sunday afternoons. They especially welcome people who can help with Spanish translation. Volunteer information.

The Culinary Explorers program for high school students interested in a career in the culinary arts or the hospitality industry meets once a month and provides prizes and full-tuition scholarships for the top participants. Contact your Specialty Chair and Mr. Marble to discuss possible early release in order to participate. http://www.jeffersonstate.edu/culinary-explorers/

Jeremiah's Hope Academy is a job skills training program that exists to equip persons for entry-level healthcare positions. Training received qualifies individuals to sit for national certification examinations, and upon successful completion, will allow them to apply for healthcare positions that offer greater earning potential. Initial employment often serves as a springboard for pursuing further education and training for a career beyond the entry-level, thereby providing opportunity for greater economic self-sufficiency. JHA is housed with St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham. Academic programs include: billing and coding specialist, electronic health records specialist, medical administrative assistant, patient care assistant, and mental health technician. Academic programs are open for students who have earned a high school diploma and take approximately 12 weeks to complete.For more information, visit www.jhacademy.org

College & Career Videos

Staff Biographies

Named one of the "Counselors That Change Lives" and among the first generation in her family to graduate from college, Becki believes strongly in the power of education. Prior to joining ASFA in 2006, she directed a large public school college counseling program, taught in the University of California at Los Angeles College Counseling Certification program, and worked at UAB, University of Virginia, Kenyon College, and in the private sector. Becki edited Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling and Rebecca Rutsky has been regionally and nationally recognized for her work with thousands of students and their families in both public and private settings, and served in numerous leadership and volunteer roles for the National and Southern Associations for College Admission Counseling.

She earned her B.A. summa cum laude with Highest Honors in English from Kenyon College, M.A. in English from the University of Virginia, and an M.A. in Counseling from University of Alabama at Birmingham (where she was named the Dean’s Most Outstanding Education Graduate Student). Her academic accolades include being named a National Merit Scholar, Rhodes Scholarship Finalist (First Alternate, Midwest Region), National Endowment for the Humanities Younger Scholar, Jacob K. Javits Fellow, and a Mellon Fellow in Humanistic Studies.

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College & Career Advising

Transcript Requests

College Visits at ASFA

SCOIR Login

College & Career Events in the Area

College & Career Events in the Area

College & Career Videos

Staff Biographies

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