Alabama School of Fine Arts
- Public
- BIRMINGHAM, AL
Public School
Alabama School of Fine Arts
- grade A+Overall Grade
- Public
- 7-12
- BIRMINGHAM, AL
- Rating 4.36 out of 5 74 reviews
Report Card
- Academicsgrade A
- Diversitygrade A
- Teachersgrade A+
- College Prepgrade A+
- Clubs & Activitiesgrade C+
- Administrationgrade A minus
- Sportsgrade unavailable
- Foodgrade B+
- Resources & Facilitiesgrade A
About
Enrolling
Grades
7-12
Students
337
From Alabama School of Fine Arts
Alabama School of Fine Arts offers an advanced high school diploma with deep-dive specialty instruction. Students qualify via application to enroll in 1 of 6 intensive programs: creative writing, dance, math-science, music, theatre arts, and visual arts. Boarding is provided for students living outside of Birmingham.
ASFA students are set up for success with a full-time college counselor. The Class of 2022 earned approximately $8.6 million in scholarships and awards. 97% of ASFA seniors were awarded merit scholarships compared to the national average of 15%.
Alums include Suzanne Collins (author of the Hunger Games), Laverne Cox (Emmy-nominated actress and advocate), Ajiona Alexus (Black Mafia Family, Empire, 13 Reasons Why).
Faculty include Wes Chapman (former principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre & Alabama Ballet director), Ashley M. Jones (Alabama’s Poet Laureate, author of five books), & Alex Fokkens (Artistic Director and CEO of the Free State Symphony Orchestra).
Alabama School of Fine Arts Rankings
Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.
YouTube Video
Academics
Percent Proficient - Reading
No data available
Percent Proficient - Math
No data available
Average Graduation Rate
100%
Average SAT
1360
48 responses
Average ACT
29
142 responses
AP Enrollment
79%
Popular Colleges
Niche users from this school are most interested in the following colleges.
Map
Map
Home Listings
- Cost of Livinggrade A minus
- Good for Familiesgrade C
- Housinggrade C
Median Household Income
$30,298
National
$69,021Median Rent
$626
National
$1,163Median Home Value
$67,878
National
$244,900Culture & Safety
Poll
93%
of students agree that they feel safe at their school. 15 responsesPoll
80%
of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. 15 responsesStudents
Diversity
grade A
Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.
Students
337
Free or Reduced Lunch
No data available
100%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive. 15 responses100%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy. 15 responses0%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic. 15 responsesTeachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
6:1
National
17:1Average Teacher Salary
No data available
Teachers in First/Second Year
2.2%
88%
of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons. 16 responses81%
of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students. 16 responses69%
of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom. 16 responsesClubs & Activities
Clubs & Activities
grade C+
Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.
Girls Athletic Participation
Very Low
Boys Athletic Participation
Very Low
Expenses Per Student
No data available
National
$12,23920%
of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. 15 responses7%
of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need. 15 responses20%
of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations. 15 responsesAlabama School of Fine Arts Reviews
Rating 4.36 out of 5 74 reviews
As a member of the math-science department, I really feel as though I have gotten a rigorous and advanced education in my desired field. However, the ASFA culture and some of the teachers don’t meet the expectations of a specialty school. While there are wonderful teachers who care deeply about student success, there have been a few teachers that are more concerned with titles and winning over encouraging student participation. This has been somewhat discouraging over the course of my academic career. I do believe that the leadership within my department helps to account for this but it still creates tension in the department and creates a lot of frustration.
The Alabama School of Fine Arts offered me the opportunity to explore and create within all fields of art. Through my school, I was prepared to go to college for dance and gifted the knowledge to prepare me for life outside of ASFA. I flourished amongst my department and academics, the teachers pushed me, and I was taught the true meaning of art. I became close with everyone in my department through academic classes, and my dance classes. Here at ASFA you can experience different departments work through electives and in school performances, which gave me the chance to support my peers hard work.
I have spent 5 years at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. I truly believe it's the best place for high school students to study the arts and sciences in Alabama. Some of ASFA's top traits are its beautiful facilities for the arts, its acceptance of different communities, and its strong faculty. Throughout my time at ASFA, I have learned about time management, how to build a community, and how to thrive as a leader. Going to a school with a diverse student body and an accepting atmosphere directly influenced my confidence and my ability to grow over 5 years in the most pivotal years of my life. Going to a school without traditional high school activities like sports and Homecoming, I sometimes feel like I missed out on important experiences of a normal high school career. ASFA also has a tendency to completely burn out its students with its rigorous academic classes as well as the long hours spent in the school. I would like to see more diversity in the faculty.