Alfonso Ruiz

Alfonso is a California native and experienced college and career counselor with more than 15 years of experience helping students achieve their academic and post-secondary goals. He currently leads the College & Career Center at Simi Valley High School, where he has spent the past four years guiding nearly 2,000 students through individualized college planning, career exploration, and post-secondary decision-making.

Earlier in his career, Alfonso worked in Chicago as a Post-Secondary Counselor, supporting diverse student populations and helping them navigate the transition from high school to college and career pathways.

Alfonso has extensive expertise guiding students through the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and Common Application processes. Throughout his career, he has helped students gain admission to top universities across the country including MIT, Stanford, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Caltech, Cornell, Brown, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, USC, Notre Dame, Emory, UNC–Chapel Hill, NYU, and Boston College.

As a father of four who has personally supported three children through their own college journeys, Alfonso understands the admissions process from both a counselor and parent perspective. He is passionate about helping students and families navigate the college process and discover pathways that align with their strengths, goals, and aspirations.