When people hear "online courses," some still mistakenly assume they’re easier than traditional, in-person classes. However, the reality is far from that assumption. In fact, online courses often demand a high level of discipline, engagement, and critical thinking, matching—and sometimes exceeding—the rigor of their on-campus counterparts.
In a recent survey, 95% of students in Rize courses indicated that they prefer to take at least one online course per semester and only 5% prefer entirely on-campus classes. Additionally, 87% of respondents said Rize courses were as or even more difficult than their on-campus courses. This overwhelming preference isn't rooted in convenience alone; it reflects the quality of the student experience.
Rize’s online courses are crafted by a team of in-house instructional designers, supported with feedback from industry experts, who prioritize active learning, critical thinking, and real-world application. Through comprehensive weekly assignments, collaborative projects, and engaging multimedia resources, students are challenged to apply concepts in meaningful ways. Our new course overview videos provide an inside look at some of Rize’s top undergraduate courses in AI Literacy, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and Digital Marketing. These videos showcase the depth and complexity of the coursework, demonstrating our commitment to academic excellence.
The feedback from Rize students is a testament to our online courses' effectiveness:
These statistics reflect more than just satisfaction; they highlight how online courses can foster deep learning, critical analysis, and personal growth.
Below are testimonials from real Rize students currently taking our Healthcare Administration capstone class, where they were asked to use RStudio (a program they had minimal prior experience with) to look at nurse turnover data at a hospital, a real-world issue with large implications.
"This assignment was quite difficult to start, as I struggled with navigating the program and understanding how R works. However, as I worked through the data and commands, I started to pick up on the coding language and how to navigate the software more efficiently. By the end, I really enjoyed analyzing the data and discovering the statistics behind workforce trends."
"Despite the initial difficulties, I feel proud of my ability to work through errors and complete this analysis. Debugging R errors was frustrating at times, but once I got the code working and saw the visualizations coming together, it was very rewarding. This experience has motivated me to continue to improve my data analysis skills and apply them to real-world challenges."
"In terms of the process, this task was both engaging and rewarding. While there were moments of frustration trying to touch up my plots in ggplot2, I found the learning process enjoyable. Overall, it was a bit challenging to balance the various customization options, but I feel proud of how the visualizations turned out."
For us at Rize, it's rewarding to see that these students found the assignment engaging. Even those who faced challenges with RStudio were able to contribute meaningfully through the pre-work questions. These quotes highlight how students feel proud of their work despite the difficulties and recognize the value of developing an in-demand skill in healthcare.
While the flexibility of online courses is a major advantage, it also demands strong time management and self-motivation. Students must take initiative, manage deadlines, and engage actively with course materials without the physical structure of a classroom environment. This level of autonomy can be more challenging than traditional settings, pushing students to develop skills that are invaluable in both academic and professional contexts.
Don’t just take our word for it. See for yourself why students love our courses by watching a course walkthrough video in a program of your interest. Experience firsthand how Rize’s online courses are designed to be challenging, interactive, and highly rewarding. Our instructional designers have created a learning environment where academic rigor meets flexibility, preparing students not just to succeed, but to excel.
Online learning isn’t the easy route—it’s the one for self-motivated students looking to learn on their own terms.
