We recently asked college leaders and faculty members at Rize partner institutions how we’re doing: not with a generic “how’s it going?” but with a clear, no-anonymity CSAT survey. The results were better than we expected and gave us a clear picture of why more than 120 small colleges and universities continue to work with us year after year.
Here’s what we learned.
This spring, 119 leaders - from presidents to provosts, deans, and faculty - took time to tell us how we’re doing. It wasn’t anonymous. We asked for honesty, not just a pat on the back. The goal? Set a real baseline for where we stand and where we have work to do.
So, what did they say?
Overall satisfaction came in at nearly 86% - that’s well above our internal target of 75%. 87% of respondents gave us a 4 or 5 out of 5, which tells us they’re not just satisfied; they’d vouch for this partnership. Our Net Promoter Score hit +58, which would put us in the same league as brands like Costco and Airbnb.
The loyalty numbers are telling, too. Nearly 70% of partners scored us a 9 or 10 when asked how likely they’d be to recommend us. And if Rize were to disappear tomorrow? 42% said they’d be “very disappointed,” and another 45% said they’d be “somewhat disappointed.” That means nearly nine out of ten colleges see this partnership as something they don’t want to lose.
But those big scores only matter because of what’s underneath them. When asked what they value most, leaders overwhelmingly pointed to three things:
The survey didn’t just capture the positives. Partners told us where they want us to do better, too: better integrating our standardized course schedule with their academic calendars, giving advisors clearer student progress data, and making onboarding for new faculty smoother. That’s the point of asking - the CSAT report gives us a roadmap, not a victory lap.
Numbers are just numbers if there’s no voice behind them. So here’s what a few partners told us recently:
"I’m really pleased with the quality; they’re not just throwing online classes up there but they are putting in the support and integrity that holds up to Belhaven’s standards." - President, Belhaven University
“With Rize, we are creating both a better business model and a better educational experience that will guide us into the future." - President, Adrian College
“Working with Rize has been a dream…We finally feel like we might actually be able to keep up with the big schools that out resource and outspend us at every turn." - Dean of the School of Continuing Studies, Whitworth University
You can hear the relief in that last one, can’t you? When you’re carrying the weight of a whole institution’s future, sometimes what you need most is a partner who’ll look you in the eye and say, We’ve got you.
All this doesn’t mean much if students don’t feel it. But they do. One student story we recently shared in our newsletter focused on Lizzie H., a recent Supply Chain Management graduate from Reinhardt University who turned her Rize classwork into career momentum.
As a four-year college golf athlete and two-time intern at Dollar General, Lizzie is a prime example of how Rize students balance ambition, academics, and athletic life - all while gaining hands-on experience in high-growth fields.
Lizzie credits her Rize-powered courses for preparing her to confidently land internships and navigate interviews, even before her junior year. “Throughout my Rize courses, I learned how to forecast and the basics of supply chain management and manufacturing,” she shared. “I was able to talk [about] my Rize projects at my job interviews.”
Lizzie is one student, but she’s not alone. Last year, 5,170 unique students across our partners took a course through Rize and 95% reported their course being useful to very useful in helping them accomplish their professional or post-graduation goals.
There’s something satisfying about seeing students light up when they know there’s a job on the other side. And let’s be honest - a happy student sticks around, tells a friend, and brings in the next class.
It’s not complicated. Colleges stay with Rize because we help them do what they can’t do alone: move fast, spend wisely, and keep their mission intact. They want programs that line up with today’s job market. They want students who feel good about the education they’re paying for n. They want to stop wondering if they’ll be the next headline about a college closing its doors.
Shared programs don’t solve everything. You still need local student interest, strong student success support, and real campus buy-in. That’s why we mitigate risk together. Our team helps you identify target student audiences, run launch campaigns, onboard your student success staff to our success dashboard, and work alongside your faculty to provide a smooth student experience.
If you’ve been wondering how other schools make this work, you’re not alone. Start by looking at a few real partner stories - no fluff, just straightforward lessons from campuses like yours. Schedule a call to learn how you can modernize your catalog in months, not years, by leveraging high-quality curriculum shared by a consortium of accredited institutions.
Sometimes, the hardest part is knowing where to start. Maybe this is it.
