Rio Salado College - Tempe, Arizona

Ivonne

So far, my experience with Rio Salado College has been very positive as I work toward earning my Arizona teacher certification. From the beginning, the online communication has been clear, supportive, and efficient. My advisor has been invaluable in answering my questions and guiding me through each step of the process, making everything feel much more manageable.

I also appreciate my instructor's responsiveness and support. Even online, I feel connected and supported in my learning journey. I’m happy with how the program is structured and feel confident moving forward.

I look forward to continuing this path with Rio Salado College and recommend it to others pursuing their teaching certification.

Madame A.

My experience at Rio Salado College has been nothing short of transformative. The way the curriculum is structured—especially within the criminal justice and forensic science courses—felt clear, insightful, and genuinely eye-opening. Every lesson built on the last, helping me understand not just the system, but my place in it.
One moment that really stood out was reading a case study in Lesson 6—I had actually lived in those same apartments. That hit deep and made the content feel so personal and relevant. From learning how to process crime scenes to understanding silent witness theory and the complexities of evidence admissibility, the coursework made me feel like I was right where I’m meant to be. It didn’t just teach me—it confirmed my passion.
Special shout-out to the instructors who brought real-world context into the classroom. They went beyond the textbooks and added articles, case law, and examples that made the material stick. I felt seen and supported every step of the way, especially as a nontraditional student navigating this path on my own terms.
If you’re serious about getting into criminal justice, Rio Salado’s program is a powerful launchpad. I’m walking away not just with knowledge, but with direction.

Kaitleen H.

I wouldn't give it any stars, but in order to share my experience at Rio Salado College, I need to give it a star rating. I was a student at this school because I had applied for a scholarship through a program called PCPP, but when I enrolled at Maricopa Community College, which administers all the colleges in Phoenix, they registered me as out-of-state, which meant my scholarship was rejected. The saddest part of the situation is that I didn't know I had to pay for all the classes because they never notified me, and they blocked me from all the colleges. I didn't understand what was happening until I received a letter from the tax revenue department saying that I was in trouble with that department due to student debt. Because of this, they forced me to pay, and it affected my credit to buy the house I had planned to buy for my children. After going back and forth with the Revenue Department and proving that I had a scholarship and paid for all the classes I'd taken, I managed to get out of that problem. However, it took me more than two years to recover my credit because no matter how many copies I sent to prove I had a scholarship and paid for my classes, I couldn't buy a house. Fortunately, I managed to pursue a degree at GCU, and my children have a home. But I recommend that before starting classes, you stay in contact with the school's cashier department because these people are happy to send you to Revenue just to get money from you.

Goldine J.

Classes here were great. They were challenging but the professors were amazingly responsive and helpful. They have degree programs that transfer directly to universities helping you save time and money. I would continue to use Rio for classes outside of my degree because of the affordability and ease of use.

Sheila W.

I love Rio Salado College! I take Spanish classes every once in a while and it always exceeds my expectations. My Spanish keeps improving. The teachers are all wonderful and I know they care about their students. It is really nice to be able to do online coursework while working full-time. Just all around great school! I highly recommend Rio Salado College. They have many different programs to suit just about everyone's career goals or just your own personal interests!

Lupe G.

I recently completed my first online class at Rio Salado College, and it was an accelerated 8-week Forensic Science course (FOR105) that included a lab component. I earned an A in the class! Professor Johnny Gabaldon was incredibly helpful, offering valuable insights into real-life scenarios that made the course engaging and informative. If you're considering enrolling in this course, I highly recommend taking it with him.

Christina R.

Hello,

For the most part it was a good experience. However, I am desiring that the lecture notes for BIO 156 be consistently detailed. Some lecture notes were very detailed/gave good instruction about the reading material while other notes just told me to pay close attention to certain things when reading the accompanying text.

Also, I would strongly desire that the course be better portioned out. There was a significant amount of reading material that was assigned during the last three weeks of the course. But it had not been like that for the previous instructional sections. It caused me to struggle towards the end of the class when trying to finish reading the assigned material and study. I didn't finish reading the assigned material for the last week until the day of the final. Please adjust this for future students and divide it up more evenly before the end of the coursed.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter!
Christina Rodgers

Adila J.

“I had a great experience taking classes at Rio Salado College. The instructors were helpful and the online format made it easy for me to study while managing other responsibilities. I also appreciated the support I received as an adult learner and an immigrant working hard to build a better future. Thank you, Rio Salado, for helping me grow in my education and career!