Rosie is studying toward the following course package:
The ICB Career Path

As a professional athlete competing at international level in the steeplechase, Rosie Clarke is an expert in overcoming obstacles. So when faced with the task of fitting financial studies around her demanding training schedule, she found Ideal Schools a perfect partner for taking on the challenge.

Based in Loughborough in Leicestershire, Rosie is currently training for next year’s Olympics in Tokyo. Spending five hours a day, seven days a week at the National Performance Institute, she needed a course of study both flexible and supportive.

“I started with Ideal Schools three years ago, and so far I’ve completed my BA1, BA2 and BA3 on the MICB career path course,” Rosie said.

“I knew I needed some kind of intellectual stimulation beyond my athletic endeavours, but it’s always the same when you start a new venture – it winds up taking longer than you originally expected. I’ve been to the Commonwealth Games, the European Championships and the World Championships during the last couple of years, so there were some pretty big breaks in my studies around those events.

“When you add in the training camps and travel time, it all starts to mount up, but Ideal Schools have been really encouraging in helping me to pick up my studies after every hiatus.”

With a BSc in Accounting & Finance from the University of Bath – where her running career took hold – Rosie went on to earn a Management MBA from Iona College in New York, where she competed for her college at events across the United States. It was during that period that she first earned a place representing Great Britain, which convinced her to focus on her running career.

The style of the Ideal Schools programme fit with Rosie’s expectations from her previous studies, while the easy digital access to course materials is essential. From now on its new online access to training materials facility will help all students to study even when they are on the move.

“When I first reached out to them, it was Brian that I spoke to,” she recalls. “He was very responsive, and he made it feel like this would be a really great option for me, and I have to say that it has been.

“The online student forum is a really great platform, and people seem really willing to come forward for help. I always go check there first when I get stuck with something, just in case somebody has asked the same question before, but the tutors are great about getting back to you as well.”