Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of graduation fund liability

The table below presents activity in the Graduation Fund for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2017 (in thousands):

	September 30,		September 30,
	2016		2017
Balance at beginning of period	$	20,937	$	29,499
Revenue deferred		14,753		17,494
Benefit redeemed		(9,139)		(12,551)
Balance at end of period	$	26,551	$	34,442

Schedule of tuition receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts

	December 31, 2016		September 30, 2017
Tuition receivable	$	30,733	$	33,183
Allowance for doubtful accounts		(10,201)		(12,557)
Tuition receivable, net	$	20,532	$	20,626

Schedule of allowance for doubtful accounts

	For the three months ended				For the nine months ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2016		2017		2016		2017
Allowance for doubtful accounts, beginning of period	$	9,981	$	11,760	$	10,024	$	10,201
Additions charged to expense		3,865		5,364		11,069		14,835
Write-offs, net of recoveries		(4,052)		(4,567)		(11,299)		(12,479)
Allowance for doubtful accounts, end of period	$	9,794	$	12,557	$	9,794	$	12,557

Schedule of reconciliation of shares used to calculate basic and diluted earnings per share

	For the three months ended		For the nine months ended
	September 30,		September 30,
	2016	2017	2016	2017
Weighted average shares outstanding used to compute basic earnings per share	10,616	10,701	10,608	10,671
Incremental shares issuable upon the assumed exercise of stock options	—	38	—	38
Unvested restricted stock and restricted stock units	212	471	195	465
Shares used to compute diluted earnings per share	10,828	11,210	10,803	11,174