8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 14,2002

                           THE ADVISORY BOARD COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



Delaware                      000-33283                    52-1468699
(State of Incorporation)      (Commission File No.)       (IRS Employer
                                                          Identification Number)


               600 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037
          (Address of principal executive offices, including Zip Code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (202) 672-5600






Item 4.  Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.

     On June 7, 2002, upon the recommendation of our Audit Committee,
our Board of Directors dismissed Arthur Andersen LLP ("Arthur Andersen") as our
independent auditors and appointed Ernst & Young LLP ("Ernst & Young") to serve
as The Advisory Board Company's independent auditors for the current fiscal
year, which ends on March 31, 2003. The change in auditors is effective
June 7, 2002.

     Arthur Andersen's reports on our financial statements for each of the past
two fiscal years did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion,
nor were such reports qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or
accounting principles.

     During each of our two most recent fiscal years and through the date of
this report, there were:

     (i) no disagreements with Arthur Andersen on any matter of accounting
         principle or practice, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
         scope or procedure which, if not resolved to Arthur Andersen's
         satisfaction, would have caused them to make reference to the subject
         matter in connection with their report on our financial statements for
         such years; and

     (ii)no reportable events as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Securities and
Exchange Commission Regulation S-K ("Regulation S-K").

     We have provided Arthur Andersen with a copy of the foregoing disclosures.
Attached as Exhibit 16.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K is a copy of Arthur
Andersen's letter, dated June 7, 2002, stating its agreement with
such statements.

     During each of our two most recent fiscal years and through the date of
this report, we did not consult Ernst & Young with respect to the application of
accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed,
or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our financial statements,
or any other matters or reportable events as set forth in Items 304(a)(2)(i) and
(ii) of Regulation S-K.

Item 7.  Financial Statements Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.             Description of Exhibit

16.1                    Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP to the Securities and
                        Exchange Commission dated June 7, 2002.






                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized on June 14, 2002.

                         THE ADVISORY BOARD COMPANY



                          By:  /s/ David L. Felsenthal
                              ------------------------------------------------
                              David L. Felsenthal
                              Chief Financial Officer (Principal Accounting and
                              Financial Officer), Secretary and Treasurer

EX-16

                                                                    Exhibit 16.1

                        [Arthur Andersen LLP Letterhead]



June 7, 2002

Office of the Chief Accountant
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549

Dear Sir:

     We have read the first four paragraphs of Item 4 included in the Form 8-K
dated June 14, 2002 of The Advisory Board Company filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and are in agreement with the statements
contained therein.

Very truly yours,

/s/ ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP



Copy to:   David L. Felsenthal
           Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
           The Advisory Board Company