Stock Options, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Stock Options, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units [Abstract]

Schedule of restricted stock and restricted stock units activity

	Number of shares or units	Weighted- average Grant price
Balance, December 31, 2017	716,128	$	99.65
Grants	144,577		90.99
Vested shares	(140,852)		58.99
Forfeitures	(11,331)		57.37
Balance, March 31, 2018	708,522	$	107.51

Schedule of stock option activity and other stock option information

				Weighted-
				average
		Weighted-		remaining	Aggregate
	Numberof	average		contractual	intrinsic value(1)
	shares	exerciseprice		life (years)	(in thousands)
Balance, December 31, 2017	100,000	$	51.95	3.1	$	3,763
Grants	—		—
Exercises	—		—
Forfeitures/Expirations	—		—
Balance, March 31, 2018	100,000	$	51.95	2.8	$	4,910
Exercisable, March 31, 2018	100,000	$	51.95	2.8	$	4,910

⁽¹⁾ The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the total pre-tax intrinsic value (the difference between the Company’s closing stock price on the respective trading day and the exercise price, multiplied by the number of in-the-money options) that would have been received by the option holder had all options been exercised on the respective trading day. The amount of intrinsic value will change based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock.

Schedule of stock-based compensation expense

	For the three months ended
	March 31,
	2017		2018
Instruction and educational support	$	170	$	620
Marketing		—		—
Admissions advisory		—		—
General and administration		2,257		2,068
Stock-based compensation expense included in operating expense		2,427		2,688
Tax benefit		958		752
Stock-based compensation expense, net of tax	$	1,469	$	1,936