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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 NDsVA6KcuPB3nXI80s3vTcqSLfPbPLtZ+d3JQY6Esoayfp/qiKNG1Hr4V3gCtopt
 4xSjUKne0oF6bZbpYEWOrg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-005443.txt : 20030523
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-005443.hdr.sgml : 20030523
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030523144449
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-005443
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030522
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030523

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ZIENTS JEFFREY D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001167504

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-33283
		FILM NUMBER:		03718026

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		600 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE.
		CITY:			WASHINGTON
		STATE:			DC
		ZIP:			20037

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ADVISORY BOARD CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001157377
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-MANAGEMENT SERVICES [8741]
		IRS NUMBER:				521468699
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0331

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		600 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVENUE N.W.
		CITY:			WASHINGTON
		STATE:			DC
		ZIP:			20037
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-22</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001157377</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ADVISORY BOARD CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ABCO</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001167504</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ZIENTS JEFFREY D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>462460</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>2.91</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1989702</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><v
alue>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>42740</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>6.24</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2032442</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><va
lue>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20208</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>8.91</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2052650</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-22</value></transactionDat
e><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1740000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>35.75</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>312650</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Options (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>2.91</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transacti
onFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>462460</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-05-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-03-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>462460</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><d
erivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Options (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.24</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>42740</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1997-11-01</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-03-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>42740</value></
underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Options (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.91</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20208</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate><value>2002-06-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-06-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20208</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>40416</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The derivative securities were issued pursuant to the issuer's 1997 stock-based incentive compensation plan.  No additional price was paid for such issuance.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The derivative securities vested as follows:
11/01/1997 - 2,290 derivative securities vested
04/01/1998 - 2,274 derivative securities vested
04/01/1999 - 4,294 derivative securities vested
04/01/2000 - 4,294 derivative securities vested
04/01/2001 - 4,294 derivative securities vested
05/31/2001 - 25,294 derivative securities vested</footnote><footnote id="F3">The derivative securities were issued pursuant to the issuer's directors' stock option plan in consideration of the reporting person's ongoing service as a member of the issuer's board of directors.  No additional price was paid for such issuance.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>By:     /s/ Thomas J. Aprahamian
Name:   Thomas J. Aprahamian
        by Power of Attorney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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