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<CONFORMED-NAME>CAREER EDUCATION CORP
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<CITY>HOFFMAN ESTATES
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<CONFORMED-NAME>BOSTIC R STEVEN
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<DESCRIPTION>STEVE BOSTIC / CAREER EDUCATION CORP.
<TEXT>
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<TITLE>STEVE BOSTIC / CAREER EDUCATION CORP.</TITLE>
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<P align="center" style="font-size: 14pt"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</B><BR>
<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 12pt"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549</B></DIV>
<P align="center" style="font-size: 18pt"><B>SCHEDULE 14A</B>

<P align="center"><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities<BR>
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;)
</FONT>

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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">Filed by the Registrant &nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face="wingdings">&#111;</FONT></FONT></TD>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">Filed by a Party other than the Registrant &nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face="wingdings">&#120;</FONT></FONT></TD>
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<TR><TD>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">Check the appropriate box:</FONT></TD>
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<TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT face="wingdings">&#111;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp; Preliminary Proxy Statement</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>

<TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT face="wingdings">&#111;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp;
<B>Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule&nbsp;14a-6(e)(2))</B></FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>

<TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT face="wingdings">&#111;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp; Definitive Proxy Statement</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT face="wingdings">&#120;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp; Definitive Additional Materials</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>

<TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT face="wingdings">&#111;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Soliciting Material Pursuant to &#167;240.14a-12</FONT></TD>
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<p align="center" style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 24pt"><B>CAREER EDUCATION CORPORATION</B>
<DIV align="center"><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
</FONT></DIV>
<p align="center" style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 10pt"><B>Steve Bostic</B>
<DIV align="center"><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy
Statement, if other than the Registrant)
</FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
</FONT>

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<TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT face="wingdings">&#120;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp; No fee required.</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>

<TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT face="wingdings">&#111;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules&nbsp;14a-6(i)(1)
and 0-11.</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1)&nbsp;Title of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>

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        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2)&nbsp;Aggregate number of securities to which transaction
applies:</FONT></TD>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3)&nbsp;Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction
computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule&nbsp;0-11 (set forth the amount on which the
filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>

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        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4)&nbsp;Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:</FONT></TD>
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        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5)&nbsp;Total fee paid:</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face="wingdings">&#111;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp; Fee paid previously
with preliminary materials.</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>

<P>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face="wingdings">&#111;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp; Check box if any part
of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule&nbsp;0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee
was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<P>
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1)&nbsp;Amount Previously Paid:</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2)&nbsp;Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>

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        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3)&nbsp;Filing Party:</FONT></TD>
</TR>
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        <TD><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4)&nbsp;Date Filed:</FONT></TD>
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<P>

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<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 2pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>








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<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</B>



<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>Contacts:</B>
<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;

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    <TD align="left" valign="top"><B>MEDIA</B>
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top"><B>INVESTORS</B></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Jeremy Fielding/Kimberly Kriger<BR>
Kekst and Company<BR>
212-521-4800
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Alan Miller/Jennifer Shotwell<BR>
Innisfree M&#038;A Incorporated<BR>
212-750-5833</TD>
</TR>
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<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>GLASS LEWIS RECOMMENDS CAREER EDUCATION STOCKHOLDERS<br>WITHHOLD AUTHORITY FROM DIRECTOR NOMINEES</B>



<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><I>Two Major Shareholder
Advisory Firms Now Recommend CECO Stockholders<BR> Vote on Bostic&#146;s White Proxy Card</I>



<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><I>Glass Lewis: &#147;the Company has abjectly failed its owners"</I>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>SEA ISLAND, GA, May&nbsp;16, 2005 &#150; </B>Steve Bostic, Career Education Corporation&#146;s (NASDAQ: CECO) largest
individual stockholder, today announced that Glass Lewis &#038; Co., a leading independent proxy
advisory firm, recommends that CECO stockholders use the WHITE proxy card to Withhold Authority
from the Board&#146;s director-nominees and vote for the three stockholder proposals to declassify the
Board, eliminate the poison pill, and grant stockholders the right to call special meetings. Glass
Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS)&nbsp;have now both endorsed Mr.&nbsp;Bostic&#146;s position.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">In its report, Glass Lewis observes, &#147;For shareholders, the last eighteen months at Career
Education has been a nightmare that most would love to forget, in our opinion. The stock is down
more than 60%, the Company is under investigation by no less than four federal agencies, the board
and the Company are being sued in securities class actions and employment lawsuits, some have
accused key members of management of timing sales of stock suspiciously well, the Company has been
forced to restate three years of financials and key accreditation bodies are threatening to pull
credentials that are essential to the Company continuing to do business.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Glass Lewis&#146; report continued, &#147;We are aware of few companies with as many bad marks. The Company
and its schools judge student performance every day; at the annual meeting, we believe shareholders
have their chance to turn the tables and declare that the Company has abjectly failed its owners.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Mr.&nbsp;Bostic commented, &#147;It is virtually unprecedented for both objective and respected shareholder
advisory firms to endorse a stockholder initiative to withhold votes from a company&#146;s
director-nominees. I believe the fact that Glass Lewis and ISS have recommended CECO stockholders
send such a clear message to the CECO Board by voting on my WHITE proxy card is the result of

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<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">this Board and management&#146;s dismal record. I look forward to our Annual Meeting on Friday, when all
stockholders will have the opportunity to deliver their report card.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Mr.&nbsp;Bostic urged stockholders to return the WHITE proxy card, rather than the Company&#146;s Blue proxy
card, since CECO has indicated it will vote all shares submitted on the Blue proxy card against the
stockholder proposals.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Additionally, investors holding CECO stock through brokerage firms should be aware that, if they do
not instruct their broker to vote on Mr.&nbsp;Bostic&#146;s WHITE card, their brokerage firm may vote their
shares for management without their instruction.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>Excerpts from Glass Lewis Report</B>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&#147;The stock is down dramatically and few if any changes have been made to the very controversial
manner in which the Company does business. For Mr.&nbsp;Larson, the present setup is like being graded
by your friends: the test questions are never too hard and you always pass the class.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&#147;We fear that this management team has done a poor job maintaining the delicate balance
between maximizing cash flow and maintaining the minimum standards of education required by the
Department of Education and other regional accreditation agencies.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&#147;One thing is elementary: this Company is in a state of crisis and needs to be guided by a
skeptical, thoughtful and engaged board...&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&#147;We believe a stricter examination, by a truly independent evaluator, is in order.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&#147;Ideally, then, this board would appoint several new outside directors willing to provide fresh
insight into the business practices of the Company. We certainly believe that shareholders are well
served to signal their displeasure with the current board by withholding votes from the nominees.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>Updated ISS Report</B>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Last week, ISS updated its report regarding management&#146;s position on some of the federal
investigations into the Company. ISS wrote, &#147;In our report, we stated that Mr.&nbsp;Larson had referred
to being reviewed (by the SEC and DOJ) as part of operating within a heavily regulated industry.
The company has provided clarification that Mr.&nbsp;Larson&#146;s statement referred specifically to a
question about an accreditation matter relating to one of CEC&#146;s schools, where Mr.&nbsp;Larson indicated
that licensing and accreditation reviews are a normal part of CEC&#146;s business. The company clarifies
further that in no way was this response to the

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<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">question meant to allude to the SEC and DOJ investigations, and states that the company takes the
ongoing SEC and DOJ investigations very seriously.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Mr.&nbsp;Bostic commented, &#147;I am pleased that management decided they needed to clarify their comments.
They could further demonstrate how seriously they take these investigations by immediately
disclosing the full report of the special committee, so that all stockholders can judge for
themselves whether management has taken the appropriate actions to restore confidence in our
Company.&#148;


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Stockholders may obtain a free copy of Mr.&nbsp;Bostic&#146;s definitive proxy statement and other relevant
documents by calling Innisfree M&#038;A Incorporated toll-free at (877)&nbsp;825-8631. Mr.&nbsp;Bostic&#146;s proxy
statement, which has been mailed to Career Education Corporation stockholders, and other filings
and information related to his solicitation can be found at <U>www.sec.gov.</u>



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