UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 2)* Sylvan Learning Systems, Incorporated (Name of Issuer) Common Stock (Title of Class of Securities) 871399101 (CUSIP Number) December 31, 2003 (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement) heck the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this chedule is filed: X] Rule 13d-1(b) ] Rule 13d-1(c) ] Rule 13d-1(d) The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting erson's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class f securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information hich would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. he information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not e deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities xchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of hat section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of he Act (however, see the Notes). USIP: 871399101 Page 1 of 7 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Capital Research and Management Company 95-1411037 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware 5 SOLE VOTING POWER NONE 6 SHARED VOTING POWER NUMBER OF SHARES NONE BENEFICIALL Y OWNED BY 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER EACH REPORTING 2,990,000 PERSON WITH: 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER NONE 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 2,990,000 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 6.9% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) IA USIP: 871399101 Page 2 of 7 page> page> page> 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. 95-4253845 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Maryland 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 2,660,000 6 SHARED VOTING POWER NUMBER OF SHARES NONE BENEFICIALL Y OWNED BY 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER EACH REPORTING NONE PERSON WITH: 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER NONE 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 2,660,000 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 6.1% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) IV USIP: 871399101 Page 3 of 7 page> page> page> SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 Schedule 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 mendment No. 2 tem 1(a) Name of Issuer: Sylvan Learning Systems, Incorporated tem 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 1001 Fleet Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 tem 2(a) Name of Person(s) Filing: Capital Research and Management Company and SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. tem 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence: 333 South Hope Street Los Angeles, CA 90071 tem 2(c) Citizenship: N/A tem 2(d) Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock tem 2(e) CUSIP Number: 871399101 tem 3 If this statement is filed pursuant to sections 240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a: (d) [X] Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8). (e) [X] An investment adviser in accordance with section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E). tem 4 Ownership Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1. See pages 2 and 3 (a) Amount beneficially owned: (b) Percent of class: (c) Number of shares as to which the person has: (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: USIP: 871399101 Page 4 of 7 page> page> page> Capital Research and Management Company, an investment adviser registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 is deemed to be the beneficial owner of 2,990,000 shares or 6.9% of the 43,573,000 shares of Common Stock believed to be outstanding as a result of acting as investment adviser to various investment companies registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc., an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which is advised by Capital Research and Management Company, is the beneficial owner of 2,660,000 shares or 6.1% of the 43,573,000 shares of Common Stock believed to be outstanding. tem 5 Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following: [ ] tem 6 Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person: N/A tem 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company or Control Person.: N/A tem 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group: N/A tem 9 Notice of Dissolution of Group: N/A tem 10 Certification By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect. Signature After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Date: February 10, 2004 Signature: *Paul G. Haaga, Jr. Name/Title: Paul G. Haaga, Jr., Executive Vice President Capital Research and Management Company USIP: 871399101 Page 5 of 7 Date: February 10, 2004 Signature: *Chad L. Norton Name/Title: Chad L. Norton, Secretary SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. *By /s/ Anna J. Griffith Anna J. Griffith Attorney-in-fact Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 14, 2004 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Capital Research and Management Company on February 6, 2004 with respect to Air Products and Chemicals, Incorporated. USIP: 871399101 Page 6 of 7 AGREEMENT Los Angeles, CA February 10, 2004 Capital Research and Management Company ("CRMC") and SMALLCAP World und, Inc. ("SCWF") hereby agree to file a joint statement on Schedule 3G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") in connection ith their beneficial ownership of Common Stock issued by Sylvan earning Systems, Incorporated. CRMC and SCWF state that they are each entitled to individually use chedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c) of the Act. CRMC and SCWF are each responsible for the timely filing of the tatement and any amendments thereto, and for the completeness and ccuracy of the information concerning each of them contained therein ut are not responsible for the completeness or accuracy of the nformation concerning the others. CAPITAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY BY: *Paul G. Haaga, Jr. Paul G. Haaga, Jr., Executive Vice President Capital Research and Management Company SMALLCAP WORLD FUND, INC. BY: *Chad L. Norton Chad L. Norton, Secretary SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. By /s/ Anna J. Griffith Anna J. Griffith Attorney-in-fact Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 14, 2004 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Capital Research and Management Company on February 6, 2004 with respect to Air Products and Chemicals, Incorporated. USIP: 871399101 Page 7 of 7