SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  Schedule 13D

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                              (Amendment No. 17 )*
                                             --

                             ALBERTO-CULVER COMPANY
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                                (Name of Issuer)


                 CLASS B COMMON STOCK, $.22 PAR VALUE PER SHARE
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                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    013068101
                    -----------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)
Marshall E. Eisenberg                                Carol L. Bernick
NEAL, GERBER & EISENBERG                             2525 Armitage Avenue
Two North LaSalle Street, Suite 2200                 Melrose Park, IL 60160
Chicago, Illinois  60602                             (708) 450-3051
(312) 269-8000


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                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

                               September 25, 2002
                        ----------------------------------
                          (Date of Event which Requires
                            Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Sections 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check
the following box.[_]

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five
copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 240.13d-7 for other
parties to whom copies are to be sent.

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

                               Page 1 of 6 Pages



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CUSIP NO. 013068101                   13D          Page 2 of 6 Pages
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     1       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
             I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
                     Carol L. Bernick
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     2       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP *       (a)[_]
                                                                      (b)[X]
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     3       SEC USE ONLY

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     4       SOURCE OF FUNDS *
                     Not applicable
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     5       CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO
             ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)
                                                                         [_]
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     6       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                     U.S. Citizen

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            NUMBER            7   SOLE VOTING POWER
                                        1,522,588

          OF SHARES          ------------------------------------------------

         BENEFICIALLY         8   SHARED VOTING POWER
                                        6,333,335
           OWNED BY
                             ------------------------------------------------
             EACH
                              9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
          REPORTING                     1,522,588

            PERSON           ------------------------------------------------

             WITH            10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                        6,333,335

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    11       AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                     7,855,923
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    12       CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
             SHARES*
             Excluded are 88,682 Class B shares held directly by
             Bernick's spouse; and 11,609 Class B shares held by Bernick's
             spouse as a participant in the Alberto-Culver Employees Profit
             Sharing Plan. Bernick disclaims beneficial ownership of such
             shares.                                                         [X]
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    13       PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11).
                     24.30%
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    14       TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *
                     IN
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* SEE INSTRUCTIONS



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CUSIP NO. 013068101                   13D          Page 3 of 6 Pages
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Item 1. Security and Issuer.

        Title of Class of Securities:    Class B Common Stock, $.22 par value
                                         per share ("shares" or "Class B
                                         shares")

        Name and Address of Issuer:      Alberto-Culver Company (the "Company")
                                         2525 Armitage Avenue
                                         Melrose Park, IL  60160

Item 2. Identity and Background.

        (a) Name of Person Filing:       Carol L. Bernick ("Bernick")

        (b) Address:                     c/o Carol L. Bernick
                                         2525 Armitage Avenue
                                         Melrose Park, IL  60160

        (c) Principal Business:          Bernick, an individual, is a Director,
                                         Vice Chairman and Assistant Secretary
                                         of the Company, and President Alberto-
                                         Culver Consumer Products Worldwide, a
                                         division of the Company.

        (d) Prior Criminal Convictions:  None

        (e) Prior Civil Proceedings with
            Respect to Federal or State
            Securities Laws:             None

        (f) Citizenship/Organization:    U.S. Citizen

Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.

        On September 25, 2002, the (i) 2001 BEL Grantor Annuity Trust, u/a/d
        9/18/01, to which Bernick has no voting or investment power,
        transferred 1,091,382 Class B shares to the Bernice E. Lavin Trust,
        u/a/d 12/18/87 (the "BEL Trust"), to which Bernick shares voting and
        investment power, and (ii) 2001 LHL Grantor Annuity Trust, u/a/d
        9/18/01, to which Bernick has no voting or investment power,
        transferred 1,045,475 Class B shares to the Leonard H. Lavin Trust,
        u/a/d 12/18/87 (the "LHL Trust"), to which Bernick shares voting and
        investment power.

Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.

        The transactions were for the Bernick family's estate planning and
        diversification rather than corporate purposes. The transactions were
        not undertaken for purposes of effecting any of the actions listed in
        this item.



--------------------                                         -------------------
CUSIP NO. 013068101                     13D                   Page 4 of 6 Pages
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Item 5.  Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

         (a)  (i)   Amount of Class B Shares Beneficially Owned: 7,855,923
                    shares total: 104,476 Class B shares held as trustee of the
                    Carol L. Bernick Revocable Trust, u/a/d 4/23/93 (the
                    "Revocable Trust"); 100,000 shares held as trustee of the
                    Carol L. Bernick Revocable Trust II, u/a/d 4/17/02 (the
                    "Revocable Trust II"); 282,740 Class B shares held as
                    co-trustee of the CLB Grantor Annuity Trust, u/a/d 9/15/93
                    (the "CLB Trust"); 1,026,982 shares held as trustee of the
                    KSL Property Trust II (the "Property Trust"); 2,862,931
                    shares held as co-trustee of the BEL Trust; 3,119,004 shares
                    held as co-trustee of the LHL Trust; 71,400 shares held by
                    the Howard and Carol Bernick Family Foundation, a charitable
                    private foundation of which Bernick is President and a
                    Director (the "Bernick Family Foundation"); 280,000 shares
                    held by the Lavin Family Foundation, a charitable private
                    foundation of which Bernick is Vice President and a Director
                    (the "Lavin Family Foundation"); and 8,390 shares held as a
                    participant in the Alberto-Culver Employees' Profit Sharing
                    Plan.

              (ii)  Percentage of Class B Shares Beneficially Owned: 24.30%
                    total: .32% as trustee of the Revocable Trust; .31% as
                    trustee of the Revocable Trust II; .87% as co-trustee of the
                    CLB Trust; 3.18% as trustee of the Property Trust; 8.85% as
                    co-trustee of the BEL Trust; 9.65% as co-trustee of the LHL
                    Trust; .22% as a Director and the President of the Bernick
                    Family Foundation; .87% as a Director and Vice President of
                    the Lavin Family Foundation; and .03% as a participant in
                    the Alberto-Culver Employees' Profit Sharing Plan (based
                    upon 32,331,640 Class B shares outstanding as of September
                    23, 2002).

         (b)   Number of Class B Shares as to which Bernick has:


               (i)      Sole power to vote:        1,522,588/1/

               (ii)     Shared power to vote:      6,333,335/2/

               (iii)    Sole power to dispose:     1,522,588/1/

               (iv)     Shared power to dispose:   6,333,335/2/

               /1/  The 1,522,588 shares held by Bernick and reflected as sole
                    power to vote and sole power to dispose include 104,476
                    Class B shares held by the Revocable Trust; 100,000 shares
                    held as trustee of the Revocable Trust II; 282,740 shares
                    held by the CLB Trust; 1,026,982 Class B shares held by the
                    Property Trust; and 8,390 Class B shares held as a
                    participant in the Alberto-Culver Employees' Profit Sharing
                    Plan.

               /2/  The 6,333,335 shares held by Bernick and reflected as shared
                    power to vote and shared power to dispose include 280,000
                    shares held by the Lavin Family Foundation; 2,862,931 Class
                    B shares held by the BEL Trust; 3,119,004 Class B shares
                    held by the LHL Trust; and 71,400 Class B shares held by the
                    Bernick Family Foundation.

Bernick shares the power to vote and dispose of the 280,000 shares held by Lavin
Family Foundation, 2,862,931 shares held by the BEL Trust, and 3,119,004 shares
held by the LHL Trust with Leonard H. Lavin and Bernice E. Lavin. Bernick shares
the power to vote and dispose of 71,400 shares held by the Bernick Family
Foundation with Howard B. Bernick and Marshall E. Eisenberg. Certain information
regarding Mr. Lavin, Mrs. Lavin, Mr. Bernick and Mr. Eisenberg is presented
below:

               (i)      Name of Person:         (1)  Leonard H. Lavin
                                                (2)  Bernice E. Lavin
                                                (3)  Howard B. Bernick
                                                (4)  Marshall E. Eisenberg



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CUSIP NO. 013068101                   13D                     Page 5 of 6 Pages
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   (ii)  Address:                      (1),(2),2525 Armitage Avenue
                                       and (3) Melrose Park, Illinois 60160
                                       (4)     Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg
                                               Two North LaSalle Street, Suite
                                               2200
                                               Chicago, Illinois  60602

   (iii) Principal Business:           (1)     Leonard H. Lavin, an individual,
                                               is a Director and the Chairman of
                                               the Company
                                       (2)     Bernice E. Lavin, an individual,
                                               is a Director and the Vice
                                               Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer
                                               of the Company
                                       (3)     Howard B. Bernick, an individual,
                                               is a Director and the President
                                               and Chief Executive Officer of
                                               the Company
                                       (4)     Marshall E. Eisenberg, an
                                               individual, is an attorney and a
                                               partner in the law firm Neal,
                                               Gerber & Eisenberg, Chicago,
                                               Illinois

   (iv)  Prior Criminal Convictions:   None

   (v)   Prior Civil Proceedings with
         Respect to Federal or State
         Securities Laws:              None

   (vi)  Citizenship/Organization:     U.S. Citizen

The shares owned by Bernick and the percentage ownership specified herein does
not reflect options to purchase 81,000 Class A shares held directly; 100,200
Class A shares held as co-trustee of a trust for her benefit; 327,805 Class A
shares held as trustee of the Revocable Trust; 111,475 Class A shares held as
trustee of the 2001 CLB GRAT; 5,704 Class A shares held as co-trustee of a trust
for the benefit of her sister; 395,378 Class A shares held by the Lavin Family
Foundation; 80,088 Class A shares held as trustee of the Family Members Trusts;
64 Class A shares held as co-trustee of the BEL Trust; 5,704 Class A shares held
by the LHL Trust; and 35,000 Class A shares held by the Bernick Family
Foundation.

Also excluded are 88,682 Class B shares held directly by Bernick's spouse; and
11,609 Class B shares held by Bernick's spouse as a participant in the
Alberto-Culver Employees' Profit Sharing Plan. Bernick disclaims beneficial
ownership of such shares held by her spouse and they are not included above.

         (c)      None, except as reported in Item 3 above.

         (d)      None.

         (e)      Not applicable.



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CUSIP NO. 013068101                    13D                    Page 6 of 6 Pages
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Item 6.  Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect
         to Securities of the Issuer.

         None.


Item 7.  Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

         None.

         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: September 25, 2002



Signature: /s/ Carol L. Bernick
           --------------------------------------------------
Name/Title: Carol L. Bernick, individually; as trustee or
            co-trustee of various trusts; and as an officer
            of various foundations.