UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. 4)*

                          WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
                                (Name of Issuer)

                           Common Stock, no par value
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   981419 10 4
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                November 1, 2002
             (Date of Event which Requires filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

|_|  Rule 13d-1(b)
|x|  Rule 13d-1(c)
|_|  Rule 13d-1(d)

* 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 the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in 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).





CUSIP No.  981419 10 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1    NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
     I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only)

     Thomas W. Smith
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                                 (a)  |_|
                                                                 (b)  |X|

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3    SEC USE ONLY



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     United States
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  NUMBER OF    5    SOLE VOTING POWER

   SHARES           94,800
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY   6    SHARED VOTING POWER

  OWNED BY          1,933,600
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
    EACH       7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

  REPORTING         94,800
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
   PERSON      8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

    WITH            1,933,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     2,028,400
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10   CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

     Not Applicable
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     11.5%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

     IN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                      -2-



CUSIP No.  981419 10 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1    NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
     I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only)

     Thomas N. Tryforos
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                                        (a)  |_|
                                                                        (b)  |X|

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3    SEC USE ONLY



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     United States
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  NUMBER OF    5    SOLE VOTING POWER

   SHARES           0
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY   6    SHARED VOTING POWER

  OWNED BY          1,933,600
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
    EACH       7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

  REPORTING         0
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
   PERSON      8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

    WITH            1,933,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     1,933,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10   CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

     Not Applicable
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     11.0%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

     IN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                      -3-



CUSIP No.  981419 10 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1    NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
     I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only)

     Scott J. Vassalluzo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                                        (a)  |_|
                                                                        (b)  |X|

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3    SEC USE ONLY



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     United States
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  NUMBER OF    5    SOLE VOTING POWER

   SHARES           36,000
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY   6    SHARED VOTING POWER

  OWNED BY          1,933,600
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
    EACH       7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

  REPORTING         36,000
               -----------------------------------------------------------------
   PERSON      8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

    WITH            1,933,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     1,969,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10   CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

     Not Applicable
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     11.2%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

     IN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                      -4-



ITEM 1.     (a)   Name of Issuer:

                  World Acceptance Corporation

            (b)   Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

                  108 Frederick Street
                  Greenville, SC  29607

ITEM 2.     (a)   Name of Person Filing:

                  (i)   Thomas W. Smith

                  (ii)  Thomas N. Tryforos

                  (iii) Scott J. Vassalluzo

                  The filing of this Statement shall not be deemed to be an
                  admission that the filing persons comprise a "group" within
                  the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act
                  of 1934, as amended.

            (b)   Address of Principal Business Office:

                  The following is the address of the principal business office
                  of each of the filing persons:

                  323 Railroad Avenue
                  Greenwich, CT  06830

            (c)   Citizenship:

                  Each of Messrs. Thomas W. Smith, Thomas N. Tryforos and Scott
                  J. Vassalluzo is a United States citizen.

            (d)   Title of Class of Securities:

                  Common Stock, no par value

            (e)   CUSIP Number:

                  981419 10 4

ITEM 3.     If this Statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b) or
            (c), check whether the person filing is a:

            Not applicable.

            If this Statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this box
            |x|


                                      -5-



ITEM 4.     Ownership

            (a)   Thomas W. Smith - 2,028,400 shares; Thomas N. Tryforos -
                  1,933,600 shares; Scott J. Vassalluzo - 1,969,600 shares

            (b)   Thomas W. Smith - 11.5%; Thomas N. Tryforos - 11.0%; Scott J.
                  Vassalluzo - 11.2%

            (c)   Each of Thomas W. Smith, Thomas N. Tryforos and Scott J.
                  Vassalluzo has shared power to vote or to direct the vote and
                  shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
                  1,933,600 shares. Thomas W. Smith has sole power to vote and
                  dispose of 94,800 shares, Thomas N. Tryforos has sole power to
                  vote and dispose of no shares and Scott J. Vassalluzo has sole
                  power to vote and dispose of 36,000 shares.

ITEM 5.     Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class

            Not applicable.

ITEM 6.     Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person

            Messrs. Smith, Tryforos and Vassalluzo in the aggregate beneficially
            own 2,064,400 shares in their capacities as investment managers for
            certain managed accounts. The managed accounts have the right to
            receive dividends from, and the proceeds from the sale of, the
            managed accounts' shares.

ITEM 7.     Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
            the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company

            Not applicable.

ITEM 8.     Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

            Not applicable.

ITEM 9.     Notice of Dissolution of Group

            Not applicable.

ITEM 10.    Certification

            By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
            belief, the securities referred to above 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.


                                      -6-



                                    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: November 12, 2002


                                                       /s/ Thomas W. Smith
                                                --------------------------------
                                                         Thomas W. Smith


                                                     /s/ Thomas N. Tryforos
                                                --------------------------------
                                                       Thomas N. Tryforos


                                                     /s/ Scott J. Vassalluzo
                                                --------------------------------
                                                       Scott J. Vassalluzo


                                      -7-



                             JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

      The undersigned agree that the foregoing Statement on Schedule 13G, dated
November 12, 2002, is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
behalf of each of the undersigned pursuant to Rule 13d-1(k).

Dated: November 12, 2002


                                                       /s/ Thomas W. Smith
                                                --------------------------------
                                                         Thomas W. Smith


                                                     /s/ Thomas N. Tryforos
                                                --------------------------------
                                                       Thomas N. Tryforos


                                                     /s/ Scott J. Vassalluzo
                                                --------------------------------
                                                       Scott J. Vassalluzo


                                      -8-