How Do We Find the Student?

“How Do We Find the Student…?” Response Questions

1. This essay appeared in The Chronicle of Higher Education, a weekly publication for college

and university professors and administrators. How do you think this audience influenced Baker’s

analysis of types of students? What about his tone and language seems appropriate for this type

of audience?

• Baker’s analysis of types of students would need to be entertaining to encourage college and university professors and administrators. He would also have to efficiently describe the students that are commonly in class. Many professors do actually get to know their students and can describe them.
• Baker’s tone and language is appropriate because he is straight forward with the facts he does not draw the definitions out. He describes a person and then moves on to the next.

2. Baker deliberately creates, rather than avoids, stereotypes to establish exaggerated

representatives of types…do you think his classifications are fair?  Do they accurately reflect the

whole spectrum of students?  Why or why not?

• Baker’s classifications are fair. Some students only come to college to party, get a degree, or get married, all of which he discussed.
• The whole spectrum of students is discussed because while describing the student he represents many types of individuals. Baker explains that one individual can riffle through all the described stereotypes to become a student and in the end get what they need from college.

3. This article was published in 1982: How well have Baker’s classifications held up to present

conditions?  Do these groups still exist?  How closely do they mirror the student population at

USI or other colleges (or high schools) you’ve attended?  Explain your answer.

• Baker’s classifications have held up extremely well to the present conditions.
• These groups still exist, however one more classification could be added. A group of the older adults returning to college to pursue a degree because the factory that they worked out will pay for the schooling because the company is being shipped out of the country should be added.
• I feel that the classifications mirror USI effectively. Many students begin the campus wanting to have a good time and then slowly transition into getting their degree, while there are still students in their 50s taking one class at a time.

4. Which category (or combination of categories) do you fit?  Explain your answer.

• I began my college career as the academic gymnast. I transitioned into a student when I realized my first choice of a major was not the field that I was the happiest with.

5. Based on your experience, how would you define the relationship between students and

faculty?  What stereotypes does each group (fairly? unfairly?) hold about the other?

• Students and faculty only have relationships through class and similar groups they are in. Students will tend to select professors that their friends recommend; the faculty does not have this luxury. Some stereotypes such as the worker ant and the good time Charlie/Charlene find each other a nuisance to each other and that the other group will negatively affect their college experience.