Lots of material, nice guy, helpful in office, got better as semester went, questions from end of chapter questions also

Lazy note-takers might consider him unclear, but if you know how to take notes you can do just fine. He likes to rush toward the end of lecture and fly through important topics...say something and he'll explain it better. Read the book, do the practice problems, and study..imagine that...do the work and you can do well...radical concept, eh?

Yes, his exams are tough and he covers a ton of material in lecture, but if you take good notes and actually study them, you'll do fine. If you're looking for an easy A, he's not the prof for you, but don't let the workload discourage you if you're willing to put forth an effort.

I don't know what all these whiners are complaining about. I didn't read a page from the book, and I wound up with an A-. he covers a lot of material, but if you just study your notes (assuming you took good notes), the exams are straight forward and easy

I don't understand what everyone is complaining about. I have him for 322 and 323, and had him for 212 and 213, and he is the nicest, most helpful guy you could meet. He is always willing to clarify and spend time outside of class on something confusing. Yes, the subject matter is hard, but what else do you expect from a BMS class?

What is everyone whining about? Professor Baxter is super helpful, and his exams are all multiple choice. People who think his class is difficult should probably pick a new major, because this is nothing compared to upper level BMS classes. Go to class, pay attention to notes, and you will do absolutely fine.

I had Baxter for 412 & 413. I'm not sure what all of you are crying about. Micro is difficult no matter what prof you have. Baxter is very intelligent and more than willing to help you with any part of the class...all you have to do is ask. If you can't handle Intro to micro you might as well switch majors now. It's collage not high school..study!

Micro is a very difficult subject and will take a lot of hard work to get a decent grade. Dr. Baxter is a very fair professor and is always available to help. Some of his test questions are quite difficult so take your time when taking exams so you don't make silly errors

Very nice, respects students, loves when you show an interest. See him personally to ask Qs about exams content, what he expects, & take advantage of his warnings! Do extra credit it's enough to help. Use previous exams to study for final. Check your answers after tests, if you find a mistake tell him! Be friendly and he will return your kindness!

I enjoyed him. Have to read ahead of class lecture or it will be too much. He scaled exams now and then. Very helpful in office hours or just to talk to when you see him on campus. Nice guy. Lots of material.

He's a great teacher. It's a hard class though when you have no interest in micro. I actually ended up learning a lot from this class, even though my grade didn't reflect it. He's helpful, answers questions, and gives a tiny curve when necessary. If you want to walk away from a class learning something, take him.

Don't blame Baxter for a bad grade in Micro; the subject matter is extremely detailed and intensive. If you want to do well, take notes on the reading, review the online quizzes and end-of-chapter quizzes (he takes some for each of his tests), and go to his office hours to clarify. He's very willing to help students out; you just have to ask.

Rumor has it that micro will soon become a weeder class. In the last year, Baxter's students did much better than other 212 profs. Micro isn't easy with any prof. Do the work. If you really want to be in the science/health fields, you will do fine. If you are failing and crying, you should probably get out of any major requiring REAL science

micro is hard period, but Baxter is pretty much the best prof that teaches it. exam material comes from note packets that he posts on bb, but you still have to take notes. DO NOT CRAM and READ the book...or else you will fail. also go to his office. really nice and helpful guy. I got an A- easy. if you aren't willing to do the work, then you should probably change your major and avoid any REAL science.

Prof. Baxter is awesome he has a lot of funny relvent life stories and he does a good job answering questions. If you go see him during his office hours he is VERY helpful. Micro is not easy but I honestly feel like I benefited from having Prof. Baxter. I highly recommend him he is great and very passonate about microbes!

Dr. Baxter is not easy by any means, but if you put the time into this class, you will leave with a good knowledge of micro. As it has been said, he is super helpful especially in office hours, and explains the material very well. Dr. Baxter will prepare you very well for any sort of grad school! I really benefited from having him!

Dr. Baxter is a great guy and super helpful and eager to answer questions during his office hours. The class is hard but I don't think it really has anything to do with him. I feel that micro would be hard and at times overwhelming with any professor. If you are a crammer, this isn't the professor (or class) for you. Just keep up with the material!

Dr. Baxter's class was enjoyable. Never dreaded going to class. You can tell he loves what he does-very passionate about microbio. I am a 4.0 student & got an A- in class with lots of time & effort. The exams are your only grades. I reccommend to read the book to understand material even better. Keep up with the material. Tough, but not impossible

Baxter is a very nice guy although he is not for everyone. He lectures fast, and tends to be a bit harder than some other profs. However, he is very helpful and generally has several office hours a week. I liked having him and he helped me with some of my applications to grad school. Take his class seriously and you will do fine.

He does expect his students to know every detail of what's said in class and what's in the book and he will be very particular when grading. His class is very hard, no doubt, but he is always available to answer questions and his lectures are enjoyable if you're interested in the subject. Take his class if you plan on going to med school. It helps

He's the toughest prof I've ever had, but I feel prepared for med school now!

This is a weeding class. It's hard, and if you can't handle it you shouldn't be going into the medical field. Prof Baxter teaches what you should know and he does it well. Just beware of some of the exam questions, he makes them tricky. Great guy and always there to explain something outside of class.

Yes this is a weeding class. Prepare to work for your grade. Prof cares a great deal about students but you MUST put forth the effort. If you have struggled in lower level science classes it's doubtful you will do well.

Dr. Baxter is a kind professor who really cares about his students! His tests are tough and he expects a lot, so I wouldn't recommend this class for an elective unless you really love microbiology (I took it credit/no credit). That being said, I really enjoyed the class and feel that Dr. B did everything he could to help us if we wanted help!

Great guy, tough class. He REALLY makes you work for his grades. I also had him for Intro Microbiology, and really, really learned a lot. He has a passion for the subject that's just as infectious as the microbes you study in class. Be focused and work hard, and you should do just fine in his class.

Love this guy. Super passionate, really relates career with class, teaches you a lot. Super smart, quirky, nerdy, and fun. Exams are a little tough but some questions are straight from homework/old exams. Only negative I have to say is if you do bad on one exam your stuck with it. Don't have a bad day.

Interesting lectures, but make sure you take notes the whole time, not just on what he writes because he doesn't use full sentences. It's Microbio - not going to be easy. Homework takes long but its with good intentions. DO THE PRACTICE TESTS HE POSTS - he uses exact questions from them. He's quirky and nerdy in an funny way, tells relevant stories

Dr. Baxter really cares about his students and will get you any help you need. It's an interesting class but it's A LOT of material. Don't bother buying either of the books, he tests off of lecture only and writes his notes out on the board for you. You'll need to work hard for a good grade but he's a great professor!

Dr. Baxter is an excellent professor. While prepping for exams required more time than the average class, the information learned was interesting and practical. What he expects is very clear and outlined, but also high in volume. Attend lectures and fill in his outline and you will be all set. Best professor I've had in a while!

Dr. Baxter is an amazing professor. His enthusiasm about microbiology is truly contagious! I was never bored in lecture. It is a very difficult course, but not because of the way Dr. Baxter teaches. He is more than willing to provide extra help, and is overall a kind guy. Study well and work hard, but you'll be just fine.

Dr. Baxter is, without a doubt, the best professor I had at GVSU. He made us work for our grades, but not in a way that was tricky/unreasonable. He always gave us all the information/resources we needed to be successful and was always available for help. Just be prepared to work, don't get behind, and enjoy his stories!! This class was awesome.

Dr. Baxter is a really nice guy who is willing to help his students. He loves to talk and often times our labs would go longer because of it, but it is helpful because he breaks the labs down so they're easier. He makes lab exams very long and there's lots of writing. He can be a picky grader as well. Our exams were much longer than other labs.

Personality and expertise-wise, Dr. Baxter was great. Makes you work for your grade though. 4 exams and a final, with supplemental HW. All multiple choice. Go to class or find a partner to provide good notes for days missed. An A is obtainable. Focus on the information provided in the slides and supplement it with reading the chapters. Goodluck!

He's incredibly hard for lecture, but take him for lab! He is very descriptive and gives two easy quizzes through the lab course that can cushion your grade. He is very willing to help and meet with you if you have questions. He cares very much if you understand the material. This lab is purely memorization. I made a ton of flashcards and got an A

One of the best professors I've ever had. He truly cares about his students and wanting them to succeed. The class deals with a ton of information, but if you stay on top of it, you should do well! Professor Baxter is very passionate about Micro and I think thats one of the reasons the class was so interesting!

He's lectures are interesting because he knows what he is talking about and adds stories to his lectures. His tests are all multiple choice with online hw. His tests are averagely hard, but VERY heavy on the book. About half of the questions asked are straight out of the textbook instead of his skeleton notes lectures. Never posts the slides after.

Yes, you should read the lab manual, but it's *very* brief, and the majority of exam content comes from the lecture before lab. My lab was nearly almost finished 30 min-1 hour before the end of the lab period, and the exams were very fair/comparable to any BMS class. Prof Baxter is approachable, kind, passionate and knowledgable. Solid choice.

I loved Baxter! He was so quirky and such a nerd for micro that it really made me want to pay attention during lectures. I highly recommend taking as many notes as you can including side notes that he states in class. Exams weren't too bad if you keep up with your stuff! Probably your best bet at a micro professor for lecture :)

Best prof Ive ever had. Also the most detail oriented prof Ive ever had. If you work hard to understand the material properly (not just memorization), you will do great! Best study strategy: Flashcards (a lot of them). He is super wholesome and geeky in a good way. He is very willing to help if he sees that you are putting in effort.

Mircobiology is HARD infact it is the one and only college class I have dropped. I wish I would've went to Baxter's office hours sooner as it may have made a difference. His exams are incredibly hard, but he is very accessible in office hours and really does want to see his students succeed. If you are willing to go the extra mile, take him.

If you really want to do well in this class you need to put in the work. I think homework was useless, but it was easy points to help boost your grade. It would have been beneficial to have homework that would prepare us for exams since it was application based. If you fall behind you're screwed. He is passionate and has humour.

This is a tough class but if you remember what you learned in the pre-reqs and study the material everyday instead of cramming, you'll do fine. A lot of the low scores are from winers.

Very good class! He covers everything on his tests in lecture, you just have to make sure not to miss a class honestly. If you start studying for the exams early, they're not that hard, he just covers a lot of material at once. He usually curves the exams and his lectures are pretty interesting.

Incredible lectures, very hard exams. I have never felt more confident in a prof's competence. He is always willing to help in/outside of office hours and is very kind. I have never studied more for a class but also have never learned more in one. If you are serious about medicine/microbio/etc., this is the professor to take.

Baxter was an amazing professor for Micro Lab and Lecture. You need to attend lecture if you expect to do well in this class. Take good notes and review them often. The tests are tough, but not impossible. It is not unattainable to get an A. Microbiology is just a hard class. Baxter was enthusiastic and always well prepared!

Loved him as a person even though lab content was hard. Easy to talk to and even wrote me a recommendation letter despite having a rough grade. Exams are SO HARD. if you think "this wont be on the exam", there are three questions about it, minimum. study for at least a week before and know everything. spelling matters.