While taking college business courses, there are five classic archetypes for professors. It may sound odd, but regardless of the schools, the courses or the states, you will see one – if not all – of these personality types over the years.

Business courses can be easier or harder, depending on who is teaching you. Over the years, you’ll find some professors just leave you in awe with their degree of wonderfulness, while others drive you to the brink of insanity. The best hope you have is to know who and what you’re dealing with by the time Drop-Adds come around. Then again, you may be better off going to one of the online business schools where your learning is more independent and the subjects are more straightforward.

The Friend
This admired professor is recommended and sought-after by everyone taking business courses. “He is so easygoing,” students will tell you. “His lectures are so fun,” others will say. This teacher will know your name within the first week of class and invite you to speak with him about anything at any time. In fact, when you meet with him, he may even offer you valuable life advice that you’re keen to accept. This is a person clearly worthy of your respect and admiration. He is smart and you will look back fondly on his courses for years to come.

The Genius
You are absolutely in awe of this dynamo. You feel as though your prof is essentially Donald Trump – with a better hair-do perhaps. Then again, The Genius may be so ancient he has no hair at all! But who cares? You wouldn’t dare miss a lecture because you need to absorb every ounce of his experience, his in-depth theoretical knowledge and his business acumen. In addition to knowing all there is to know about organizing and running a business, The Genius can also speak several other languages fluently, give a riveting theatrical performance, play an instrument or two, and write a killer marketing script. Prepare to be amazed!

The Hot Mess
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are the professors who can’t seem to screw their heads on straight. You wonder how they ever fell into a profession being such a disorganized mess. This teacher doesn’t recall where he put the syllabus, repeats the same phrases over and over again (unintentionally), forgot you had a meeting with him after class, and often shows up for work disheveled and looking like he was at a keg party the night before. Maybe he’s working at several different business schools, shuttling back and forth. Maybe he’s juggling work and family life unsuccessfully. Perhaps he is just challenged in the areas of memory and organization. Beware – this prof will drive you crazy with his erratic ways!

The Boss
You are scared stupid when you’re in The Boss’s class. You feel like a worker bee who is always at risk of aggravating the head of the hive. There is zero flexibility in the schedule. If your paper arrives five minutes late, you fail -- and that is non-negotiable! If you miss a class or walk in a couple minutes late, be prepared to suffer his wrath. This teacher feels like he is preparing you for “the real world,” but you start to feel like you don’t even want to consider business careers any longer if this is what “the real world” is like! The tests are brutal, the assignments are close to impossible, and you will cry at least once during the semester. “Torture” is the best word to describe business courses with The Boss.

The Bore
Everyone has that one professor who is snore-city. You can’t help but be reminded of Ben Stein looking around the room, asking, “Bueller? … Bueller? … Bueller? … Ferris Bueller?” You’ve tried drinking a carafe of coffee before class and pinching yourself, but it’s almost guaranteed you’ll fall asleep in class. There is no classroom discussion and if there are any multimedia slides at all, you are rest assured they change no more than once or twice and will be followed by twenty minute monotone monologues. You will find yourself absorbed in Smartphone apps and wondering why you’re paying for business courses that are such an absolute bore.
Even though some of these professors are downright dreadful, it’s important that you keep in mind they got their degrees for a reason and have vital knowledge to pass onto you. Their personalities may not be the greatest, but schools are made up of an eclectic assortment of people and that’s all just part of “the experience.”