When Charles Dana Gibson published Advice to students, it quickly became one of his most reprinted and discussed illustrations, capturing both the wit and the anxieties of turn-of-the-century American society. Gibson, best known for creating the iconic "Gibson Girl," here turns his sharp pen toward the rituals of education and mentorship. The drawing's popularity is attested by its frequent appearance in periodicals and anthologies of the early 1900s, where it was cited as a perfect example of Gibson's ability to blend humor with social observation.

Its enduring appeal lies in how it skewers the generational divide, a theme as relevant now as it was then. At the heart of Advice to students is a wry tableau: a seasoned professor, resplendent in academic regalia, leans forward with a mixture of gravity and mischief, dispensing wisdom to a cluster of eager, anxious young men. The students' faces are a study in contrasts—some earnest, others skeptical, a few barely suppressing a grin. Gibson's line is crisp and economical, yet every gesture is expressive: the professor's raised finger signals authority, while the students' slouched postures betray nerves or boredom.

The sparse background focuses attention on the interplay of glances and body language, much as Honoré Daumier did in his satirical courtroom scenes, though Gibson's touch is lighter, his satire more affectionate. The original drawing's current whereabouts are unclear, typical of Gibson's prolific output for magazines like Life and Harper's Weekly, where original works were often dispersed or lost. Unlike his celebrated Gibson Girl series, which has been meticulously catalogued, Advice to students survives mainly through reproductions and clippings, a testament to its resonance with readers. As with much of Gibson's work, it stands at the crossroads of fine art and popular culture, reflecting the artist's keen eye for social nuance.

Today, the piece is studied not only for its artistry but also as a window into the values and anxieties of its era, securing Gibson's place as a chronicler of American life at the dawn of the twentieth century.