əpˌɑːn ɡɹˌædʒuːˈeɪʃən, bˈækstɚ bɪkˌeɪm ɐ kˈɔːɹoʊ faʊndˈeɪʃən fˈɛloʊ ɪn pˈʌblɪk ɐfˈɛɹz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti tˈuː sˈɪksti θɹˈiː, ðˈɛn ˈɛntɚd jˌuːsˈiː hˈeɪstɪŋz kˈɑːlɪdʒ ʌvðə lˈɔː, fɹʌm wˈɪtʃ hiː ˈɜːnd hɪz lˈɔː dᵻɡɹˈiː ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks.
Upon graduation, Baxter became a Coro Foundation Fellow in Public Affairs (1962–63), then entered UC Hastings College of the Law, from which he earned his law degree in 1966.