This paper describes the third phase of a multi-year study that has been assessing professional knowledge and perceptions of beginning teacher education students. This phase of the study reports on responses to a questionnaire designed to compare student knowledge across cohorts and institutions. The data reported here are from a total of 291 Phase Three questionnaires completed by undergraduate teacher education students who were attending their introductory teacher education course at 4 Tennessee universities (Peabody College, Vanderbilt University; Belmont University; Austin Peay State University; and Middle Tennessee State University). Primary questions addressed in the studies were: (1) At the time beginning teacher education students enter teacher education programs, what do they know and what perceptions do they hold about teaching, schools, and the life and work of teachers? (2) What do teacher educators know about this prior professional knowledge and perceptions of their students? and (3) How does the content of teacher education instruction fit with the professional knowledge and perceptions of the students for which the instruction is intended? Data summaries provide a benchmark for teacher educators to use in at least two ways: first, for the purpose of comparing their own students (if they wish to conduct similar surveys of them); and second, for background knowledge as teacher education courses are planned. (The bulk of the paper--22 pages--is devoted to data tables that report the findings; contains 28 references.) (LL)