NEWCOMERS IN US HIGHER-EDUCATION - QUESTIONS OF ACCESS AND EQUITY

A college education has become a prerequisite for socioeconomic advanc ement in the United States, and yet research and policy disacssions on immigrant education often have overlooked the place of new comers in higher education. This article provides a critical examination and syn thesis of current knowledge about immigrant experiences in American po stsecondary institutions. It considers issues such as the demographic impact of newcomers on U.S. colleges and universities, potential inequ ities in college admission practices, gatekeeping and academic support of nonnative language speakers, and dynamics of collegiate enculturat ion for immigrants from diverse sociocultural backgrounds. The article identifies a number of areas for further research in this neglected b ut increasingly essential part of U.S. immigrant education.