Pay close attention to the processes used to admit, assess, and place foreign-educated students. Standardized tests are rarely the best way to gauge the readiness of foreign-educated immigrants for college in the U.S. Consider fleshing out your assessment and placement process with more comprehensive approaches, such as personal interviews and individualized prior learning assessments that build on these students’ international education and professional work history. Encourage students to get started early on having their foreign educational credits formally evaluated.

Keep track of these students. Improve collection of immigrant student data by gathering and tracking the educational background and work history of students enrolled in your ESL programs so you can help them connect to your college’s academic and career pathway resources.