International student enrollments in U.S. colleges and universities continue to increase. Entry into an undergraduate or graduate program requires that applicants demonstrate suitable English language proficiency by means of a standardized test score such as the Test of English (TOEFL) or the International English Language Tests (IELTS). Increasingly, international student applicants seek an alternate path to college admittance in the United States. One option to meet English language admission requirements are Intensive English Programs (IEPs). These programs, typically located on college and university campuses, provide English language education for these hopeful students. Varying in co-curricular support, opportunities to enroll in credit-bearing courses, academic advising, and social activities, IEPs provide a revenue for their host institutions; however, less is known about student outcomes. That is, how former IEP students adjust once they have matriculated to undergraduate or graduate status and the ways in which IEPs may have contributed to less stressful adjustment. To demonstrate the utility of IEPs, which are often marginalized within college and university settings, more evidence of positive student outcomes is needed. Studies that have examined former IEP student outcomes have typically been single-site studies. One purpose of the present study was to address this gap in research. Using data collected from IEP students at 28 colleges and universities across the United States, this study examined the social and academic adjustment of specific student populations, their experiences in IEPs, and adjustment to college in their first semester as matriculated students. In addition to program advocacy, another goal for this study was advocacy for international students. In a recent large-scale study, international students reported high levels of academic and social stress compared to domestic student populations. Additionally, academic and linguistic under-preparation have increasingly caused tensions among faculty, administrators, and international students in U.S. colleges and universities. Due to their particular adjustment challenges, the following populations were examined: students from China, Saudi Arabia, and adult learners (in this study, defined as a student satisfying at least one of the following criteria: age [being at least 25 years old], being married, or having significant childcare responsibilities). Drawing on theories of psychosocial well-being, social and cultural capital, and language socialization, I examined IEP students' academic and social adjustment. Inspired by models of student persistence and retention, I then examined their predictive power for students' intent to persist, or graduate from their current institution. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between independent variables and the three outcomes: academic adjustment, social adjustment, and intent to persist. Results for academic adjustment model (R[superscript 2] = 0.372, F(10, 74) = 2.736, p < 0.001), and the social adjustment model (R[superscript 2] = 0.350, F(11, 80) = 1.806, p < 0.001) were significant. The intent to persist model was also significant (R[superscript 2] = 0.227, F(9, 80) = 2.028, p < 0.05). The findings of this study suggest that students from China attend fewer IEP social events than students from other countries, that having a mentor may contribute to greater academic adjustment; and that the English language proficiency gained while attending an IEP can contribute to both academic and social adjustment. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]