School officials attribute the higher enrollments to an influx of foreign-born students.

Most doctorates in engineering granted by American institutions now go to foreign-born students.

That is a stiff challenge for foreign-born students weak in English.

The program presumes that foreign-born students will fall behind if taught in English alone.

Minorities and foreign-born students make up a fourth of the student body.

Its purpose is to expose more foreign-born students to more English during the school day.

College officials also hope that foreign-born students will be inclined to use the center's career services.

According to a recent study by the school, 53 percent of foreign-born students said they had a higher-level job in their native countries.

Even as an option to help admissions officers, the essay could still put foreign-born students at a disadvantage, officials said.

Teachers reported that many foreign-born students sat and stared at the reading test in 1996, unable to understand it.