On the premise that postsecondary institutions can respond adequately to the new Indochinese student population only if an accurate description of the students is provided, an ethnographic study of the refugee community's process of adaptation was undertaken. The social situations and experiences of the refugees are described, including their relationships to those individuals and institutions identified as "patrons" and/or "brokers." Patterns of adaptation are characterized as ranging from total financial self-sufficiency to heavy reliance on public and private assistance. Regarding Indochinese students, the University of Minnesota presents information about educational background, career preferences, and motivations for attending the university. The institution's inclusion of Indochinese students in the minority students' support program is analyzed in terms of how this may be providing a new self-identity of being an Asian ethnic and a minority. This raises the possibility that Indochinese will find resources and opportunities made available to them through emphasizing the negative aspects of minority status. (Author/LBH)