International students contribute nearly 12 billion dollars to the U.S. economy, creating a very attractive application pool. As the number of international students continues to grow, it becomes essential to understand their unique cultural and psychological needs as they adapt to a new academic environment. Research on the adaptation process of international students has been primarily quantitative with numeric outcomes, which has proven to be contradictory and inconclusive. The goal of this research project was to capture the subjective experience of international students at one private university to generate common themes and define shared adaptation processes. The findings can inform practitioners of strategies for intervention and outreach, which will help to increase the retention of international students. Faculty and students with diverse backgrounds may also find their own stories within this Grounded Theory study.