The path for college students is as varied and unique as each individual learner. From academic highs and lows to community and campus participation, along with other details that make up the student experience, colleges need to stay in touch with where students are along their journey through effective student lifecycle management.

For marketers who have the time and resources to implement this longer process, student lifecycle management is an extremely effective way to keep students engaged.

Keep reading to discover how student lifecycle management systems can solve some of your greatest retention challenges and improve your processes once and for all.

What Is the Student Lifecycle?

The higher education student lifecycle encompasses important milestones in a student’s journey, from the time they inquire until when they graduate. Many industry leaders refer to the student lifecycle as a curved, ever-changing path.

For college leaders, one important goal is to meet the needs of students along this road. To do so effectively, campus leadership must have the right data infrastructure to support student lifecycle management and maintain strong, healthy relationships with prospective and current students alike.

Stages of the Student Lifecycle

Inquiry

This is the initial phase where prospective students express interest in your institution. It involves outreach efforts such as marketing campaigns, virtual tours, and campus events to capture attention. At this stage, personalized communication is key to converting interest into actionable inquiries.

Application

During the application phase, students take the formal step of applying to your institution. This stage requires streamlined processes and clear guidance to ensure students can submit all necessary materials easily. Providing timely support, such as reminders and application tips, can reduce barriers and increase completion rates.

Enrollment

Once students are accepted, the focus shifts to getting them officially enrolled. This includes signing up for classes, paying tuition, and setting up student accounts. Effective enrollment management ensures a seamless transition from applicant to student, building confidence and excitement for the academic journey ahead.

Engagement

This stage represents the core of the student experience. It includes academic participation, social involvement, and accessing support services. Maintaining engagement requires ongoing communication, resources, and interventions that keep students motivated and connected to their campus community.

Graduation

As students near the end of their academic journey, graduation becomes the focus. Preparing students for this milestone involves career counseling, capstone projects, and ensuring they meet all academic requirements. Successful graduation processes leave students feeling accomplished and ready for their next steps.

Alumni Engagement

The journey doesn’t end at graduation. Alumni engagement ensures that former students stay connected to their alma mater through events, networking opportunities, and alumni benefits. Strong alumni relationships can lead to mentorship opportunities, donations, and long-term advocacy for the institution.

What Is Student Lifecycle Management?

Student lifecycle management is one way to automate and fill in the gaps along the pathway to student success. Whether that takes the form of custom, personalized content or in-person resources, managing student needs and expectations is critical for retention. In practice, strong lifecycle management looks like:

• Having a deep sense of what students need and expect 
• Intuitively delivering resources and information in a timely fashion
• Predicting the milestones that students will encounter at crucial points

Lifecycle management is also a data-driven process. As such, it has a prominent place in every aspect of the college journey, from initial admission to contact as a graduate or alumni. Colleges and universities can rely on this process to inform many other metrics or goals. 

Understanding the Student Lifecycle Management System

A student lifecycle management system (SLM) is a software solution that uses organized data analytics to measure student lifecycle and to improve key points along the student journey. It also helps schools better manage relationships with students by offering value at predictable intervals. 

Many separate university or college departments can leverage a student lifecycle management system at one time. This improves collaboration and information-sharing between teams such as:

• Recruitment
• Admissions
• Academics and faculty
• Marketing
• Financial aid

Depending on the type or level of SLM that a school chooses, leaders can access important data to improve learning outcomes, increase student retention, and boost access to university technology and support services. 

Student Lifecycle Management Benefits

Perhaps you’ve witnessed firsthand how your college struggles to stay in touch with students between each year they’re enrolled. Or maybe you’re looking for a more streamlined way to bridge the gap between graduation and alumni connection. Regardless of your particular use cases, SLM solutions offer a variety of benefits.

• Real-time data: SLMs offer real-time data about new student enrollments, requests, concerns, and status updates. By equipping your staff with what’s really going on, they can serve students better, reduce disenrollment risk, and understand what should happen next.
• Predictive communication methods: Relating to students in effective ways always includes knowing where and how they spend time. Delivering content in flexible email, mobile, or social media formats can be the best way to see students to their next step.
• Automation of standard queries: Although students are likely to have plenty of questions, not every answer impacts their long-term journey. Automation features can handle the more simple or tedious requests, freeing up time and resources for deeper connections along the way.

Choose the Right Student Lifecycle Management Software

When selecting the student lifecycle management system that works best for your school’s needs, consider:

• Available budget for new tools and more resources
• Size and growth potential of the student body
• Current pain points in the student lifecycle at your institution
• Access and administrative control for different departments

A student lifecycle management platform has the potential to change and improve the way that you relate to your student body. As a result, you should opt for a solution only after you’ve researched, vetted, and explored different options. 

Make the Right Choice With Element451

If you’re looking to make smart software decisions for your college or university, remember that student engagement solutions should be at the forefront. Avoid platforms that provide raw data without any feasible way to take decisive action for the future.

When it comes to managing the student lifecycle at your higher education institution, always consider how your SLM of choice can help you:

• Create longer-lasting relationships with students
• Provide mobile friendly pathways to distribute information
• Deliver personalized messages at precisely the right moments
• Remove barriers and obstacles to admissions and enrollment
• Stay connected with students past graduation and beyond

Guiding Students’ Every Step

A student engagement platform like Element451 offers a “one stop shop” approach to lifecycle management and student success. When you improve visibility to important student data, you boost your chances of serving students when they need extra support.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is an example of life cycle management in higher education?

Lifecycle management in higher education involves tracking and supporting students through key stages, such as onboarding new students with personalized emails and ensuring alumni stay engaged with tailored communication.

What is SAP student lifecycle management?

SAP student lifecycle management is a comprehensive software solution that supports the student journey by automating processes, managing data, and improving communication across campus departments.