From admission to graduation: rethinking the student life cycle | The Express Tribune

Over the past three to four months, our universities have been caught up in a frantic race for admissions. Billboards, television spots and social media feeds are plastered with promises of success. The real measure of success, however, is less visible: filling classrooms to maximum capacity, often by lowering the bar of entry to anyone who has scraped past 50 per cent marks in college exams. Some institutions even stretch to 45 per cent, all in the name of “access”. Admissions continue well into the semester, long after classes have begun, until the last seat is occupied.

This obsession with numbers reflects a narrow vision. The task of higher education is not simply to enrol students, but to shepherd them successfully through the full life cycle of their studies, from admission to graduation, while ensuring they acquire the skills and experiences needed for life and work. International evidence and our own context in Pakistan show that success depends on what happens at four critical stages: enrolment, retention, experience and graduation.

Stage One: Enrolment with Clarity and Purpose. Universities too often compete on quantity rather than quality. What should be happening is a clearer match between student potential and programme choice. Research shows that providing transparent information on tuition fees, financial aid and career prospects significantly improves enrolment decisions. Simple innovations (such as financial mentoring, pre-admission counselling and realistic job market information) help attract students who are more likely to thrive. Institutions must stop treating students as “buyers of seats” and start viewing them as partners making life-shaping investments.

Stage Two: Retention through the First Year. If admissions are the opening move, the first year is the decisive battleground. Globally, the first semester is the highest-risk period for attrition. Predictors of dropout are well known: weak academic preparation, lack of belonging, financial stress and mental health struggles. Yet few universities in Pakistan systematically address them.

The remedies are well tested. Self-regulated learning programmes, which teach students to plan, monitor and reflect on their studies, improve persistence. Strengths-based mentoring reduces early dropout by giving students confidence in what they do best. Orientation should extend beyond a ceremonial week into a structured semester-long programme of academic bootcamps, peer mentoring and workshops on study skills.

UMT’s 360-Degree Transformation Programme offers one model: a holistic approach that combines peer mentoring, academic coaching and soft skills training. More universities should adopt similar interventions, recognising that success in the first year is the foundation for everything that follows.

Stage Three: Enhancing the Student Experience. Once students are settled, the challenge is to keep them engaged. Here too we know what predicts success: a strong sense of belonging, meaningful engagement inside and outside the classroom and timely support when difficulties arise.

Universities must invest in academic advisers who can provide proactive guidance rather than reactive problem-solving. Financial mentors can prevent students from quietly dropping out due to unpaid fees. Specialist psychologists and counsellors should be as visible on campus as libraries and cafeterias. International evidence shows that when students feel heard and supported —academically, socially and emotionally —they are far more likely to persist.

Co-curricular opportunities matter as much as classroom learning. Student societies, sports, community service and entrepreneurship incubators all build leadership, teamwork and problem-solving skills. Universities that neglect this dimension risk producing graduates with degrees but without the skills employers value.

Stage Four: Graduation with Purpose. Finally, we must talk about what happens at the finish line. It is not enough to count the number of students who receive degrees on time. The real test is whether they graduate with the communication skills, critical thinking and civic awareness needed to contribute meaningfully to society.

Universities should be embedding transferable skills across curricula, not as optional extras but as core outcomes. Capstone projects, internships and community engagement must be effectively integrated into degree programmes. Career services should not be a one-time CV-writing workshop but an ongoing partnership between students, employers and alumni.

Convocations themselves can play a role beyond ceremony. Done well, they showcase student achievement, highlight employability and cement the bond between alumni and their alma mater. Graduates who feel celebrated are more likely to remain connected, return as mentors and contribute to institutional sustainability.

The way forward: Pakistan’s higher education sector cannot afford to treat admissions as the endgame. Success should be measured by who stays, who thrives and who graduates ready for the future. The evidence is already at hand. Proactive advising improves enrolment quality. Early interventions like self-regulated learning and strengths-based mentoring cut first-year attrition. Holistic student services, from financial mentoring to mental health support, enrich the university experience. And embedding transferable skills throughout the curriculum ensures graduates are more than degree holders —they are future leaders.

If universities embrace this full life-cycle approach, they will not only improve their own reputations but also produce the graduates Pakistan urgently needs: confident, skilled and ready to tackle both national and global challenges. Until then, the rat race for admissions will remain a race to the bottom.