‘A clear pathway to college’: NSU to guarantee admission for most CCSD seniors

Nevada State University will guarantee admission for nearly all Clark County School District seniors in a first-of-its-kind program for a higher education institution in the state, the college announced Thursday.

The expansion of NSU’s Direct Admissions Program will eliminate the traditional application and $30 application fee for eligible students, the university said in a press release.

To be eligible for the program, students must be high school seniors in the district and have a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 2.5 or higher. The high school class of 2027 will be the first cohort eligible to partake in the expanded program.

“This program is about creating a clear pathway to college and helping students know that they belong here,” Gwen Sharp, interim vice provost and vice president of academic affairs at NSU, said in the release. “Our partnership with the Clark County School District reflects our shared commitment to student success by removing barriers, connecting students and families with personalized guidance, and ensuring more Southern Nevada students have the opportunity to access higher education and the long-term benefits that come with it.”

NSU said students admitted through the expanded program will be paired with a current NSU student who will serve as a personal enrollment coach, connecting them with financial aid, orientation, course registration and student success resources.

The program builds on a 2024 pilot launched at three district high schools. NSU said it admitted more than 400 students through the streamlined process, leading to stronger engagement among first-generation and low-income students.

“Our pilot showed us that when you eliminate barriers, students have easier access to higher education,” NSU’s Acting President Amber Lopez Lasater said in the release. “By making every eligible CCSD graduate an automatic Scorpion, they have a path to education and a path to their full potential.”