Littleton Public Schools seniors now have a guaranteed place at Metropolitan State University of Denver. The district and the university signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday, Nov. 9, at MSU Denver, and under it every graduating LPS senior with a cumulative unweighted GPA of 2.0 or higher is admitted.

It is the third direct admission agreement LPS has signed in 2026, after deals with the University of Colorado Denver in May and Colorado Mesa University in October. Together they give Littleton families three public universities with a set bar and a clear path in.

What the MSU Denver agreement includes

The partnership runs through MSU Denver Connect, the university's direct admission program. For LPS students it adds several pieces beyond the admission guarantee:

  • A dedicated admissions counselor for each admitted LPS student, to help with the application, financial aid and enrollment.
  • $500 per semester for the first academic year for LPS graduates who are admitted, enroll full time and complete the required financial aid steps.
  • Direct access for LPS high school counselors to MSU Denver's associate director of high school outreach and recruitment, to set up campus visits, application workshops and other events.

LPS Superintendent Todd Lambert and MSU Denver Executive Director of Admissions Vaughn Toland signed the agreement.

The other two pathways

The three agreements have different bars, which is useful for a family comparing options.

University of Colorado Denver. Announced in May, this agreement guarantees admission to LPS students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, weighted or unweighted. It also includes application fee waivers and support with the move to college.

Colorado Mesa University. Signed Oct. 20, this agreement guarantees admission and scholarship opportunities to LPS juniors with a 3.2 GPA, weighted or unweighted. Seniors with a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA receive guaranteed full admission, and seniors below 3.0 are guaranteed full admission or admission with added support. Application fees are waived for every LPS student who applies to CMU, and eligible students receive a formal guaranteed admission letter. CMU also commits admissions staff to LPS high school visits, workshops, financial aid guidance and support after students arrive.

What it means for a senior this year

For a Littleton senior with a 2.0 or above, MSU Denver is now a confirmed option rather than an application with an unknown outcome.

Families with questions should start with their high school's counseling office, which now has a direct line to MSU Denver's outreach team.

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