College Initiative Upstate of Tompkins County

College Initiative Upstate is a bridge to college program for formerly incarcerated men and women.We opened our doors in November 2015 as a program of Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources (OAR) of Tompkins County, a community-based organization working closely with Tompkins County Jail and the Department of Probation for close to 40 years. Services include Academic Counseling and guidance, navigating the college application process, access to Federal and NYS financial aid and scholarships, assistance with getting student loans out of default, semester-long bus passes, book stipends, chrome books, tutoring for college placement exams and college courses, and re-entry support in collaboration with our network of community partners and local non-profits.