Letters to the Editor
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A Not-So Beautiful Mind
This young man needed help, not pity. We might pity the families that lost loved ones in this tragedy. What Cho needed was for someone to care enough to follow through - either with his medication, his counseling, his family - whatever factors had precipitated his disconnect. As a trained counselor, I can say that these events, and the signs that surround them, are never isolated incidents.
As one of the few Latina students at Barnard in the 1970's, I received no support. Others dropped out in their freshman year. It was tough. Having smarts isn't everything. Colleges need to be willing to spend the time and money needed to support students. If an intelligent (and only slightly neurotic) student at an Ivy League school can feel alone, how is an immigrant with a mental illnes going to fare?