<p>As some of us have our open houses and start to recieve graduation gifts, I figured it would be good to know what anyone's kids need to take to college. I'd assume the basicis (sheets, clothes, toiletries, etc) would be included as well as jazz, tap, and ballet shoes. Are there any things that your children/you wish you had before you got to your program?</p>
<p>Chris</p>
<p>good question, I'l like some feedback also.</p>
<p>Sorry for the mispelling... I know it's basics :)</p>
<p>My D has a huge library of scores for shows. It's been nice to have access to songs with no wait time, but I fear that she would let people borrow things and we would never see them again. She is also going to school across the country and I don't relish shipping them. I guess we will keep them here and she can rely upon the music library at school, or I will send her songs as needed.
I can imagine a huge water bottle to keep for long rehearsals would be a good thing to have. One specific question I have is in rgeards to dance attire for college classes. Is it usually as rigorous as at some dance studios?
Otherwise I am clueless too. Thanks for starting this thread.</p>
<p>anothermom-
why don't you just have your daughter photocopy the sheets that she uses most often/loves and put them in a binder to bring to school with her. I'm sure her collection is large but something tells me that in college a lot of random auditions might come up that she might need SOMETHING to audition with. </p>
<p>you have probably already thought of this but whateves!</p>
<p>Chris,
This is a good question.
Let me think.
If someone is not already a dancer, he/she would need to buy tap, ballet and jazz shoes. Character shoes are also good to own. </p>
<p>As far as dancewear, each school and/or teacher will likely make it known as far as which kinds of clothing are acceptable in dance class. For girls, and if your school has dance several times a week (my D has six dances classes per week on three days/week), it helps to own a bunch of leotards, tights, jazz pants, ballet type short shorts, and other proper dance attire. </p>
<p>Chris, I don't know about other schools, but at CAP21, when you take voice and speech and also in acting, they require comfortable loose style clothing...not everyday street clothing like jeans...but more like sweats/dance pants, clothing you can move in. </p>
<p>My child does not go to school across the country and thus arrived via car at college and so she did take all her music scores and books. If that is prohibitive, make a couple binders of sheet music of songs in her repertoire. You could always mail her copies of songs from home if needed but also she can use the library at school. Some schools may want sheet protectors for music in the songbook. </p>
<p>At my D's school, they wanted students to be able to record their music in class. A small tape player would do. That's what I sent my kid with because she already owned it. Later, all I hear is that most kids had an attachment for their IPods that records and so she did get that too once there. </p>
<p>The water bottle suggestion is a good one. Also, a dance bag or other sort of bag to carry dance clothing and music and such to studio style classes is good to have. </p>
<p>I suppose you could stock up on any meds or voice remedies....things like Throat Coat tea, etc. </p>
<p>It is handy to either bring copies of your resume or make sure it is on your computer so you can update it and copy it when needed. If you already own headshots, bring some along. </p>
<p>Chris, you will get a list of some things over the summer from CAP...including some books you will need to get and read. Also for music theory, some little piano keyboard you have to get but my D did not get it because she was already taking a full size piano keyboard to college. Turns out she placed out of music theory but I know those in it needed some little keyboard. One thing my D got after she was in school but does not apply to all.....but she wanted headphones for her keyboard so she could play it in her dorm room. </p>
<p>It is nice for a MT student to own an IPod so that some music that might be needed can be downloaded onto it, etc. </p>
<p>Also, if you are buying a printer anyway, it may be useful to get the kind that is a 3 in 1 printer....that prints, scans and copies. That is useful for any student but particularly one dealing with music. </p>
<p>The rest of the stuff it pretty much like other college students. THAT list, however, is really long, lol. Let me just say that in this past week, I have unloaded three cars' worth of my children's belongings/lives and we have been up to our necks in unpacking it all and finding where to put it all. It is a LOT of stuff! And then lots of it has to go with them for the summer or back in the fall. It is like moving! (I neglected to mention the laundry as well!!)</p>
<p>PS...catch up on sleep before you get there and pack loads of stamina!</p>
<p>I love this thread...Yes, I will add to her audition binder with some more of her favorite songs, and burn copies of the practice cds that come with some of the books, so she has accompaniment with which to practice.</p>
<p>In your experience should she bring both black and tan character shoes?</p>
<p>Keep it coming!</p>
<p>I would suggest clear cover binders so that they student can make their own covers listing what's inside and perhaps a gift certificate to the Capezio on-line store (they have GREAT sale items)-everything from practice clothing to every kind of dance shoes imaginable-jazz,tap,character and ballet, and in eveyr color too! Those hard plastic water bottles that don't retain odors or stains are great too, and are inexspensive at Target(so get several as they are bound to lose a couple!). A CD organizer-or two, or three!!!</p>
<p>1) Personal Steamer w/ bottle of distilled water
2) Voice Recorder
3) Journals
4) Stamps for bills/notes
5) Coins for Laundry
6) BIG picture of family with a note on the back expressing love and lots of encouragment</p>
<p>OMGosh the list is endless.</p>
<p>SUE aka 5pants</p>
<p>Anothermom...I think your D could just make do with owning one pair of character shoes, likely in black for now. Why buy more than you have to until it is required? My D has always only owned one pair and they are black. Next year, she will need heeled tap shoes, a new purchase as her tap shoes to date are not the kind with heels but those are required for sophs. So, one pair of character shoes for now should do it. My D has had the same pair for years. However, a week ago before leaving NYC, she got a new pair that she says many people have and she got them as a gift because they are really expensive. But there are character shoes now that are more like dance shoes in that they are flexible on the bottom sole. My D tried some that other people had and loved them because she is not keen in dancing in heels after years of dance classes in dance shoes but knows she will have to dance in heels in theater. But these have soles like dance shoes and bend, yet are character shoes. I'll mention them but your D does not NEED them. But these are shoes to own for a long time given the cost which to me was mind boggling, way more than her pointe shoes ever cost (which of course she now can't use those in college). But these are called La Duca's. There is a La Duca store in NYC. Apparently, these are the shoes that dancers on Broadway are wearing these days. Toward the end of freshman year, my D started using her character shoes in dance to really start getting used to dancing in them whereas years of dance classes involved jazz shoes, ballet shoes, or jazz sneakers. But now these new character shoes she got (the La Duca's) are really made for dancing so she can use them in shows this summer but also in dance classes in her college program next year when i think she'll mostly dance in heels, except in ballet of course. </p>
<p>The list I was mentioning earlier was specific to MT kids but not NEARLY a list of what to take to college.....I'd be writing pages otherwise, lol. It is endless like 5pants says! Trust me, I just unloaded three carloads of college "stuff"!</p>
<p>5pants has already listed a voice recorder, but I will second that- the one that goes with an Ipod is great- we have upgraded to that kind, I wish we would have have used graduation money for one of these instead it was just another one of those unexpected expenses- </p>
<p>Speaking of dance my son had his dance classes first thing in the morning this year and could not eat before he went because he would feel sick if he did. Now he has gotten out of the habit of eating breakfast-so you may want to be sure your child has access to some sort of protien drink or bar.</p>
<p>Ok...since the original list of acceptances was my idea...i love lists. And accordingly, I am going to start one here. Basically, it is in alphabetical order...or...we can just do it so you add things to the end, that way returning readers can see what was added since they left. Here is the list in alphabetical order. </p>
<p>Character Shoes (Girls only)</p>
<p>Dance Attire (a few changes for consecutive studio days)</p>
<p>Dance/ Studio bag (for clothes, shoes, and other things in studio)</p>
<p>Dance Shoes (Jazz, Tap, Ballet)</p>
<p>Favorite Music in binders for easy access incase music library closed</p>
<p>iPod recorder/tape recorder for music classes</p>
<p>Keyboard (optional at some places?)</p>
<p>Medication (Throat Coat tea, other teas, etc)</p>
<p>Printer (3 in 1 scanning/printing, copying makes music reproduction easier)</p>
<p>Resum</p>
<p>Character shoes:
My D has been dancing her MT solo the past 3 years in these flexible character heels. They are amazingly cheap, especially in comparison to the LaDucas ($250) which are about 2 1/2 inches. These heels are 1 3/4 after you have a shoe place put the rubber on the bottom, and they look nice on stage (and are much easier to dance in) for about 25 bucks (Plus rubber bottoms), you can't go wrong!</p>
<p>Look at the S4316s and go ahead...buy 2 pairs one in each color :)</p>
<p>this is for everyone, not just BFA kids.</p>
<p>if your school's dorm room doors don't stay open, a doorstop!!</p>
<p>seriously. if you keep your door open for the first few weeks, you will make friends quickly. people will see you as welcoming and will feel more comfortable coming into your room. </p>
<p>EVERYONE in my dorm last year commented on how much they loved that my roommate and i kept our door open all the time. it's the best $2 investment you can make, i promise! </p>
<p>i'll think of more :)</p>
<p>maggie</p>
<p>Can most dorm rooms fit a keyboard? I can't imagine not playing piano next year (I'm planning on bringing a lot of my music), and while I know there is one in the basement of the dorm, I'd like one I could use any time. </p>
<p>Also, are dance sneakers recommended, or are the regular jazz shoes ok? I'd rather buy them before I go if I have to get them.</p>
<p>Be a Star....dorm rooms vary so much from school to school and even from dorm to dorm IN a school. My D also wanted to take a keyboard piano and bought a new one for college. At her school (NYU), she lived in an apt. style dorm. While her double bedroom was too small to have a piano, her common room that they shared with two other girls fit it. There was a piano room downstairs but she wanted her own like you do. If you can inquire about the rooms before you go, that might help. We just brought it and hoped for the best. If it is a decent sized double room, you should be able to squeeze it in. I hope it fits for my D next year because I just realized while writing this that her bedroom might be bigger next year but her apt. unit will not have a common room sitting area, just a table/chairs by the kitchen. Oy, hope it works out too. </p>
<p>In my opinion, for college jazz classes, I think they wore jazz shoes, not jazz sneakers even though at home some classes wore jazz sneakers and my kid has both. I recall asking her once what they used in jazz class at college and she said jazz shoes, not her jazz sneakers. However, I think next year, she may be dancing in character shoes (though got these flexible ones). I think you'll be fine with jazz shoes and do not need jazz sneakers. If in doubt, see if you can ask kids who go to whichever school you are headed to next year. Things can vary place to place and I know kids feel comfortable having similar types of footwear as peers in a dance class and in many cases, there may be requirements. My guess is if there is a requirement in a MT program dance class, it would tend more toward jazz shoes than jazz sneakers. But ask at your school. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>This is right up my alley, practical! Graduation gifts to help with college, great idea. Having never lived in a dorm (or had a kid in one) I came up with a pretty good list. </p>
<p>Lap top.</p>
<p>Lap top accessories</p>
<p>Wal-Mart gift card (for the things you need but dont want to haul with you such as organizer stuff, mini microwave, mini refrigerator, alarm clock and so on. </p>
<p>Prepaid Phone Card</p>
<p>I tunes gift card</p>
<p>Barnes and Noble/ Amazon gift card</p>
<p>Telephone (some of the dorm rooms we visited allow you to bring your own and plug in)</p>
<p>Toiletry kit/shaving kit</p>
<p>Scale (research has shown that kids who weight themselves daily dont put on the Freshman fifteen)</p>
<p>Starbucks gift card</p>
<p>Stage Make-up kit (Ben Nye of course)</p>
<p>Theater or performance tickets near the school to see professionals doing what the student aspire to do (or related).</p>
<p>Personal cooling devices for hot climates</p>
<p>Snow boots (for kids from hot climates going to cold)</p>
<p>Gas card (for kids who drive)</p>
<p>Multi-tool pocket knife (for the dorm room) </p>
<p>Sponsor EC classes (Yoga or whatever)</p>
<p>72 Hour food bars (our kids going to tornado country)</p>
<p>Personal reading light</p>
<p>What kind of iPod recording attachment is best? A check on the Internet suggests some of the products are just so-so.</p>
<p>Those of you in the know...what about monologue books. Should she bring tham or just expect to use the library as a source?</p>
<p>My D brought the monologue books just because she kept everything with her related to her personal resources in this field. I do not believe she used them because I think in acting class they did scenes, not monologues. However, they are handy to have for any possible auditions. In fact, for one audition my D had, she no longer had the play she had gotten a monologue from for college auditions and wanted to use it again and we had to scurry to find it with very little time and it wasn't easy. Then again, she is located in NYC where obtaining material can be easier. Overall, I think your student can make use of the library and/or order something that is needed. Still, it never hurts to have your personal library with you. Once my D did need a monologue for an audition and she had lent out all her monologue books to a friend who had come to visit her from another college who was planning her transfer audition to Tisch and so when my D needed the books, they weren't with her after all and it was a bit of a problem. </p>
<p>NYTheaterMom, I am not a good techie person to ask and my D is not home. I just know that the recording attachment to the IPod clicks onto it at one end and is pretty small and apparently works well. I think lots of the kids in the voice class used such a thing, rather than a personal tape player. At some point, if she is every here long enough, maybe I can find out what it is called.</p>