Parents who packed for college themselves more than two decades ago may be amazed by what appears on the "must-have" list for dorm life today.

"It used to be people came with a couple of boxes and suitcases. Now it's the minivan and the U-Haul trailer attached to it," says Ann Hower, director of the Office of New Student Programs at the University of Michigan.

Computers and DVD players, microwave ovens and paper shredders crowd the small, shared bedrooms built on campuses decades ago. The amount of stuff some students bring has grown so much that dorm designs are changing to accommodate the crush.

"Many of these students don't have experience sharing rooms or bathrooms, and they have a lot of expectations for their residence hall experience," says Hower. "The long, shotgun corridors aren't being built anymore."

Parents being asked to shlep carloads of gear might well ask how, in this era of 50-inch televisions, can they bring their children to college without renting an 18-wheeler?

Some advice from the experts:

• Check the school's Web site, and ask for information.

Most schools send a packing checklist and information about dorms and roommates. But it may not arrive until mid-August, so some parents call ahead to request it. You might ask: How large is the room? Is there air conditioning? An elevator? Strict rules about where and when parents can drop off students and their belongings?

What's not permitted? Many schools don't allow halogen lights or microwave ovens, for instance.

• Flying or driving? Bringing it all or buying it there?

Consider your temperament and your child's.

"I have a planner and a shopper for a kid," says Judith Rew, of Montclair, N.J., whose daughter just completed freshman year. "But I know parents, of boys mostly, who threw a couple of things in a suitcase and then spent a couple of hours at the local Linens-n-Things once they got to the campus."

Last summer, Rew packed the car and drove her daughter to the University of Michigan. But her neighbor, Cindy Handler, can't stand roadtrips. She'll fly with her son to Washington University in St. Louis this fall, shipping most items in advance and buying the rest there.

Shopping on arrival at the campus has become increasingly popular.

"The problem is that everybody is hitting those Target stores or Costcos or whatever, and you can get there and find out that your kid can't get sheets," says Marie Reynolds of Pelham Manor, N.Y., whose daughter just completed freshman year at Carnegie Mellon University.

One alternative is ordering items online and having them sent directly to school. Just be sure to confirm exactly where and when they will arrive.

• Give your child a voice in the process.

Try, budget permitting, to allow your child to personalize the new room.

"It's his room in his dorm, not his room in your home," says Marion Edelman Borden, author of "Kick-start to College" and mother of a college-bound freshman this fall. "They want to put their best foot forward, make a good impression and make friends."

Of course, you may need to set limits. Consider allowing your child to choose one or two important items to splurge on — luxurious sheets, perhaps, or an electronic item they've been coveting.

• Use resources offered by stores, but be wary.

Some large furnishing stores, including Bed, Bath & Beyond and Ikea, provide colleges with model dorm rooms, along with brochures, in hopes parents and students will buy the look for themselves.

"All the big chains are in on it," says Rew. "At Linens-n-Things, a personal representative will meet you at the door with a checklist."

Some stores even offer online gift registries for college-bound students.

These services can be useful, but the stores may suggest items — such as ironing boards — that your child won't use. Cross-check the store's list with your own list of items your child actually uses during a typical week at home.

Checklists, sans sales pitch, are also available at many non-retail Web sites, such as princetonreview.com.

• Seek space-making ideas.

Rather than packing in cardboard boxes, consider using plastic bins that can double as closet organizers.

Some families bring cinderblocks to lift the bedframe, creating a larger under-bed storage area.

And don't buy supersized detergent or shampoo. Smaller bottles are easier to store and carry.

• Remember: Everything doesn't have to be there immediately.

Computers can be purchased on campus and winter clothing can be brought later. Your child's tastes may change, so don't spend too much on new clothes.

Stock up only on what's vital, like enough socks and underwear to prevent constant trips to the laundry room.

In the end, anything you forget can be bought. Options like Wal-Mart's "Freeloader" gift card, to which parents can add money remotely, give the student an "allowance" to spend.

And with overnight delivery, even the most remote campus is within reach.