After freshman year, most students aren’t excited to move back into the dorms.
One year of annoying roommates, filthy bathrooms and RAs lurking around every corner is enough for most of us.
The next logical step, usually, is to rent an apartment or house off-campus with some friends.
Be cautious before choosing, though. Here are a few reviews of some student apartment complexes from real UA students to help give you insight into where and where not live next year.
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Entrada Real
Entrada Real is one place many UA students live, with two complexes located north and east of campus. Its website calls the complex “comfortably modern” and “refreshingly affordable,” even though the complex’s cheapest rent is $564/month per person.
Bruna Messeder, a pre-education sophomore, has lived at Entrada Real since the beginning of this school year, and she said she’s enjoyed her experience there.
“It’s been great so far,” she said. “The apartments are pretty spacious, and the bedrooms are big.”
Messeder also said Entrada is a walkable distance from campus, being less than a mile away, although she said the walking gets annoying time after time.
“If there’s any problem, [maintenance] fix[es] it within 24 hours,” she said.
The Ranch at Star Pass
The Ranch at Star Pass is located near Pima Community College’s west campus, but offers free shuttles to the UA campus regularly. The website calls it “classic, comfortable and captivating,” and the cheapest rent is only $359/month per person.
Kali Guzman, a psychology junior, has lived at The Ranch since August.
In the beginning, she didn’t have any problems. But one of her roommates discovered a cockroach in her bed, and they have been cleaning daily ever since. But something worse happened than a bug in a bed.
“Someone came into our apartment,” Guzman said. “The door was locked. It is not okay for someone to just walk in and open the door.”
Someone had entered her apartment on a Saturday morning to drop off a form about renewing the lease. Guzman and her roommates contacted management to let them know, and it took them several weeks to get in contact with the manager.
Guzman also said someone broke the gate at the entrance of the complex, and management has yet to fix it.
“It’s not okay for them to be taking that long to fix it,” she said.
Overall, she enjoys living at The Ranch, but does not like the management.
“If they have the same management next year, then no, I wouldn’t recommend living there,” Guzman said. “You get what you pay for.”
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The District on 5th
The District on 5th is located downtown right next to the SunLink streetcar route.
The website says it’s “off-campus housing tailored to you” and offers several different floor plans and leases, the cheapest being $699/month per person.
Anna Tealdi, a junior majoring in nutrition, has lived at The District since August.
“It’s pretty good,” she said. “It’s a little noisy in the hallway area, but I like the study room. There’s free printing if you bring your own paper, so that’s a plus.”
Tealdi said one time she found a unconscious man inside the District with a bleeding arm, and called 911.
Another District resident, Jenna Pontillas, a sophomore majoring in pre-nursing and Spanish, has called the complex home since August as well.
“Move-in was pretty easy,” Pontillas said. “They were organized.”
However, she said that when she moved in, her room was “super gross and everything was dirty and dusty.”
Pontillas appreciates the amenities, though—free printing included.
“The pool is nice—it’s pretty clean,” Pontillas said. “And all the appliances in the apartment work,” she said.
Pontillas uses the discounted SunLink pass for UA students to get to and from school.
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