Thanks Garfield. I guess a lot has been answered. However, the housing options seem pretty slim. Do you think there are other options that have not been talked about? I mean non Javelina
. Sorry if i am being repetitive, but I am joining this conversation late.
Unfortunately, I don't think there's much to update that hasn't already been covered earlier in the thread (and several times over). Syunfung has a pretty good summary of the on-campus situation, and hopefully he posts the sheet information for you since I don't have that.
Ultimately, you'll have to determine whether you want a furnished or unfurnished location. If you want a furnished location, then your only options are going to be Javelina Station or the on-campus dormitories. As Syunfung noted, University Village is the newest place. Don't get it confused with University Squares, which is an old and cheap apartment next to campus.
Javelina Station itself is about $580 a month (which "includes" electricity, up to a certain point), and while it is a relatively new property (less than a decade old), it can be hit-and-miss in several aspects. Occasionally, it can be a bit loud with people either partying or blaring music in the parking lot. The internet connection is much better than what it was in the past, but it still isn't amazingly fast. Cable is provided, though you'll have to bring your own TV, and the picture quality likes to degrade at sporadic moments (I found it particularly convenient when it spazzed out during an episode of
24 this year, and when it came back, President Hassan was already dead). Javelina Station's primary advantages are the fact that it's furnished and it's a 10 minute walk from the Pharmacy building. However, Javelina Station's flaws are now particularly soured by its steadily increasing rent (which was $430 per month my first year and $480 my second year). At a price tag of $580 per month, you would expect Javelina Station to be some sort of paradise, but it's certainly not. Javelina Station should only appeal to people who truly want a furnished location or are supremely lazy and chronically late to class.
The remaining apartments, though varied, are all unfurnished. If you want to stay within walking distance of the Pharmacy building, then University Village (new place) or University Squares (old crappy place) would be your next best bet. Seville Apartments (a bit on the scrappy side) is still within 15 minutes of the Pharmacy building. The remaining apartments are going to require you to drive to campus.
Honestly, if you have a car, then it should be entirely practical to go for any of the unfurnished apartments. Many locations are within a 10 minute drive of campus, and while getting to campus early will get you a parking spot next to the Pharmacy building, you can always find parking on campus that is 2-3 minutes away from the building.
If you don't mind moving and buying some furniture, then the most economical option would be to pick an apartment and rent it out for 3 years. It will be much cheaper than staying at Javelina Station or the on-campus dormitories. Also, keep in mind that some rental properties have a waitlist for prospective tenants, so be sure to ask about how long the line is at each apartment that you're interested in.
Lastly, you could consider buying a house in Kingsville, but that might require a bit more research and investment than most students are willing to commit.
It might be that the UIN will not work until you are actually registered for classes. I know that it the case with the pharmacy email accounts. Plus I am not sure you really need to do much with the UIN for now as there are still a few months until classes start. Just be patient and enjoy the summer for now because once August rolls around.....
To add on to what Donkey mentioned:
There's not a whole lot that you do with your UIN. There may be a few forms at the beginning of the semester which require your UIN (so I usually keep the letter with my UIN in my backpack, since I can't remember the entire thing), but for the most part, you won't need to remember the entirety of your UIN. The most important thing that you need to know is the last 4 digits of your UIN. You'll need to fill in the last 4 digits of your UIN for every scan-tron test and quiz that you take. So, be sure to commit those last 4 numbers to memory.
--Garfield3d
