Is VDC Norte the best dorm at UCI?

The apartment is hella dirty when you first arrive, with a lot of issues (at least that was the case in my apartment). I lived in VDCN and I feel like they need to make some new improvements to upkeep and maintain the place (new carpets, stove, etc). At least maintenance response is really quick!

I lived in VDC Norte and had a shared room with someone. It felt like a huge room for a portion of the time because I didn't have a roommate for about a month, but when he moved it I felt like everything had downsized only just a little. There was still enough room for the both of us! Since I lived in the shared room we had our own bathroom that was connected to our room. If you live in the single then you have to share the bathroom in the living room with the other single room occupant. It was nice to have our own kitchen and living room! Great wifi and there was A/C. The building had a lot of amenities, like a study room, game lounge, pool, washing and drying, and conference room. Only downside is that you had to walk to get to those places so you may be having to take your laundry down 3 flights of stairs and down the hall. Kind of got annoying when I had to continuously go back and forth to wash and dry. Parking isn't the greatest, so if you have guest coming please plan accordingly! Also it is like a 15-25 minute walk to campus so you either have to plan ahead and take the shuttle or bike/walk there. Also camping paring passes do not work at the apartment lot, so unless you have a lot of money you have to choose whether you want your car on campus or at your housing!

I lived in the 2b/2b VDC Norte deluxe (now called premium) apartment. The pros: Basic furniture (bed, desk, sofa, dining chairs for the counter/kitchen top, coffee table) and cable are provided. Washer and dryer were included in unit and parking was also part of the rent back then and there was always ample space to park (not sure if this still applies). The area where the deluxe units are located is relatively quiet. The shuttle stops were also nearby to get you to campus. Work orders put in for maintenance were quickly addressed. While wifi can be spotty, the ethernet was always good (bring an ethernet cable!). The cons: The building I was in does not have an elevator, so when moving in or out, it is a bit of a hassle especially if you live on the top floor. The rooms, in particular the carpet, were dirty despite being cleaned prior to move-in. Dust accumulates really fast despite frequent cleaning. Depending on which room you are assigned, one of the rooms has a really odd layout: the actual room with the bed and desk is small and cramped, but the bathroom is massive. Overall, not the worst place to live, but not the best either.

floor/ceiling is thin; if you have loud upstairs neighbors you will definitely hear them. Otherwise it's good, the single rooms are a little bit small though