<p>I've heard a lot of different stories from current students. Most say parking is a huge hassle. Anyone want to confirm/provide other opinions?</p>
<p>some opinions
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-texas-austin/675008-should-i-take-my-car-ut-freshman-year.html?highlight=parking[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-texas-austin/675008-should-i-take-my-car-ut-freshman-year.html?highlight=parking</a></p>
<p>The thing is that if you get a car, you will not be guaranteed a parking spot in a garage near your dorm. This will become an incredible hassle.</p>
<p>thanks midwestmom, looks like I fail at thread searching. For some reason i couldn’t find that thread.</p>
<p>That’s actually not true haldir, parking is not a problem if you pay the huge amount for parking in the Garages. C lot permits aren’t as expensive and you can leave your car in the lot across 35 if you want. I didn’t have a car 1st year, but when now that I am west campus, I have one because my parking space is free( unlike most all of the other complexes). </p>
<p>The only issue without having a car is getting decent groceries. The dorm stores are grossly overpriced because there is no competition. HEB can be reached by bus, but if you walk, you are limited by carrying capacity. I was able to go to the store more often than most because my sister lives in town, and my roommates sister had a car. However, if you don’t have friends with cars, you will grow pretty weary of the stores on campus.</p>
<p>It was hard to find that thread because you can’t search on car; the search function won’t let you search on 3-letter words. I found it by searching on parking. :)</p>
<p>(Beyond the little on campus “market” grocery stores, there is quite a bit of food at CVS by the Coop on Guadalupe but I agree a car would be nice to have when you want to go and pick up fresh fruit from a grocery store.)</p>
<p>Texas is CAR COUNTRY but for a freshman at UT, leave the car at home and bring the bike! Basically a car for a UT student is just a means of transporation on the weekend. This way you will get accustomed to the gigantic campus, not have to hassle with a car, and take advantage of all the things to do on or near campus. UT has a great Student Union, gyms, libraries, museums, and shopping across the street for clothes, toiletries, student-type restaurants, and hang-out spots. There’s also an adequate bus line that’s good for what a freshman would have to do off campus.</p>
<p>A car is great if you want to hang out at the lake (jk…sort of). After the first year, your child can reassess. Most of your child’s friends will be Texans so there are plenty of cars around for having fun.</p>
<p>(UT grad and living in Austin as laxboy’s mom)</p>
<p>Hook 'em!</p>
<p>The junior who was our tour guide on Friday said that she brought her car the first year and regretted it. Her car sat in the lot across I-35 and gathered dust! The people at the information session really discouraged freshmen from bringing their cars. For students who need to get to or from the airport, there’s even a shuttle that’s pretty regular. I didn’t have a car until I was a senior, and never had any problem getting around.</p>
<p>Car as a junior but hardly ever used it except for trips at holidays. Shuttle, bicycle and walk. BUT this was many, many years ago.</p>
<p>My d is usually in a rush to get TO the airport and gets a ride or takes a cab. She generally takes the bus back. It is a quick trip. And like all Austin bus rides, free with your UT ID.</p>
<p>^ Well, .35$ for a student, but thats practically close to free. The UT shuttles and Dillos are free though.</p>
<p>Its free to ride any bus if you are a ut student, not 35 cents. You just swipe your ut id. (unless they changed policy since 2008, but I doubt it).</p>
<p>According to the transportation dept. website, it is still free with a UT ID</p>
<p>And for the record, the Dillos are no longer free. Well, if you have a UT ID they are, but they are no longer free for the public.</p>
<p>My bad, you guys are correct, its completely free for UT students!</p>
<p>Are there enough garage spaces for the students willing to pay the fee? Do any of the private dorms have parking garages?</p>
<p>It depends. If you’re living on campus, you can enter the garage lottery for an R permit, and if off campus you would get an S permit, I believe. </p>
<p>Off campus, both Dobie and the Castillian have garages. I don’t know how they are allotted or the fees associated with them, however.</p>
<p>What is the lottery like for on-campus, i.e., are the chances great or small that students would get a permit? Do upperclassmen have a better chance in the lottery?</p>
<p>Castilian’s garage isn’t full. They were selling prorated permits for the rest of the semester at least until Spring Break.</p>
<p>No clue how the lottery works–you’d have to ask PTS. I doubt upperclassmen have any priority, largely because very few upperclassmen would be entered–just those who live on campus, which is a small percentage of the total number of studetns.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to ask so many questions. I assume you mean that a student can pay to park in the Castilian, even if they live in a different dorm?<br>
What is PTS - Parking and Transportation Services?</p>