Do you think this apartment is better than living in the dorms at UC Merced?

Always live in the dorms your first year. You are making a huge mistake if you do not. You will make friends and many of those friends will have copies of tests, lecture notes, and know all the right people. College is all about people and a little about education. After your first year you will know where you want to live, you will have been exposed to hundreds of different people and from those you can find some roomates and get your apartment.