frsc

18k is standard/basic in my option. I accepted on that amount. Some ppl get more, some very little (2-4k.) But I feel 18k is most common amount.

Yo! Totally agree with above comment and I'm guessing im friends with that above individual HAHA As a first year MPP thats as far left as you'll get + I'm from Cali, lived in Oakland, I had similar concerns to you. But... Durham is a hub of progressive, radical energy. In some ways, I like it more than Oakland cuz its smaller and there aren't already a ton of radicals doing stuff all the time. There is a mix of families, young, old, black, white, etc. at protests, ENTIRE city council and mayor are trying to be progressive in regressive state, and it feels better to be involved (just my opinion) because you feel like you can really contribute in a place thats trying but isn't quite (YET???) where Berkeley and Oakland are at. Durham is the unexpected highlight for me in any case. Duke itself is unavoidably a conservative institution as mentioned (ie spent at least 2 million dollars to kill grad student union last year), which again, provides opportunities to make changes. But Sanford is sort of dominated by center-left, probably happily voted HRC types, with a new faction of young professors trying to move it Left (seemingly). Type of view that "market failures are problem," not "lets take down capitalism." Common philosophical viewpoint of policy as technical skill (data data data) rather than political power game (ie people are not talking Foucault/Angela Davis in class all that much, though we try), common acceptance of Voltaire-style free speech liberalism rather than widespread acceptance of deplatforming/ANTIFA etc. But you will absolutely find a sizable minority contingent that are basically outright against the neoclassical microeconomics curriculum, anticapitalist, openly antiracist, etc. As mentioned, there are also the military folk (maybe 10/80 students in my year), and honestly, I second the fact that they are typically more conservative, but I also love exchanging with some of them. Just today had some fun jokes cuz one of them invited me to a defense class (mostly as a joke cuz they know I would just rant anti-imperialism the whole time). They have a different viewpoint that is often irreconcilable with mine but you can really get a lot of knowledge/perspective on empire/intelligence/etc from them. And most of them are really cool people, often officers, and at Sanford to learn first and foremost. A few engage with Left ideas for first time, quite earnestly. Plus, personally, I want to stay in touch with people I disagree with while in school, left Oakland partly cuz I was bored of nothing but radicalism. If you get nothing out of talking to centrists and the right, you'll NOT love a lot of the chat and class. If you get something from bringing Left perspective and energy to center and right, then you'll like it.