Why would you not sweat this? You act like 10k is no big deal, but that is probably a ~10% instant raise for the OP, not to mention the cumulative effect a 10k

Why would you not sweat this? You act like 10k is no big deal, but that is probably a ~10% instant raise for the OP, not to mention the cumulative effect a 10k raise at age 20 will have on one's lifetime earnings. I agree that a fresh student should care more about the experience and choosing the best life path rather than chasing 5k here or 10k there, but once you have chosen a path, you should absolutely negotiate for the best deal possible, IMO.