devotee

also consider whether you will need to pay taxes on the 20k. That will make the per month amount less.
 

If you are frugal, yes. Rent will probably cost you $1,200 a month if you want a decent place. The UMN will give you an unlimited metro transit pass for $100 a semester. Don't party too much and you'll be good. Part time job wouldn't hurt. 

I'm not sure if there is a master list of all the placement records, but generally each department should post their placement records on their website. if they don't have them there then i'm sure you can email their grad team and they will probably send them your way. 

Must be paywall, search using: Ranking Doctoral Programs by Placement: A New Method Benjamin M. Schmidt, Princeton University Matthew M. Chingos, Harvard University

UW has their visit event later this week. Acceptances went out over a month ago mentioning a very small class of admitted students (10). I would place hope elsewhere at this point. 

Saw a couple of U Washington (Seattle) rejections on the results page today (acceptances went out weeks ago) and still haven't heard anything ? Is anybody else still in the no-contact boat? 

This is something that is generally determined after you are in the program (currently in a PhD program). 

Don't stress out about it. If you don't have any immediate questions, say something along the lines of "Thank you so much for the kind email. I too am excited about the prospects of working together. I look forward to speaking more at the admitted students weekend."

That should do it. If you're certain this is where you are attending, feel free to start discussing more about getting ready for next year -- you could ask for summer reading recommendations, etc. If you haven't made a decision, just be polite, kind, and demonstrate your eagerness and excitement over being accepted without overplaying your position.

There is a rejection on Februrary 7 on the results page. I have heard nothing also.

Yeah, I'll disagree mildly with this and say that you do not need to try to impress them. Don't make up questions if you don't have any. You've already been admitted! Now is your chance to be  a little selfish and let them sell you. I usually just ask whoever I'm talking with about their work, and if I might be able to join their lab should I come to their school.

I had one of these a week or two ago. Basically, it is a chance for them to answer your questions about their department and to try to sell you on picking them out of your acceptances. Best suggestion is to write out your questions ahead of time. This is a great time to ask things about the publication rate of PhD students in their program, the activity level of the department in conferences, if there is any funding for visit days, questions about the city the school is in, ect... Even if you feel like you know everything you need to know to make a decision, ask something. This will indicate to them you have interest in their department. As far as things to avoid, I would avoid any indication of where that school fits in your personal ranking of your applications/acceptances. You wouldn't want to tell them they are your second choice school and then not get an offer (or get a substandard offer) from your top choice and end up going there. Really, there is nothing to be nervous about with it. It is pretty casual and just a way for them to sell their department to you and personally introduce themselves.

I think it generally refers to the US and USNews is the one which is generally used but I also like using THE. I have some problems with the methodology of USNews and QS

Depends. For the most part, USNews is pretty roughly accurate as far as I've heard. Re: theory, though, it's more complicated. For one, there's the question of whether you're doing History of Political Thought or Contemporary theory. In HPT, if people think you're a Straussian (doesn't matter if you actually are or not), they may not take you. Many institutions are very very against it (there was a whole scandal with Yale and Thomas Pangle a while back, though Yale in particular is much more sympathetic these days). So if you're a Strauss-like HPT applicant, you're really only looking at certain places anyway, which kind of nullifies the top 10 consideration. Re: international, it largely depends on where you want to work. If you want to work at an American University, go to one. Even UToronto, which has the largest political science faculty I've ever seen and is Canadian, has some trouble securing American placement. Hope it helps.

And I had thought today would be a busy day in terms of applications... Yet, the results page is like the Sahara. Nothing alive in sight.

Thank you very much mate. Asking for additional sources seems to be the better way here.

And I had thought today would be a busy day in terms of applications... Yet, the results page is like the Sahara. Nothing alive in sight.

And I had thought today would be a busy day in terms of applications... Yet, the results page is like the Sahara. Nothing alive in sight.

And I had thought today would be a busy day in terms of applications... Yet, the results page is like the Sahara. Nothing alive in sight.

In short:
https://academicpositions.com/career-advice/the-best-questions-to-ask-during-a-phd-interview?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic+post&fbclid=IwAR1zF2QfWxME9pjfmO7azSLLVgNTtmB6vzUkr2cg8ypV3zZxKHkSqQDXI6Y

Sending good vibes for those last 3. Here is my cat in a cone of shame for your enjoyment