sad pepe

So with the April 15 deadline fast approaching, it looks like I may end up having to opt for a low-ranked, bottom-of-the-barrel program (after getting a few rejections and if my waitlists don't work out). The school that I may end up attending is a large public university that's mediocre as a whole and ranked pretty low on the US News & World Report political science ranking in a city that I think I'll like a lot. My question is: just how bad is it for you if you attend a low-ranked PhD program, in terms of career prospects? I want to have a career in academia, that's where my passion lies. Having spent a huge amount of time browsing through various forums, it looks like I'll end up finding a job at a no-name college in the middle of nowhere, and that's if I'm lucky. But do folks like me really stand no chance? How can one boost his/her chances of finding a place and surviving in the academia? It's just a bit discouraging to think about... Also, while I'm at it, with the coronavirus going on and taking into consideration its potential impact on the economy, is it possible (or even likely) that university-wide and departmental funding will be cut in the coming years? It's particularly worrisome considering the amount I was offered isn't that high to begin with.

@munch22 Thanks, I'm actually not aware of this site. And thanks to everyone else for the input, they were all helpful! Hopefully the web meeting goes well!

So I was offered admission to the PhD program in political science at a large public “R1” university in the Midwest. The DGS has arranged a WebEx meeting for me and my faculty of interest (2 of them) plus a current PhD student (potentially). The meeting will happen in a few days. It’s supposed to be help me learn more about the program and for them to answer questions I have. I’m feeling very nervous about this meeting, and am not sure what exactly I should be talking to them about... I assume post-offer meetings like this should be pretty common, so I’d really appreciate some tips/suggestions/advice on what to expect and how to prepare for it. And in case they pressure me, how should I go about telling them that I’m still in the process of deciding whether or not I’ll accept the offer (to not come across as impolite)? Though I’m quite interested in attending this school, I do have one other offer and am on 3 waitlists at the moment. Also, the amount of stipend offered is not that great (the other program offered more funding), but is it not a good idea to ask for more funding unless I’m certain I will accept the offer? Apologize if similar questions have been asked before. Thanks in advance!