How would you feel if you end up going to IU? Do you think you would be happy there, or would you be trying to figure out a transfer plan before the fall semester of your first year even started? If you think you’d be more of the latter than the former, you need additional/different safeties. I will say though that IU and Bloomington are absolutely wonderful, but they’re not for everyone.
That is super amazing and you are very lucky. Although you want to leave Indiana, I’d take a real thorough look at the in-state possibilities you have if almost all of your expenses are going to be covered. I think these would all be likely/extremely likely admits, except for Notre Dame. But Big Name schools with low admit rates often are more accepting of students from their home states, so that does work in your favor (though it would still be a reach).
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Butler: About 4500 undergrads in the state capital…a great place to be for people interested in politics and policy
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Earlham: About 700 undergrads at this school that’s part of Colleges That Change Lives, an association of mostly smaller, liberal arts colleges that were recognized by a journalist who specialized on colleges, and then the schools formed an organization named after the book (its CTCL profile).
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Saint Mary’s: If you’re interested in women’s colleges, Saint Mary’s is an option with about 1400 undergrads. I believe there is also cross-registration with Notre Dame.
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U. of Notre Dame: About 9k undergrads with a great reputation
Okay, enough of about Indiana…what about elsewhere in the U.S.?
I think that Agnes Scott was a good recommendation. And one of the schools that is also part of the consortium is Spelman, a women’s college and HBCU that might be a nice place for you since you have Howard and several other women’s colleges on your list. Emory is also part of that same consortium and a QuestBridge partner. If the project on clean drinking water in your city makes you think about doing anything related to public health and related policy, Atlanta is an amazing option as the CDC is based there and it’s also the capital of Georgia, so lots of options politically there, too.
Okay, this one’s not far from Indiana, but it’s not in Indiana. Centre College (KY) is another CTCL school (its profile) and has a popular international studies program. Of greater import for you is that it has three different premier scholarships, and I think you’d be a good contender for any of the 3. Two of them are full cost plus additional money for enrichment, and one is full tuition, enrichment fund, and continued eligibility for need-based aid for room & board.
A couple other QuestBridge partners that you might want to give a closer look at are:
Tufts (MA): About 6700 undergrads and also very known for international relations
Barnard (women’s college of about 3k undergrads) and Columbia (its coed partner school of about 8800 undergrads). Barnard students have their own college and resources of a women’s college plus all the resources of Columbia. With their location in New York City, there are lots of possibilities for someone interested in international relations.