Guess what - only you can decide. Sorry - but it’s true.
These are four great and different schools - with three urban and one not.
What can you afford?
What matters to you?
There’s no wrong answer here - four students could choose four different schools.
I’ll tell you this - rank for IR - doesn’t matter (IMHO). My kid had an internship at a top think tank - and goes to a school a zillion levels below. So don’t worry about top 15 or #40 - it’s hooey - especially in Poli Sci.
Rather than look at four at once - look at two.
Amherst is the smallest (even though you can take classes at neighboring UMass and others in the Consortium). Put it up vs. Brown - which is in the city and bigger.
If just these two - which would you pick?
After you pick one, the match that one vs another.
Sometimes going 1x1 is easier than 4 at once.
But think affordability and then desire.
Your goals:
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Strong grad school placements - these four and many more. The same with professor access - that’s up to you!! If you make the effort, it will happen.
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Summer or Winter experiences - these four and many more - I assume you mean internships and study abroads for Winter which you might have to do through other schools. Not all schools offer January terms.
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Somewhere with a strong alumni network - likely these four.
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A place that wants you to succeed? Pick any school in America
So this goes back to - what can you afford - and then where you feel comfortable?
If your words are true, Gtown would be your pick - but you’re not in - so you really are down to three because you’re not in at Gtown and if you get in, it moves to the top. I’m not saying it’s the best school - but you’ve said it’s the dream.
You know if there were four kids with your four schools, each of the four could pick a different one - and no one would question it.
Good luck.