Sorry, just edited comment with NPC results.
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Both are 1.5 hours on Acela Amtrak.
You need to expand your list as I noted above or add schools. Check Kalamazoo.
It’s nice to want a certain vibe but the first thing you need is an assured and AFFORDABLE admit. You don’t have that.
Is there a college close to home, Stockton, where you could live at home if needed for budget purposes.
But you are missing many meets needs schools closer to home. Run the NPCs. I put them above.
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Have you looked at U of Rochester?
It seems to check all of your boxes. Definitely an “intellectual curiosity” school that is intellectual and collaborative, with a highly flexible curriculum structure that encourages exploration of multiple interests. Undergrad population of <7000. Has a PPE major, and also a Philosophy, Law, and Public Policy track within the Poli Sci major. Offers a “cluster” in Korean and also has quite a few Korean international students on campus. It’s a phenomenal place for non-major musicians, as well. And it meets need, and gives merit aid.
The only criterion that doesn’t fit is distance - it’s in one of your target states, but not within your desired distance radius. However, it’s very close to Rochester’s airport, and there are direct flights from Philly. Could be worth considering if you could flex on the driving distance.
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Is your family eligible for the Scarlet Guarantee? (at Rutgers)
And the Garden State Guarantee?
The former covers tuition assistance for years 1 and 2, and the latter for years 3 and 4.
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Unfortunately, the upper limit of the income eligibility guidelines is $5k less than my family’s income, which is around $105k.
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Clark maybe (in MA, though). Small but with fair amount of research. Kids seem really academically engaged from what I have heard. Would be a likely- I think they have good merit too.
In reach list Yale, Amherst, Williams seem good too. Tufts is renowned for fletcher, which overlaps with political science interests. Everyone I know that went there is supe intellecutually curious
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Yes, but keep in mind you need to account for travel time to the stations. But again, I am not discouraging you from applying to those colleges.
I just tried it on Google maps, and Georgetown to Union Station to Philadelphia via Acela was a little over 2 hours 20 minutes, and then you would add whatever it took to get from Philadelphia to your destination in NJ. If Wilmington was closer, that could cut about 20 minutes.
At a very high expense
Are you planning to be home often ? If so you have to include in the budget.
I’d try and add a safety/likely school that will be within budget for you. I think you have a good chance at Haverford and Bryn Mawr (and they are in range) but your safety schools are too expensive. To find one you might have to expand your geography.
One idea for the safety is to add either a TCNJ or Rowan that’s commutable. TCNJ, in particular, has a vibe you may like. I think the issue you may find with most other safeties is that you can probably get a lot (maybe almost all) of the tuition paid, but the room & board is trickier. With a TCNJ/Rowan, you’re gonna be able to ensure you go to college and then the other reaches you can choose from when you see what the financial aid packages are.
In fact it might be helpful if the OP could clarify their distance concerns.
But I was wondering if the OP had looked at George Washington. Great political school, has a Korean minor:
Or what about Washington College? Pretty close to South Jersey, but also conveniently located for experiences in DC and such:
https://www.washcoll.edu/academic_departments/political-science/index.php
Or Sarah Lawrence–they have an interesting seminar-based approached to Political Science which I think could appeal to someone with a political philosophy interest:
Obviously the OP needs to keep checking NPCs, though.
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I think you are very competitive for UDel’s top scholarships, my 34 act 3.95 daughter got the top regular one which is $17,000, but I believe they like to see a higher test score. You’d Geri to the honors college with a lot of top students (they have their own very nice dorm freshman year). We are from NJ, had a budget, she didn’t want Rutgers/TCNJ.
Hi! Thank you for all of your advice and wisdom. Just wanted to share that I’ve been accepted to Princeton REA and am committing! 
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Congratulations! What very terrific news for you! It checked off all your boxes, and hopefully the need based aid has you covered as needed!
Enjoy your senior year! What a nice holiday gift for you and your family!
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Oh wow! So happy for you!!! Thanks for coming back to let us know. Best wishes!!!
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