Good for you for seeking more than just “the most selective school I can get into”!
Macalester (St. Paul, Minnesota) and Agnes Scott (suburban Atlanta) would be matches or safeties for you.
Your fit preferences:
- Big city
- IR/Global studies, neuroscience
- Not a huge party atmosphere
Recommendations:
Reach:
Harvard
UChicago
Columbia
Low reach:
Johns Hopkins
Georgetown
Washington U
Emory
Carnegie Mellon
Tufts
Match:
Reed
Macalester
NYU
GWU
Boston U
Safety:
KU (honors - in-state?)
LACs ranked below about 60, U’s below about 75