Please help; I don't know where I stand and can't decide on target schools

Given your posted information, I think you would do well at a large school.
Considering that you don’t really have a budget and that you are possibly entering sociology and politics, you may want to have access to multiple majors and access to internships.

Consider large schools in California (USC, UCLA, Davis-near Sacramento), Massachusetts and New York (Boston, NYU, etc.).

Absolutely agree!