If you were an athlete you’d be in discussions with the coaches and wouldn’t need to guess the best time to apply or with what scores. If a building was named for your family it would likely be at only one of those campuses so not a hook at the others. If you were the child of a big donor there would likely be discussions with the development office. That leaves low income, URM, and legacy. Applying ED if you’re low income and need to compare offers can be a risk. If finances are an issue I think you’re better off applying RD.