Please remember Early apps are only an advantage in admit rates for kids who DO fully match what a college wants in an applicant. They don’t magically lower standards just to get more admitted earlier.
So you still have learn a lot about the colleges and how you fit what THEY want and look for. Parts of this thread make it sound like it’s all about what the applicant wants and just finding what you want most.
Again, you haven’t mentioned a usual array of the sort of *activities /i that top tier colleges look for.