One decision drives everything else. Make it in Step 1 and the to-do list below reshapes itself. Check items off as they are submitted.
STEP 1
Decide the one thing that matters
The five restrictive schools
Apply early to one of these and Luke cannot apply early to any other private school that fall. Public early actions are not affected. None of the five is binding. Tap a name to choose it, tap again to clear.
The decision: one restrictive school, or one binding Early Decision school, or neither.
Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Caltech. All due Nov 1. None are binding.
Binding if admitted. Not possible together with a restrictive school.
STEP 2
Submit these, in date order
Show
STEP 3
Mid-December: when the early answers come
Admitted under a binding ED: Luke attends. Withdraw every other application.
Admitted under a restrictive plan: nothing is binding. Luke may still apply Regular Decision anywhere and compare offers in April.
Deferred or denied early: one binding Early Decision II becomes possible. Every restrictive school allows it after its decision. Caltech adds a condition: if admitted ED II elsewhere, withdraw the Caltech application.
ED II options (one at most, binding)
STEP 4
Everyone else: Regular Decision
Schools Luke is not applying to early under the choices above. Dates marked "check site" were not verified this session.