An early decision usually helps the college more than it helps the student because it shortens the time a senior has for deciding whether to attend. For a student, getting the process over with is far less valuable than learning enough about a college to be confident it's a good match. But if it seems to be and if a student is likely to get in, applying early will offer an advantage. Step three of the process involves communicating with colleges. Students need a team to do the job well.
Few applicants get into any college on their own.
They need advocates, first from high school and later at the colleges they apply to. Teachers, coaches, and the college counselor are all on a student's team, and so are the applicant's parents. The student is the central member of the team. Assuming that the applicant's numbers are strong enough, the factor most likely to tip an admissions committee toward a student is the ability to write, as demonstrated in papers for classes and in the college essay. A student can also do that by making a friend of the high school counselor and by getting to know the representatives of colleges who have responsibility for his school.