YESSS! i can give college advice!
i've been through hell and back. I shall show you the way, young grasshopper.
There is "early action" or "early decision"- those are names commonly referred to. Basically, you can apply earlier, find out earlier about getting accepted. DO IT. but! be careful, because some are "binding" agreements, which means that if you get accepted as an early applicant, you HAVE to go to that school. for example, MICA's early decision is binding and Pratt's is not. Early decision applications are due around fall. I think some for me were due in November. It depends what you want to do, you can wait to pump up your portfolio, but then you'd have a smaller chance to get in because there are fewer spots left. i chose to do early, because i applied to so many and i wanted to know my options as soon as possible. and i didn't think my portfolio would be significantly better in a matter of weeks/months. (if i were you, i'd do early as much as possible because your portfolio is already wonderful. and it gets the stress of applying out of the way)

that's a tiny tidbit of college stuff i can possibly talk about. i'm so excited to tell you all this! and you'll learn from my mistakes. : ]
we should swap numbers or hang out or something, especially when it gets closer to the time to applying.