Yeah, the only thing I've finished was WWHD, and I binged that haha. Earthbound Beginnings is pretty good! It's kind of noticeably pales in comparison to Earthbound, though, but I think it's a pretty good starting point for the series.
Oh wow, that sounds really complicated. I hope everything works out. I hope you don't feel pressured! Tbh I was kind of eh after school even after applying and waited forever to choose where to go, but I think all that matters is that you do what you feel best and comfortable doing, and I think I did that for myself, so hopefully things go okay. Basically don't feel pressured to go to a prestigious school if you get into one, or don't feel pressured to go to school at all! I have a friend who's in the same boat but is really easily swayed by others and just recently got a boyfriend, and she's been talking about how she wishes she had taken a gap year/ doesn't want to go to school.