There are far more great chemical engineering schools than you have listed - and while rankings are subjective, there are many high ranked Chem engineering schools, ranked far above many on your list.
You’ll certainly get in some schools on your list but given your desire for overall pedigree you didn’t choose these other top Chem eng programs.
It’s interesting and frankly shocking but as I read the UVA page yesterday, kids like you were rejected because frankly a kid like you has done anything and everything. Not sure what more could be done. But that’s the new world of admissions.
But your list is broad enough and while I don’t see that you listed cost as a factor, take a look at what @fiftyfifty1 said - and consider going for free or near free.
Engineering today is doing some school targeting but mainly recruiting on line, even from target schools. Indeed, LinkedIn, handshake. It’s an open field and I’m seeing the success from many schools, not just the creme de la creme of names - my son included in these successes with 5 strong full time offers in fall at a low ranked engineering school. You will find the Alabama and UTDs type schools working alongside the students from schools you listed.
You are going to get into a few schools for sure. Do not lose hope. If you are not burnt out from applying, there is still plenty of time to put in a few applications to schools that have late/rolling deadlines. Some of these are quite generous with merit.
Look, truth is for engineering, most ABET programs will do. It is nice to say “I went to school X” but if the goal is to become an engineer then starting salaries are not that different between most schools. Location and alumni network will make a difference.
Take a look at this list:
Waitlisted at MIT and UC Davis, admitted to UCSC, but rejected to Johns Hopkins. Weird, considering I got a really good rec letter from a JHU adjunct professor regarding the research I did with him.
So far I’ve gotten decent results from non-Common App schools but terrible results from all Common App schools. Can’t shake the feeling that there’s something deeply wrong with my essay or an activity or some other statistic that I put into my Common App. I do think I might have come across a little douchey in my personal statement. Would anyone mind looking it over?
There’s no point in trying to pinpoint something you can’t possibly ever pinpoint. You’ll never know.
And just because a prof writes a letter should not have made you think you were automatic - and how do you know it was a good letter. He may have said nice things about you but it doesn’t mean it was a good letter.
You have UCSC and you said others - so that’s a great thing. What are the others?