@rosebudrc,
I have not read the intervening posts.
Cyber hugs to you!! I would be feeling the exact same way if it were my kiddo. It’s so hard to know exactly how much and how hard to battle with your kiddo, especially if you know that it would be “good for them” vs “them wanting to take ownership of it themselves.” If it is any consolation for you, I chose to battle with my kid over college apps, which definitely strained our relationship for awhile afterwards. And of course, kid will find something else to try to blame me for. So you could’ve battled, and the results might have been the same. As a side note, how could he forget to send his new scores to only CMU and JHU; wouldn’t he forget to send them to all of his colleges?
The rejection is particularly difficult when kid is at top of class (huge fish), and is used to always winning. But then goes into competition with an ocean of huge fish and is surprised that outcomes are different with this ocean of huge fish cohort. Many always-number-one kiddos at top colleges get depressed when they arrive and end up being in the bottom half of the class. It’s a paradigm shift for sure both for applications and for attending elite colleges.
Putting the could’ve, would’ve, should’ve behind you, he and GC should double their efforts to try to get accepted from the wait lists. He would send his new SAT scores. He would ask his GC to call the Adcom at each college to verbally sell or promote any new info, or send in a letter at the minimum. He should also send in a letter discussing accomplishments since mid year, and what things that he can offer to each college. Get them in ASAP, so that everything is in the file when they start re-reviewing them after 5/1 for taking off the wait list.
Best of luck to you both!!
Edited to add: Engineering admit at both Cal and UCLA is extremely tough. Ave admitted UCGPAs are probably above 4.0 for both UCs. That being said, did he calculate his UC GPA correctly?? It’s a self calculation with a ton of rules. Double check that. I believe that ave UCGPA for admission to UCLA, ALL MAJORS, last year was 4.29.