@parentind
you wrote
“Also what I have found is that while the Common app can be updated with the latest grades as soon as they are out, this does not affect any applications that have already been sent out until then. In other words, the update doesn’t work retrospectively.”
your son OR his H school Counselor CAN send ANY new pertinent information - scores, awards, etc- to colleges that he has applied to- via an email to the college admissions office- be SURE that you ask that the updated scores be included in his application file/ record… Dont be intimidated into thinking that it can only be sent via Common App.