Just a few thoughts and anecdotes about community colleges. I work at a university that has articulation agreements with several local community colleges. The credits earned at one of these cc’s are accepted by our admissions office and after two years students transfer to us. They have satisfied many of their gen ed requirements that would have been taken in the first two years at our university, but at a fraction of the cost. The more important thing though is that these students go on to have great success. My favorite story is about a student from my university who received a Rhodes Scholarship this year. (Our first - we’re very excited and thrilled for him!). Where did he start his university education before transferring to us? One of our local community colleges. Community colleges may not be for everyone, but they can provide an excellent education and opportunity. Good luck!
HIs stats are good, he may get in, but if not look for schools that have rolling admission or look at community college. I understand that your son does not want to go there, but your first year of college you take general electives and general classes that are the same at all colleges. I agree in that the classes offered at a traditional 4 year college are better than the ones taught at community college, but you don’t take those classes your freshmen year. I would recommend your son take another look at taking basic classes at community college and then apply again to transfer in the spring to other schools that he carefully look at.
Or, take a gap year and work and volunteer. There is nothing bad that comes from working and volunteering and if someone asks why you took a gap year you would simply say you needed/wanted a bit more money before you start college, and volunteering is always a good idea.
My kid got into UCSB. Their CS Engineering is one of the better schools in the country. One survey even has them ranked #8, ahead of UC-Berkeley.
@hockeymom2000 Did he go see UCSB yet? Any update?
@HRSMom My son is spending the weekend at UCSB for the Spring Insight events for prospective students. He learned today that only 350 engineering students were accepted this year and he was one of them. He has committed to UCSB and seems happy with where he ended up. It was a different outcome than what we thought - with his grades and scores, we were assured that he would have plenty of choices. In the end, only the one school that wasn’t on his radar accepted him and I think it will be an excellent fit. On a side note, he is just now doing the type of activities that probably would have gotten him into his top choice schools! The geometry teacher at his school, who he is a TA for, went out on maternity leave. Because of the massive budget shortfalls in Houston from Hurricane Harvey, the school put an unqualified temp in for the rest of the year. All the kids turned to him for assistance and he started setting up tutorials after school. Soon, the entire freshman AP geometry class found out and he didn’t have enough hours in the day to tutor them all. He started filming YouTube tutorials and sending links out to kids who were struggling. Now he’s putting tutorials together for underserved students in low income schools. All I can say is that he did this on his own without regard to how it could benefit him. The college application process was already finished, decisions were handed out and his motivation to try to help other students came only from his heart. As a mother, that means more to me than an acceptance at any school!
@hockeymom2000 As stressful as this process was for your son (and you!) in the end all he needs is one good fit and it sounds like he found it. He has also found some inner strengths and motivations to teach that will serve him well in college (and life) and may help land him a TA position So glad it is working out!
Or a job at the tutorial center at his school…he could look into that. These usually pay well.
Sounds like it all worked out as it was meant to. Just not they way we expect, right? I hope he enjoys it!
That’s wonderful, and I am sure he will go on to do more great things in college!
USCB is a great school, in an unbelievably gorgeous location. I did my MA there. 
Congratulations!
Congratulations, wonderful school! My niece only got into one school when she applied, Carnegie Mellon. It was not her first choice or even top 5, but that’s where she went. She just finished her Radiology residency. A college is something that helps you meet your goals, it’s not a destination! Congrats again!!! Well done!
And that should make you prouder than any college admission would have made you!
On behalf of the rest of us, congratulations for raising a great son!