Welcome!

I haven't applied for any of my children, but I know there are others who have applied with near-qualifying scores, and been accepted (usually with help from the portfolio). Perhaps some of them will chime in. My opinion, FWIW, is that there's no real downside to applying. (It doesn't cost any money, and just a bit of time.) If they don't accept him, his situation is no different than if you didn't apply, but if they do, you and he will have gained some nice resources.

...pronounced like the long vowel and first letter of the alphabet...