It is still just like this for most kids. CC gives a very skewed view of it because it is filled with the top students and their parents who are applying to elite schools. There a lot more kids like my S20, who took one AP class and a few honors classes, whose only EC is a part-time job as a lifeguard, and is only taking four classes his senior year and one is gym. He got into all 4 colleges he applied to and is going to U of Arizona next year with a very nice merit scholarship.