@tchit87 While , I totally respect the level of work that 16 AP classes involves, I’d never push my kids down that road. Nor would I have them spend excessive amounts of time on standardized tests.
We’re lucky our kids test very well without practice so it’s more a matter of timing and checking answers. We live in a state with a high index so getting NMF is based on getting only about three answers wrong. So you know that many kids are just as intelligent and get 5/6 wrong and miss the cut. I hope that doesn’t happen to my kids but if it does, that’s life.
In terms of applications, your school setting would make it difficult for most. Not only the top students whose expectations are probably higher than the results will be and for normal kids who don’t want to take 16 AP classes. I don’t think most schools would even offer that option in school.
Sadly, many of those kids are also going to be lacking in the EC’s dept as there is just no time to do it all. Hopefully, kids in your school chose the college that is right for them. There are some great state schools out there.