If you are looking at number of courses/credits to graduate you should also look into how the colleges award and apply AP / IB credit. My daughter entered college with almost a full semester’s worth of credit from AP scores – and reaped the benefit at the tail end by dropping down to her courseload to half-time her final semester. Students could get up to 30 credits - essentially a full year – from AP or IB – so very possible for students to take light loads throughout-- or to take a slightly heavier coarse load and graduate in 3 years. Also worth exploring whether AP allows students to fulfill or waive out of various general ed requirements, or to be applied toward course credit in their majors.