I guess I’m biased by my own kids’ high school experience. The school, although high caliber, did not offer AP course. Some kids took the tests but they actually were not encouraged by the college counseling team. Neither were SAT subject tests unless you happened to be taking them anyway because you had schools on your list that required them. Many did but not all. It was never recommended to take them just to “check this one last box” if they weren’t required. And if you did have them and they weren’t required, the recommendation was to only send them if they were stellar.
What are folks basing their opinions on - college counselor recommendations, comments from admissions counselors, some other source, just the belief that more is better?