“Every AO from the more selective schools that has visited our HS (public Fairfield Co., CT) over the years has preached the “there better be a high number AP courses” on the transcript mantra.”
Well sure, IF your HS offers lots of AP classes then students FROM that HS will be evaluated in the context of what THAT school offers.
But for merit scholarships , which usually goes to tip top students that a college has already decided to accept, will be based on Standardized tests scores, LORs , the rigor of the classes taken in the context of the school, grades[ however they end up being weighted by the admission office], choice of major[ sometimes] EC’s, and finally on how much they want a student to attend.