Agree, but for the schools that do go on weighted rank it is important. And my pups had the option of 8 classes (plus they could do independent study), which is not always available at all schools. But the very top schools are only interested in the kids who excel and make the most given the options available to them. Since schools are different, and choices are different, there is no set answer to how many is right.
As I recall, the freshman AP classes she took were Psych, Stats, Geo, and Comp Sci.
It was helpful to have a great guidance counselor who “got it”, and she knew our family since her own kids played with ours on youth soccer, or attended Harry Potter releases together, etc.