Was just at our HS for an open house. Have a senior there now and youngest DD starting next year. Starting next year, they will have AP Seminar and AP Research for 11/12th grades respectively. Trying to figure out the benefit and where kids would find room for them? I don’t think they would have any benefit with colleges credit?
Here’s my PoV as a non-parent.
I have no issue with HS’s requiring some type of a capstone project for an honors diploma. The issue I have is with the College Board blatantly ripping off the IB Theory of Knowledge/Extended Essay and slapping an AP label on in. But don’t worry, the CB is not the only institution that I fault on this - I also blame the HS’s that drank this Kool-aid. One would think that both groups would have learned after the Physics 1&2 fiasco, IMO.
AP courses are supposed to be equivalent to an intro college-level course. There is no way that anybody can convince me that there is any college-level equivalent to this, except perhaps an honors thesis. But let’s be real, there are very very few 12th graders who can write like a college senior. Anyway, for that reason I suspect, few colleges give credit for it.
Having said that, if your youngest kid has a burning desire to take this course when the time comes, it will certainly add to course rigor, but no more than any other AP course in a college AO’s eyes IMO.
That supposed equivalent is already highly suspect, imo, and I’ve heard as much from dozens of former students in addition to my own experience as an AP alum in college.
Not that I’m disagreeing with you (cuz I’m not; AP Human Geography, I’m looking at you), but that’s a whole discussion beyond the scope of the OP’s question. 
@marvin100
one parent’s experience here… D16 ended up in the AP Seminar class as a senior (class is really intended for Jrs) because of scheduling issues (it was the best that was offered that period of the day.) She went into it knowing that the AP credit would not even be accepted by her intended U (though they now do give 3 credits of elective for AP sem and 3 credits for AP research.) The teacher was the best thing that happened to her that year. It was taught by an older man with a PhD in ChemE who had been teaching HS for 10+ years as a 2d career. It was writing and presentation intensive; focused on topics guided by mutual interest of students & teacher (religious freedom, obedience & genocide, economic discrimination)-- a heavy dose of reading current non-fiction pieces and writing response and argument papers. Several individual and group assignments that involved long pieces of writing with multiple revisions; and presentations (in class spontaneous, and longer prepared Tedx type presentations) In today’s world- it was great experience at critiquing the credibility of sources and creating coherent, logical arguments. The level of writing and discussion in class was comparable to an honors level freshman seminar at a typical university. Great experience-- served her well in being prepared for honors courses she has taken this year.