Are A- or B+ bad in honors/AP classes?

Many colleges want an “A average.” Do B+/A- in honors/AP classes count towards that?

B+/A- grades are not "A"s. Make a distinction between weighted and unweighted GPAs. An “A-” in an AP (or DE or IB) class typically gives you a higher weighted GPA at most high schools than an “A” in an honors class, but it reduces your UW GPA. And, for the top schools especially, a high UW GPA is usually more important than the weighted GPA, especially if the schedule is already sufficiently rigorous.

Mantra for the HS student:
Do not think 'Every point I get off of a homework or test is a point away from going to Harvard."
Think: “I need to do my best, and there will be a college that is right for me when I graduate.”

Do not think “If I don’t go to an Ivy League School/Top20, I am doomed forever.”
Think: “No matter where I go, I can bloom where I am planted. I can get involved and shine.”

Do not think: “My life is over…the kid in my math class is taking 20 APs and I am taking 5. I will never succeed.”
Think: “I need to challenge myself, but only to the point where I can still do well.”

What schools say they want an “A average”? It would be rare for something so specific to be listed, and would need some definition.

In a typical A=4, B=3, etc. system, an “A average” would imply a 4.0. Or is it 3.5, closer to an A than a B?

I’m not sure what you mean by “count towards that”. Yes, every grade goes into calculating your average. So they all count.