Yes, yes and yes…
Our D18 played the GPA game because we lived in Texas at the time and kids are trampling each other for top 6% for auto admit to UT. She made the cut, but was miserable as were we throughout her high school years, Killed herself with 12 AP’s, hardly slept with so much homework, it was awful. She ended up hating UT and is now at a Texas private.
With our S22, we are doing things quite differently. He is taking accelerated and that’s it. I don’t care. He has great grades, can do his sports without stress, works a part time job and we all don’t fight. Whatever college that this method gets him in I am good with. D’s high school years were hell with the stress. We aren’t going down that road again.