我家没有高中生，但我说的是录取委员会的view.

I've been in an admission committee myself, not for undergraduates though. This is our perception and there is nothing to argue about.

Your relative's kid is a very different story. If he didn't have passion on the subjects of his interest but only had a number of AP courses, it's completely a different outcome. I don't believe most kids are like his case.