AP classes- what was the point again?

Our children are told AP classes are important, but why?

Colleges want students who challenged themselves in high school, and AP classes certainly do that. The college credits they can earn help both the financial bottom line and in fulfilling some core requirements at college. But do they really prepare students for college level academics?

One study says maybe not: AP classes don't always prepare for college.

It seems that AP classes are taking over the nation's high schools. Newsweek, for example, annually ranks American high schools using this criteria:

Public schools are ranked according to a ratio... that is the number of Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate tests taken by all students at a school... divided by the number of graduating seniors.

If AP classes aren't really preparing high achieving students for college level work, are the Newsweek rankings an accurate reflection of how good a high school is at college prep?

We were told repeatedly by admission folks at colleges that AP classes are only a part of the picture, and my son was accepted at each school where he applied, including his reach school, with only one AP class on his transcript. I have to wonder whether there's a disconnect between what high schools are emphasizing and what colleges are looking for.