Setting up new iPad, but only want some of the apps transferred from old iPad..

Assuming that any data and photos that you wish to have available to your new iPad are stored in iCloud, simply setting-up your iPad from new without (a) using QuickStart to transfer data from your old iPad - or (b) restoring from a backup - may be the cleanest option...

When you sign-in using your existing AppleID (now known as your Apple Account), all data and photos stored in iCloud will be available to your new iPad. You can then simply download the Apps that you wish to continue using with the new iPad.

You cannot selectively transfer - or selectively restore from a backup. Both processes are all or nothing.

If you intend to retain use of specific Apps, you might be wise to check that they remain available for download - and have not been withdrawn or are otherwise not available for newer versions of iPadOS. You can check App availability and associated system requirements for each App of specific interest within the Apple App Store.

Unlike data, Apps are not directly transferred between devices. For Apps, the transfer process creates a record of the Apps that are installed on the donor iPad - and it is this record of installed Apps that is transferred to the target (new) device. For Apps that are still available for download from the App Store, the corresponding Apps are automatically downloaded and installed from the App Store.

Restoring from backup is similar - in that the actual Apps are not included within backup. Having restored a backup, the Apps corresponding with the data included within the backup are automatically restored - assuming that the corresponding App remains available and compatible with the target device.