<p>Well, it does make one wonder when half of the graduating class receives the honors designation (such as happened at Harvard last year).</p>
<p>I'm sure Harvard's argument is that their students are so much better than the average student that the honors percentage is justified. True or not, it helps (as vicissitudes points out) in allowing these students to get into the prestigious medical schools, law schools, and other graduate programs.</p>
<p>Is it really any surprise then that there are many, many more students in the Harvard Law Program and Harvard Medical Program that got their undergradate at Harvard than there are students who got their undergraduate degree from any other school? Harvard does this to encourage the undergrads to keep applying to Harvard--and this, in-turn, keeps the admit percentage low--and their prestige rating high.</p>