Obviously obtaining power requires more than just obtaining an a top tier degree.
The lack of a top-tier law degree can become a basis for attacking a nominee.
Some never went to college, and top-tier entrepreneurs who have degrees also tend to have work experience.
That answer did not sit well with John McCain, perhaps the only top-tier candidate without a law degree.
It was quite a case, replete with riffs on the importance of the Puerto Rican vote in Florida and references to Fortuño's degrees from top-tier American universities.
But Chinese graduate students studying abroad typically have bachelor's degrees from top-tier universities either at home or in the West, and they almost always excel academically while overseas, said Doug Guthrie, a professor of Chinese business strategies who is the dean of George Washington University's School of Business.
And while startups like StraighterLine have focused on allowing students to take courses at two-year institutions online, where credit can transfer to a wide set of universities, no one has yet focused on honors students and helping community college students attain degrees from top-tier, four-year institutions.
They see a degree from a top-tier school as one of the few ways to give their kids a jump on the competition.
Phil Bronner — Chief executive and co-founder of Quad Learning, which works with community colleges to develop honors curricula for students who want to complete their bachelor's degrees at a top-tier college or university.
"She remains vulnerable to a surprising degree at this stage of the game," said a senior Republican strategist who tried to recruit a top-tier candidate to run against her.
In short, the program offers top-tier college graduates the opportunity to teach in high-needs schools for two years while earning a subsidized master's degree in education.
