<p>There are so many other considerations to take into account, it is not wise to make these the only two. Potential stage time, success of recent grads, work opportunities while in that school, the stregnth of the opera directors they hire, the stregnth of the market you will graduate in…If it’s a “big name” with few opportunities to perform at the school, that big name will not get you far. And there are plenty of “big names” who have far too many students. Frequently the amount of money you are offered is in direct proportion to the amount of opportunities you will get on stage. An MM without a lot of stage time does not get you off to a very good start.</p>