It's no secret that early education is an valuable part of placing children on the path to eventual success and happiness. According to a study by The Perry Preschool Project, preschool graduates are less likely to commit crimes, are more likely to graduate high school, and hold higher-paying jobs in the future. Pre-K education gives youngsters the chance to learn important lessons, socialize with others, and grow in several different ways. So this leaves parents with one important question: Which preschool should they choose?

Parents have lots of preschools to choose from, especially if they live in or near a large city. Some are in the local public school system, while others are charter schools with specialized curriculum. Choosing the right pre-K school can be a rough decision for any parent. Here are three effective strategies that can help make this choice much easier:

Ask Around

Do you have friends or family who have been through this process? If so, try talking to them. They can provide valuable information about teachers, cost, location, structure, and teaching curriculum. A few casual conversations can help you gather a few names of pre-K schools that you can look into.

Rating Websites

A handful of websites exist that review local preschools and other institutions. Reading these websites can give you an indication of your available choices. This doesn't mean you need to instantly select the #1 pre-K school. But it should help you get closer to the right choice.

Visit Preschools

Once you have finally cut your list down to a few choices, tour the campuses of your favorite preschools. Call ahead to see when these preschools allow visitors.

Following these three steps will hopefully lead you to selecting the top-rated preschool for your child to get his/her early education.

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