We all know that early education is important. In fact, a recent study by The Perry Preschool Project found that preschool graduates are more likely to complete high school, commit less crimes, and hold better jobs. There are lots of advantages to pre-K education, including critical knowledge and social interaction. The real choice that parents need to make is which preschool they should choose.

Parents have lots of preschools to choose from, especially if they live near a large city. 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 easier:

Get Referrals

Talking to people you know who have been through this process already is one of the best choices that you can make. They will provide you with valuable information about teachers, cost, location, structure, and teaching curriculum. A few conversations with parents can provide you with a few names of pre-K schools that you can look into.

Visit Rating Websites

A handful of websites exist that review local preschools and other schools. Reading these sites will give you an indication of your available choices. You don't need to select the pre-K school with top ranking automatically, but these sites will help make your choice easier.

Take a Tour

After you have finally trimmed your list down to a few choices, tour your preferred preschools. This gives you the chance to meet with the teachers, ask questions, look at classrooms, and see if it meets your criteria. Call in advance and find out when these preschools allow visitors.

Following these basic steps will ideally lead you to choosing the best preschool for your child to get their early education.