It's not a secret that early education is an essential part of placing children on the path to eventual happiness and success. 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. There are many advantages to preschools, including learning new skills and social interaction. The real choice that parents need to make is which preschool they should choose.

Parents have many preschools to choose from, especially if they live in or near a large city. Selecting the best preschool can be a rough decision for all parents. To help out, here are three effective tips for selecting the best preschool for your student:

Talk to Friends & Family

The best resource for finding the best preschools near you are parents who have children who attended preschool in recent years. These people will have valuable insight into the program that they selected (and maybe those that they didn't. A few casual conversations can help you gather a few names of pre-K schools that you can research.

Read Ranking Websites

Google "best preschools in (your area)" and you'll likely find two types of results: brick-and-mortar preschools and review websites. These websites will lead you to rankings and reviews for a number of different preschools in your area. This doesn't mean you should immediately go with the #1 preschool. But it will help you get closer to the best choice.

Visit Preschools

Once you have finally cut your list down to a few choices, visit the locations of your favorite preschools. First, call to make sure you visit at a time that works best for both parties.

If you follow all of these steps, it will be much easier to pinpoint the best early education option for your child.