by Jenifer Wana

Like any parents, my husband and I wanted to find the best preschool for our son Josh—a preschool that would nurture him, teach him, and be a good fit for our family. But I quickly learned that this would not be as easy as it seemed.

I was over whelmed by the options—when I was growing up, kids just went to the nursery school closest to home, if they went at all. I didn’t know where to begin to find the best preschools in my neighborhood or what characteristics defined a high-quality program. Terms like Montessori, child centered, and co-op were foreign to me.

What I also discovered about the preschool process was that there is no process. Unlike applying to college, there are no standard time lines or admissions procedures that all nursery schools follow—and very few resources to help parents navigate the process. So I decided to write one.

Whether the preschools in your town enroll every child that signs up or are so competitive that they can accept only a few applicants each year, this book will give you the tools you need to find and get into the right program for your child. You’ll learn:

• How to find high-quality preschools in your area
• Insight into popular preschool programs (Montessori, Waldorf, cooperative)
• Criteria to consider when choosing a preschool
• Strategies for paying for preschool (financial aid, tax benefits)
• How to help prepare your child for the first day of preschool
• Advice for gaining admission into competitive programs, including getting off the waiting list, submitting a strong application, and preparing for a child assessment

Preschool is the first step in your child’s educational journey. I hope that with this book as your guide, you’ll be able to find the school that works best for your family, and you will start your child on a lifelong adventure of learning and discovery.

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Jenifer Wana is a marketing executive who conceived the idea for How to Choose the Best Preschool for Your Child after going through the process of applying to preschools for her son and while doing a pro bono consulting project for GreatSchools, a nonprofit education organization that helps parents find and evaluate preschools and K–12 schools. For more information, visit www.preschoolprimer.com