It's no secret that early education is an valuable part of placing children on the path to eventual success and happiness. A survey by The Perry Preschool Project shows that children who graduate preschool have better high school graduation rates and higher-paying jobs in the future. There are lots of advantages to pre-K education, including critical knowledge and social interaction. For parents, the question is not if they should sign their child up for a pre-K program. It's which is the right preschool for them?

Unless you live in a small city, you probably have numerous preschool options. Choosing the best pre-K school can be a rough decision for all parents. To help, here are three effective tips for selecting the top-rated preschool for your child:

Talk to Friends & Family

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 help you gather a few names of preschools that you can research.

Rating Websites

Many websites exist that rank and review local preschools and other schools. Reading these sites will give you an indication of your available choices. This doesn't mean you should instantly choose the #1 pre-K school. But it should help you get closer to the best choice.

Visit Preschools

After you have finally cut your list down to a few choices, tour your favorite preschools. Call in advance to see when these preschools allow visitors.

Following these three steps will hopefully lead you to finding the best preschool for your child to receive their early education.