One family's experience

Hello Fellow Parents,

I should start this by saying that applying to preschools should be an easier, and happier experience. Parents should have more resources, support, and realistic knowledge in finding a quality preschool for their young children. My family (husband, 2 1/2 year old daughter, and myself) live in West Los Angeles, and finding a preschool was a labyrinth of misleading tours, numerous fees, lengthy applications, and ultimately, waiting lists. Realistic information was hard to come by and many school admissions offices were less-then-helpful after happily cashing our application fees. Over and over again I heard myself and other parents saying, "It should not be so hard."

I think most moms of young children in Los Angeles share the experience of an older mom warning her during pregnancy that, "You better start applying now, or you'll never get in." I'm sure such advice is meant to be helpful, but for me, the Cassandra-like missives of gloom only managed to make the whole process seem mysteriously overwhelming. As a new parent all I could think was -where do I even begin?

Now, two and a half years later, after going through the application process, I can see where those pre-seasoned moms were coming from. It can be frustrating. Hair-pulling, foot-stamping, blood-boiling, grown-up temper tantrum frustration. However, I did pick up some valuable information about West Los Angeles preschools that I wish I had known before we began our search. Rather than griping to my friends about everything that is wrong with the system (which I have done plenty of at this point), I figure it would be best to share the knowledge that I picked up along the way. I'll post the preschools that we toured, their application procedures, some preschools I found which have yet to open, and what I discovered through word of mouth. I am certainly no expert, in fact I feel that I just grazed the tip top of what there is to know. Nonetheless, would this knowledge have helped me when I began the preschools search? Yes, yes, yes.

Seasoned parents, please share what you have learned about applying, and getting in, to preschools. What were tours like? What schools did you like, dislike, and why? When did you apply to which preschools? What were the applications like? Was there misleading information given to you about the application process? What do you know about acceptance rates? Is your child currently in a preschool? What schools have part-time care, who has full-time hours?

Oh and by the way, a preschool spot did finally open up for our daughter here in West Los Angeles. Phew. Thanks to all of the parents, people, and educators whose shared wisdom helped us find our way through the application labyrinth. It shouldn't be so hard, but it actually can be easier.