Hi 2BoysMom,

This was very stressful for me the first time around.  I put my son on a waiting list at 2yr old, and he got in at 2 1/2.  i put him in so that he would have a spot secured at this school I liked.  looking back i wish i waited.  it was hellacious listening to him cry for me every day for at least a month, and he just NOW at 4 yr old, is enjoying school.  And I haven't been super impressed with it this past year, so now I'm trying to decide what to do for my daughter who will be ready next fall.  I feel your pain! 

 Just remember: it's preschool.  Of course you want somewhere safe & loving, but really all they need to learn is how to socialize and use scissors before Kindergarden.  Half kidding.

There are so many good preschools in Los Angeles, you will find one that's right for you.  Go with your gut.  And if your kid doesn't end up at the ideal one, just remember: it's preschool.  There are good lessons to learn from not going to the ideal one (so long as it's safe and loving).  

There was a study that came out that said that kids who didn't go to preschool caught up scholastically to those who did mostly by the 1st grade and totally by 2nd.   

Life isn't perfect.  A good lesson. 

My son attended a local cooperative preschool.  I loved it because it was a parent/tot class so I was with him for each class.  Next year, for the 3 year old class, it will be a drop-off format.  Except, of course, for my scheduled days to be a class parent (it is a co-op so parents are scheduled in every class).  I love the chance to spend some of the days with him and watch him develop and grow his skills, experiences, and friendships.  I enjoy making friends with the other moms.  I enjoy seeing the teacher model discipline and other techniques. 

I don't think I'd ever consider enrolling my son in a school that had interviews!  I mean, seriously, what do they ask a preschooler???  And if there is that much pressure just to "qualify" to get in, what is the program like?  I think a preschool should work with every child on a developmental level and offer things appropriate for all needs.   

 I have to say, finding a preschool was more stressful than trying to decide which hospital to deliver my babies, or which pediatrician to go with. And the waiting lists...oh my goodness, they are just ridiculous.  One of the schools we looked into and would've wanted our children to go to had 5 year waiting list!  That meant that I would've had to sign them up from the day they were born to stand a chance of getting in!  Um, I don't know about you, but when I first bring home a new baby, the LAST thing on my mind is preschool enrollment paperwork for that child!

My only suggestion is to visit a few, sit in on a few classes and go from there.  That will help you get a realistic idea of what the school is like and whether or not you like how things are done.  If you like or don't like something, jot it down, and that's how you start your list of what you'd like to look for in a preschool.  Asking other parents for opinion helps, but there really is no better way to explore a school until you sit in on a class with your child and see if it's right for you.  Good luck in your search, I completely sympathize with how stressful the process is.  Even after I got my 2 yr old into a program, when it was time to enroll for the following year, I still mulled through the decision of whether or not to keep her in the same school or switch her to another school, even though we were quite happy with where she was at the time.  It's never easy.