On my friend Karen's recommendation we visited another preschool, one affiliated with a church, and found we liked it as much, if not more, than the preschool Maria attended. You'd think with all the preschools this valley seems to have, being on a waiting list wouldn't be an issue. Each school here is different. Some stress academics. Others stress socialization skills and the development of the whole child.
Some parents prefer one school, while some prefer another.
With Maria, we didn't really know. We acted on a friend's recommendation and visited a school with a philosophy we liked. For Maria, it worked out fine. And kindergarten is so different now. They need to know so many things before they even begin.