Research Early Childhood Programs; use online sources and visit schools, if possible, to assess the school's qualifications and ensure that the program's philosophy is exercised and carried out in the classroom.
Read course catalogs to determine whether students are required to have fulfilled any prerequisite courses before enrolling. Determine whether you need to have a certain grade in a certain course, can take the prerequisites while enrolling in your program or if the prerequisites need to be fulfilled at that institution before enrolling in Early Childhood Development classes. Contact the program of interest to inquire what may be expected of first-time students.
Before enrolling in a program, keep in mind how long the program takes to complete. Use that time frame to help you determine whether you can commit to that program. Use cost as a second way to help pare your choices to a few programs so you can complete a curriculum within your time frame.
Inquire about financial aid provided by the school and government: The No Child Left Behind Act established grants to schools and preschool programs to support students interested in early childhood education.