Choosing a preschool

Preschool: A fun place for toddlers to learn or preparation for the apocalypse? No big deal or choose wrong and your child becomes a homeless meth addict? OK I don't mean to be glib (or insensitive, for that matter) but for some reason the process of choosing a preschool in this day and age has gotten out of hand. Why are we putting so much pressure on ourselves to choose The Perfect Preschool? Why has preschool become the new college? (And not to mention the getting in part! Waitlists! Essays! Interviews! Application fees! And DEAR GOD THE TUITION!)