Prom is one of the juniors and seniors most anticipated events of the school year – they have a day to hang out, eat, and dance. However, it’s also one of the most pricey, considering the costs of dresses, suits, and travel, depending on the person and their preference for what they want to spend their money on. Yet the ticket prices for prom have started getting ridiculous. Many students, including myself, have seen the $80 price for prom tickets, and that’s just the presale. The current price is $85. This is only my junior prom, and I still have banquets and a whole year of school to pay for events that are either something I plan to save or prices I don’t even know about until I get there. This has been a constant thing for the years I’ve been here, and I have seen how much others have complained about prices too. I feel like students should have been told about the prices beforehand – especially if one person is having to get a dress and buy tickets for multiple people.

This isn’t just a problem at our school or in our district; it’s a problem in many schools. Most people agreed that the ticket prices at their prom were a ridiculous amount of money, especially for the prices of outfits, dinner, and other expenses. There are ways to bring the price down, but it’s still difficult to bring the price down from $100. Understandably, the venues for prom now are very different than what it used to be: gymnasiums, parks, cafeterias, etc. Now it’s a lot more spacious and fancy with Prosper’s prom at the Marriott this year. Likewise, other schools’ proms are in city halls, museums, and farms with prices for each student high.  Because of this, it would be nice for students and parents to receive a heads up about possible prom ticket prices so that everyone can be ready and prepared to pay for them. 

Yes, a heads up might be a bit much, especially if the price isn’t set, but it’s helpful to know. I’ve paid for banquets and organization fees, and a heads up for those was really nice to know about beforehand as I could save up for it or tell my parents about it. From people I’ve interviewed, I’ve heard that lots of first timers think the price isn’t fair, while others that have gone are a bit more lenient towards the cost. 

I believe prices will continue to rise in the future. So, just as a warning, seniors and juniors should be told ahead of time about the possible ticket price, and the reason it is what it is. This way everybody, whether a newcomer or not, can actually have the best experience they can possibly have at the dance.