Students attend prom because it’s considered a core high school memory, since it is meant for only juniors and seniors, along with other people who are invited. This year, prom is being held at the American Swedish Institute on May 13. However, tickets for prom are quite expensive at $45 and Park should make Prom more affordable. 

The prices of preparing and day of prom can be expensive because there are various costs that go into the preparation. The tickets are $45, a dress or tuxedo can range from $100-300. If you go out to dinner it is about $40 and if you don’t have shoes it can be another $20-50. Additionally, the person driving needs money for gas since the venue is not a short drive as well as needing to drive to photo locations for photos before the event. It can range up to about $500depending on what you want, although even the minimum amount to spend would be about $150.

With many of park’s students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, as well as not having a car or job. Ticket pricing can hold students back from being able to experience a once in a lifetime thing, where everyone should be able to attend.

Students are also allowed to bring dates, whether they are underclassmen or they go to another school. If a student decides to bring someone then that same student also has to pay for another ticket.

Prom could do fundraising for prom since many highschoolers want prom to be memorable and nice with food, drinks and a photobooth, as well as affordable. So instead of getting the money to cover expenses from just tickets, the money could be from tickets and fundraising, so that tickets would be more affordable. The money that comes from the homecoming and snodaze dance could also go towards prom.

Last year’s prom was at the Depot in St. Paul, the tickets were a little less than this year. There was some food and drinks, along with a small photo booth. There were only a few plates of various cookies, fruit snacks and little bottles of water for at least 100 students. So, I hope that with the extra money that we pay there are better and more food options. 

As a senior now, I went to last year’s prom when I was a junior and I had thought that prom would be just like the movies. It was not, so this year my expectations aren’t high. But with the price I’m paying for a ticket I want this year to be better.

I am very grateful that I am able to buy a nice dress, go out to dinner with friends, buy my ticket and have an experience some people might not be able to afford.

The ticket prices for prom are considered reasonable for all that prom entails, and all that is covered with the $45 students pay to get in. With prom being an exclusive event for only juniors and seniors, there are fewer students in attendance. This causes a need for higher ticket prices to cover the various costs that are included in hosting a large scale event. 

There are also higher expectations that go along with hosting prom, such as having a nice venue, providing drinks and snacks, music and much more. Prom is different from the other events that are hosted, as it is hosted at a new venue each year. This means the school can’t waive the cost for a large space like they can when we use the gymnasium for other dances. We are lucky that so many students and staff volunteer their time to plan and help host an event like this, so the budget doesn’t have to include a planner and paying adults to supervise. 

The leaders of the dance work with a limited budget, and ticket numbers vary year to year. With that being said, they have to keep their numbers down as they are planning, but ticket sales may be the only money they can count on to cover the costs of the dance. Student council works hard to put on these events and without fundraising or any other opportunities to raise money for the event, they don’t have much choice than to raise ticket prices. 

Overall, Park has lower prices for most of our activities compared to other schools. Considering the size of our school, and the number of students that may not participate in the events, it is surprising that we don’t receive much assistance from other fundraising and still have low prices. Other schools in the metro have considerably higher prices, and they host events on the same scale as ours. 

The cost of prom is determined by each individual. Dresses, shoes, nails, hair, makeup and tuxedos are all part of prom that are up to each individual’s discretion. No one is forced to wear an expensive outfit or go to a fancy dinner. When planning for prom, individuals should plan their night around a budget, knowing ticket prices stay within the same $45 range every year. This way students and their families don’t feel like they are over spending on an event, and the ticket prices don’t come as a surprise when sales begin. 

All in all, prom is a big event for everyone. We all want to dress up, have fun and enjoy our night. No one wants a $45 ticket to interfere with their ability to enjoy a night-out with their friends, but considering all that is covered with that money, the price is quite reasonable.