With prom season approaching quickly, students are realizing the enormous costs associated with attending prom. This has led many to question how the money paid for prom tickets is allocated.

Prom tickets are expensive, starting at $75 for SHS seniors and $85 for all other guests. In addition to this, most students purchase a dress or tuxedo for the event that can significantly add to the total cost of prom. Many students also order limos and hotel rooms to get the “full prom experience” glamorized in movies.  These costs can greatly disadvantage seniors who have additional fees to pay as they prepare to graduate.

Senior Norma Pacheco said, “My prom dress was almost 200 dollars and in addition I had to buy a ticket and pitch in for a limo and hotel room. It’s all adding up really quick and I’m wondering if it’ll even be worth it.”

The junior class council spends the school year fundraising for prom with events such as the matchmaker and powder puff, but this is not enough to cover all the costs for prom. Ticket sales are used to make up for the rest of the costs. The money collected from tickets goes toward plated dinners, booking the venue, hiring a DJ, decorations, photos, parking and more. Therefore, the tickets are set at a reasonable price for the grandeur of the event; however, there is little available for those who cannot afford the tickets.

Member of Junior Class Council, Simran Shah, said “Planning such a big event for the entire student body took a lot of effort and preparation. The tickets have to cover for prom, like booking the hall, so compared to most galas it isn’t too expensive.

Many students feel compelled to go all out on this one night, especially seniors. The average student spends up to 200 dollars for prom and cannot afford this alone, relying on their parents for money.  The cost of prom seems even greater when thinking about all the additional fees seniors must pay including graduation fees and  other end of the year senior events. In light of this, many are seeking ways to help alleviate the cost of prom.

Anonymous said, “My family is going through some tough times and because of that I can’t afford to go to prom. I don’t put too much emphasis on it, but I can imagine how someone would be devastated if they really wanted to go.”

Seminole County is aiming to help students alleviate this cost with cheaper dresses. Prom dress rentals are being made available for students for ten dollars in Health Academy, room 021 . There have been many events help at by Seminole County Public Schools that give dresses away to students. In addition, students can split the share of a limo or hotel room among a greater number of people to help reduce the cost or opt out for a cheaper option instead.

Though prom is in no way a cheap event, there are ways to help reduce the impact it can have on a tight budget.