The student constantly refreshes her page. She is waiting for updates about the price and location of the prom. Finally, the tickets are out. Rushing to purchase one, she is about to check out when she looks down at the price. A gasp escapes her mouth as she realizes the hefty cost of experiencing prom.

Prom is a huge milestone for seniors everywhere. As prom season approaches for seniors at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, tickets were made available for purchase on April 5. Their price was $161.45, and they were being sold on the Broward County E-store. Compared to tickets from previous years, seniors found this year’s tickets to be overpriced.

Different schools in Florida sell their tickets at different prices. Coral Springs High School’s prom tickets this year were only $150. This is a cost that many find too expensive, especially when counting all of their other fees that go into prom.

“Tickets were really expensive this year and I didn’t appreciate how expensive they are when last year I heard they were much cheaper,” senior Alexa Castranova said. “Like in total with everything it’s a lot to have my prom dress, my hair, my nails, my heels… The price is definitely too expensive for me.”

Prom will be on May 11 at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Resort from 7-11 p.m. and only the class of 2024 students at MSD will be able to purchase a ticket for themselves and a guest. The Student Government Association class at MSD decided on the 2024 prom theme of “24k Gold.”

From buying a ticket, to getting a prom dress, accessories and more, prom is a costly endeavor for seniors. On average, dress prices can range anywhere from $100-900, or more depending on where they are purchased. When shopping for dresses, prices will vary between stores. Popular prom dress brands this year are Sherri Hill, Windsor and Jovani.

“With a prom dress and shoes plus a ticket I’m going to be spending at least $500 for just one night,” senior Chloe Clarke said. “I just think they are way too expensive, especially when comparing them to [other] school prices. I don’t understand why our school has to be so expensive.”

An Instagram account is made each year showing the prom dresses chosen by students, including details about their color and style. Students can decide if they want to share their dress online before the prom to see if other students have the same or similar dresses.

The Instagram account this year is called @msdpromdress2024 and it is important to seniors. If they are meant to spend so much money on prom attire, it is often their goal to stand out, and this Instagram account ensures that they can do so.

In addition to needing to purchase a dress for prom, shoes, hair and makeup are also added to the equation, making the cost of prom even steeper. Girls getting their hair done can cost anywhere from $30-100 and getting their makeup done entails a similar price, leaving prom incredibly costly for girls in particular.

“I would say the price of prom tickets is definitely a little extreme,” senior Madison Herlihy said. “I do think that the price is too much because all of the other money we have to spend to prepare for prom, it definitely adds up. We have to spend money on a dress, shoes, transportation and more. Some people are paying for themselves which can get expensive. I think prom ticket prices should be lowered.”

Also to be included in the cost of prom is the price of transportation. The cost of renting party buses, limos and cars is expensive for the typical teen. Prices for party buses and limos alone can start at around $125.

Tickets to prom were available for purchase until 2:40 p.m. on April 24. Students who bought one must remember to also print out the prom packet, which includes forms and paperwork for all guests attending the prom. The forms have to be turned into room 210 by 2:40 p.m. on April 26 in order for their prom attendance to be solidified. It would be unideal for this deadline to be missed by students considering everything that has been spent on the event.

Many seniors are ultimately of the belief that prom ticket prices should be lowered. In past years, prices were a lot lower, and many seniors find those prices to have been much more reasonable. From transportation to hair and makeup and so many other factors causing the high price of prom, the ticket being overpriced is only one of many expenses, and one that seniors find could be eliminated.