Is Senior Year Too Expensive?
Although there certainly are privileges to being a senior in high school, many senior-year activities--attending the prom, college application fees, senior portraits, graduation caps and gowns--cost a lot of money. HELEN KIM spoke to high school seniors about the expenses of senior year.
MICHELLE SAID
17, Agoura High School
It was definitely worthwhile to spend my money on senior activities because money can come and go, but memories last a lifetime. Prom expenses put a bit of a strain on me, but the other senior activities didn’t because my parents helped me financially.
My school did as much as it could to lower the expenses. If the costs were cheaper, it would be great, but that’s just the way it is.
DAVID CHANG
17, Calabasas High School
Iwent to the prom ($300), senior beach day ($10) and grad night ($65). The beach trip was worth the money, but I think that the prom costs were a little too steep. Some people spent way more than I did. I went to these activities for the experience of going and to have a good time with my friends.
The majority of my friends went to these senior-year activities, but a good portion of the student body doesn’t go because of the high prices. About 10 of my friends didn’t go to the prom because it was too expensive.
The prom bids were $110 per couple; tuxedo rentals cost about $100 and the limousine cost me about $60. I was constantly questioning how much to spend. I wasn’t sure that spending hundreds of dollars for just one night was really worth it.
Despite the somewhat exorbitant expenses of senior year, I think that these activities will be memorable. My senior year wouldn’t have been the same without these activities.
KIA RICHARDS
18, El Camino Real High School
Iparticipated in the senior picnic ($20), the prom ($115 per couple), grad night ($55) and college applications (about $50 for each of my seven college applications). They were all great experiences to have during my senior year. I took a lot of pictures during the events, the basis of memories for years to come.
Luckily, I haven’t really experienced much of a financial strain by participating in these activities because my parents handled most of the money, but I know some people who didn’t have the finances for the prom. It really depends on family income and whether a student works. I think it’s necessary to have senior activities. Seniors should have something to look forward to during their senior year so that they will have some good experiences before leaving high school. I doubt that my senior year would have been as memorable if I hadn’t participated in activities such as the prom and the senior picnic.
People who have trouble with the high expenses of senior year should just accept it and move on.
JON WARD
18, Oak Park High School
Ididn’t purchase my senior pictures because they were too expensive, but I did attend the prom ($150), paid for my cap and gown ($30) and paid for grad night ($120). My senior friends who took Advanced Placement tests spent hundreds of extra dollars on average. I think the prom was worth the money, although paying for the caps and gowns was silly because I am not allowed to keep the gown, much less the cap; I can only rent the cap and gown. Senior events are important to me because I want to make my last year of high school memorable. However, participating in these activities definitely affects me financially because I paid for everything myself.
Fortunately, some of the school’s organizations help the students out financially by offering scholarships. I received a scholarship for grad night because I wanted to go but couldn’t pay the $120; I ended up paying only $20.
The school sells Associated Student Body cards at the beginning of the school year so students can receive discounts on school-related events. Although participating in senior activities is optional, some view these events as a burden.
