By Autumn Prieto
Prom is meant to be one of the most inclusive and memorable nights of a high schooler’s life.
But at some schools, the ticket pricing quietly tells a different story, one that favors couples and sidelines those who attend alone.
At Thurston High School, students with an ASB card pay $25 for a single prom ticket, while couples pay $40, just $20 per person. Without an ASB card, a single ticket costs $35, while a couple pays $60, or $30 each.
The same pricing model can be found at Springfield High School, where a single ticket costs $35 and a couple pays $60, again making it cheaper per person to attend with a date. That means single students pay more per person simply because they’re not attending with a date.
Sending a message
This may seem like a small detail, but it reinforces a larger message: that showing up as part of a couple is the norm, or even the preferred way to experience prom, while attending alone is somehow less significant.
High school students are still figuring out who they are. Not everyone is in a relationship, and many students who would love to be asked to prom simply aren’t. That can already be a hard moment to sit with, and then to be charged more just because no one asked you out only adds to that hurt.
No student should feel penalized or “less than” for walking in solo.
Prom should be a space that uplifts individuality, not one that quietly rewards conformity. Equal pricing per person is a simple but powerful step toward making that happen. When students are charged differently based on relationship status, it doesn’t just impact their wallets, it shapes the way they see their value.
The social and emotional implications extend beyond the night itself, quietly influencing how young people understand their worth.
Adolescence is one of the most important periods for psychological development. According to developmental psychologist Erik Erikson, high schoolers are in a key stage of identity formation, trying to figure out who they are and where they belong. When institutions reward couple status, it adds pressure to conform rather than encouraging self-acceptance. Teenagers are also especially sensitive to social comparison and peer approval. When the system signals that being in a relationship makes you more “valid,” it can distort self-worth in lasting ways.
These years shape the foundation for emotional strength, confidence, and healthy relationships, so the messages students receive now truly matter.
Beyond ticket prices
As someone who attended Thurston High School and now studies psychology and sociology in college, I can’t help but see this as more than just a ticket-price issue. It’s about how schools signal belonging. When students feel like the system favors those in relationships, it can distort their understanding of value, inclusion, and even love.
Fairness isn’t complicated. As author Brené Brown puts it, “What we don’t need amid struggle is shame for being human.” When we make students feel like being alone is something to be ashamed of or costs more, we lose sight of what school events should stand for: celebration, inclusion, and community. This is not just about prom; this is about what we teach students about how they deserve to be treated.
Every student, whether attending with friends, a partner, or alone, deserves to feel like they belong and that their presence matters just as much as anyone else’s. Let’s ensure our schools are places where that message is clear and reinforced in every policy, practice, and event.
Autumn Prieto is a third-year psychology major at the University of Oregon. She graduated from Thurston High School in 2022 and lives in Springfield. She can be reached at [email protected]
