This year, prom is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, 2025, the day after the Upper School math final and nearly a month later than last year’s prom on April 20. The later date has sparked mixed reactions among students — some see it as a stress-free way to close out the school year, while others worry it might take away from the experience.
The change wasn’t entirely by choice. Last March, the administration selected The GlassHouse San Jose as this year’s prom venue, but due to limited availability, May 17 was the only open date. “A lot of it has to do with venue availability. But also, one of the added benefits of having it later is it keeps students engaged and behaving better up until [prom],” Upper School Assistant Director Adam Gelb said. “We have a month after [spring break] to plan for buying tickets and things so now we’re not rushing in terms of trying to do that all over the break, coming back in less than a week and having prom.”
The later date concerned Student Body President Cody Kletter and Vice President Melanie Goldberg, who raised the issue with the administration at the end of last year in hopes of moving the date. Unfortunately, the school had already placed a deposit — making the date unchangeable. “They essentially said to us that they had already reserved and put down a deposit, and that also, the spaces really fill up,” Kletter said. “And so it’d be difficult at that point to try to reserve another date.”
Some students, like junior Bianca Voltmer, appreciate the later date because they believe it will make the end of the school year less stressful for students. “When it’s in April, a lot of students — especially girls — [spend] an entire 24 hours getting ready, going to prom and just enjoying the night with their friends. That takes away from time to study for AP exams and other big tests you have coming up,” Voltmer said. “If it’s after the math final, then you don’t have to worry about those tests.”
However, not everyone is convinced the new schedule is an improvement. Junior Reed Sunwoo acknowledges that having prom after finals removes the stress of schoolwork on the night of, but he also understands why some students find the scheduling frustrating. “The upside is it acts as a moment of celebration that you just ended school and you don’t have anything to worry about over prom,” Sunwoo said. “The downside is you’re gonna be exhausted going into the dance, so I don’t think it’ll be as enjoyable.”
Others share this concern, including junior Munveer Singh, who believes the timing could make prom feel more like an obligation than an exciting event. “I think it would be better if they did it in April,” Singh said. “To have to go through all of prom the next day [after the math final] just feels like too much.”
Another major issue is the conflict with Menlo Abroad trips during MTerm. Students who are traveling abroad will leave early in the morning the Sunday after prom. Sunwoo, who traveled to Tanzania last year, says that could be a challenge. “The day before the trip is not a day where you want to do a whole lot,” he said. “You’d rather just chill and have a pretty calm day with friends or family.”
Junior Leotei Conway, who is going abroad to Malaysia, is also concerned about the timing. “It’s really inconvenient for Abroad people because we’re gonna need to pack, get all our required medical shots and get ready for the trip while everyone else is getting ready for prom,” Conway said. “I think that’s gonna be really stressful.”
Additionally, some students have expressed frustration over the timing because it interferes with the tradition of promposals. Traditionally, students plan elaborate public promposals in the days leading up to prom. However, with finals week leading up to prom, many students believe the timing is less than ideal. “No one’s gonna want to do promposals during finals week when they’re busy studying,” Sunwoo said. “It makes it feel like more of a burden than something fun.”
Despite the concerns, students are still excited for prom night, even if it’s not scheduled at the most convenient time. “I’m still really excited because this is our first prom and I think the whole aspect of prom — like looking for dresses, getting ready with your friends and taking pictures — will be fun no matter what,” junior Sulia Gayle said.
