What do I need on my final?
Enter your grade so far, how much the final is worth and the grade you want. You get the score you need, and what each letter grade would take.
Score needed for each grade
| Grade | Final score |
|---|---|
| A (90%) | – |
| B (80%) | – |
| C (70%) | – |
| D (60%) | – |
My grade would be81.3%
How to use the final grade calculator
- 1 Enter your current grade as a percentage, as your course portal shows it.
- 2 Enter how much the final counts towards your overall grade, from your syllabus.
- 3 Pick the grade you want, and read the score you need and the table for every letter grade.
The formula
Required final score = (target grade − current grade × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight. With a current grade of 84%, a final worth 30% and a target of 90%, that is (90 − 84 × 0.7) ÷ 0.3 = (90 − 58.8) ÷ 0.3 = 104%. With the same numbers and a target of 80%, you need (80 − 58.8) ÷ 0.3 = 70.7%.
| Current grade | Final weight | Target | You need |
|---|---|---|---|
| 84% | 30% | 90% (A) | 104% (not possible without extra credit) |
| 84% | 30% | 80% (B) | 70.7% |
| 72% | 25% | 70% (C) | 64% |
| 91% | 20% | 90% (A) | 86% |
| 65% | 40% | 70% (C) | 77.5% |
When the answer is over 100% or below 0%
Over 100% means the target is out of reach with the final alone, unless your class offers extra credit or curves. Below 0% means you reach the target even with a zero on the final, though most courses still require you to sit it, and many have a minimum exam score to pass.
Working out your current grade from weighted categories
If your portal does not show a running total, multiply each category average by its weight, add them up, and divide by the total weight completed so far. For homework 90% at 20%, quizzes 80% at 20% and a midterm 75% at 30%: (90 × 20 + 80 × 20 + 75 × 30) ÷ 70 = 80.7%. That is your current grade, and the final is the remaining 30%.
Letter grade cut-offs
The table uses the common US scale: A from 90%, B from 80%, C from 70% and D from 60%. Many courses use plus and minus grades or different cut-offs, so check your syllabus and type your own target if it differs.
Make the time before the final count
Once you know the number, spend the time on practice rather than rereading: questions from your own lecture slides, closed book, with the ones you miss coming back until you get them right. Testing yourself tends to beat rereading for recall on exam day.
Final grade calculator FAQ
How do I calculate what I need on my final?
Subtract your current grade times the share of the course already done from your target grade, then divide by the final’s weight. As a formula: (target − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight, with the weight as a decimal.
What if my final is worth 20%?
Then it can move your grade by at most 20 percentage points from where you are. With 85% now, you will finish between 68% (zero on the final) and 88% (full marks).
What does a negative number mean?
You reach your target even with a zero on the final. Check your syllabus anyway: many courses require you to sit or pass the final.
Does this work for points-based classes?
Yes, if you turn points into percentages first. Your current grade is points earned divided by points possible so far, and the final weight is the final’s points divided by the course total.
Why does my portal show a different number?
Dropped scores, extra credit, curves and categories that are not graded yet all change the result. Use the grade your syllabus defines, and ask your instructor if you are unsure.
Use this final grade calculator on your own site
Teachers, bloggers and course sites are welcome to embed it for free. Paste this where you want it to appear.
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