Final Grade Calculator
Find out what score you need on your final exam to get the course grade you want. Enter your current grade, how much the final is worth, and your target grade.
Enter your grades
Your course grade before the final, e.g. 85.
How much the final counts toward the course grade, e.g. 20.
Your target course grade, e.g. 90 for an A.
Score needed on the final
| Course grade | Final score needed | Status |
|---|
Letter grades use the example scale A 90, B 80, C 70, D 60. See the grading scale guide for plus/minus cutoffs.
How the final grade calculator works
Your course grade after the final is a weighted average of your work so far and the final exam:
course grade = current grade × (1 − final weight) + final score × final weight
Solving for the final score gives the formula this calculator uses:
final score needed = (target grade − current grade × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight
Enter the final weight as a percentage, and the calculator converts it to a decimal (20% = 0.2). All calculations run in your browser; nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Examples
- Current 85%, final worth 20%, target 90% (A): (90 − 85 × 0.8) ÷ 0.2 = 110%. An A isn't reachable without extra credit.
- Current 85%, final worth 20%, target 80% (B): (80 − 68) ÷ 0.2 = 60%. A 60% on the final keeps a B.
- Current 72%, final worth 30%, target 70% (C): (70 − 72 × 0.7) ÷ 0.3 = 65.33%.
- Current 95%, final worth 15%, target 90% (A): (90 − 80.75) ÷ 0.15 = 61.67%.
Tips for using this calculator
- Check the syllabus for the exact final exam weight. A final worth 40% changes the result a lot compared with one worth 10%.
- If other assignments are still ungraded, your current grade can change before the final, so the result is an estimate.
- Some courses require a minimum score on the final to pass, whatever the average. This calculator doesn't check that rule.
- Teachers can use it to answer the common question "what do I need on the final?" quickly and consistently.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate what I need on my final exam?
Use: required final score = (target grade − current grade × (1 − final weight)) ÷ final weight, with the weight as a decimal. For example, with a current grade of 85%, a final worth 20% and a target of 90%, you need (90 − 85 × 0.8) ÷ 0.2 = 110%.
What if the calculator says I need more than 100%?
It means the target grade can't be reached with the final exam alone, unless the final allows extra credit. Try a lower target to see what is still possible, or ask your teacher about other ways to raise your grade.
What does final exam weight mean?
It is the share of the course grade that the final exam counts for, such as 20% or 30%. You can find it in the course syllabus or grading policy. The rest of the grade (for example 80%) comes from the work you have already done.
What if I need a negative or zero score?
Then you have already secured that grade: even a 0% on the final keeps you at or above the target, as long as your current grade does not change before the final.
Is my current grade the right number to use?
Use your current course grade before the final, as a percentage. If your teacher uses weighted categories, use the grade they report, or combine your categories first with the Course Grade Calculator.
Related tools
- Course Grade Calculator: work out your current grade from total points or weighted categories.
- Easy Grader: turn a test score into a percentage and letter grade.
- Printable grading charts for tests out of 5 to 100.