Semester Grade Calculator
Work out your semester grade from your quarter grades and final exam, or find the score you need on the final to finish the semester with the grade you want.
Enter your grades
Your grade for the first quarter or term, e.g. 88.
How much quarter 1 counts toward the semester, e.g. 40.
Your grade for the second quarter or term.
How much quarter 2 counts, e.g. 40.
Your midterm exam score.
The share of the grade the midterm is worth, like 10.
How much the final counts toward the semester, e.g. 20.
The percent you got on the final. Still waiting to take it? Pick "Find what I need on the final" above.
Your target semester grade, e.g. 80 for a B.
Your result
Letter grades use the example scale A 90, B 80, C 70, D 60. See the grading scale guide for plus and minus cutoffs.
How the semester grade calculator works
Your semester grade is a weighted average. Each part of the semester counts for a share of the grade: quarter 1, quarter 2, a midterm exam if your class has one, and the final exam. Each grade is multiplied by its weight, and those pieces are added together.
semester grade = Q1 × Q1 weight + Q2 × Q2 weight + final × final weight
Weights are entered as percentages and turned into decimals, so 40% becomes 0.4. If your weights do not add up to 100, the calculator divides by the total you entered.
To find what you need on the final, the calculator works the same formula backward:
final score needed = (target − Q1 × Q1 weight − Q2 × Q2 weight) ÷ final weight
All of this happens in your browser, and what you type is never stored or sent.
Examples
- Quarters 88% and 82% at 40% each, final 75% worth 20%: 35.2 + 32.8 + 15 = 83% (B).
- Same quarters, you want a 90%: (90 − 35.2 − 32.8) ÷ 0.2 = 110%. An A is not reachable without extra credit.
- Same quarters, you want an 80%: (80 − 68) ÷ 0.2 = 60% on the final keeps a B.
- With a midterm: quarters 78% and 84% at 35% each, midterm 70% worth 10%, final worth 20%, target 80%. The first three parts give 27.3 + 29.4 + 7 = 63.7, so you need (80 − 63.7) ÷ 0.2 = 81.5% on the final.
Where to find your weights
Look in the course syllabus, the grading policy, or your school's online gradebook. Weights change from school to school and even from teacher to teacher. For example, a class might count each quarter as 40% and the final as 20%, while another counts the final for much more. Use the numbers your class really uses, not a guess.
If your class adds up points for every assignment instead of using weights, the Course Grade Calculator is a better fit.
Semester grade, final grade or GPA?
This page gives you one grade for one class for the semester. If you only want to know the score you need on a single final exam, the Final Grade Calculator is quicker. If your class grade comes from categories like homework, quizzes and tests, use the Weighted Grade Calculator first. Once you have your semester grades for every class, the GPA Calculator turns them into a GPA.
Frequently asked questions
What math gives my semester grade?
Turn each weight into a decimal, multiply it by its grade, then add everything up. With quarter grades of 88% and 82% at 40% each and a final of 75% worth 20%: 88 × 0.4 + 82 × 0.4 + 75 × 0.2 = 35.2 + 32.8 + 15 = 83%, which is a B.
What do I need on my final to get the semester grade I want?
Take your target grade, subtract what your quarters (and midterm) already give you, then divide by the final exam weight. With 88% and 82% at 40% each, a final worth 20% and a target of 80%: (80 − 35.2 − 32.8) ÷ 0.2 = 60%.
What if my weights come to something other than 100%?
The calculator divides by the total of the weights you entered, so the result is still a fair average. It is better to check your syllabus or gradebook for the real weights, because a missing part of the grade can change the result.
Does a midterm exam count toward the semester grade?
Only if your class counts it. Some classes have a midterm exam with its own weight, others fold it into the quarter grade. Tick "My class has a midterm exam" and enter its weight only when your syllabus lists it separately.
How do I turn my semester grade into a letter grade or GPA?
This page uses the common scale A 90, B 80, C 70, D 60. Your school may use plus and minus grades or a different scale, so check the grading scale guide. To turn letter grades into a GPA, use the GPA calculator.
Related tools
- School Days Left Calculator: how many days of school are left this year.
- High School GPA Calculator: turn your class grades into a GPA for each year.
- Final Grade Calculator: what you must get on the final to hit your goal.
- Weighted Grade Calculator: your class grade from category weights.
- Course Grade Calculator: your grade from total points.
- GPA Calculator: turn letter grades into a GPA.
- Grading Scale: a chart that turns any percent into a letter grade.