Final Grade Calculator
Enter your current grade, what the final exam is worth and the grade you want. You get the score you need on the final, and the score for an A, B, C or D.
Your grade in the class right now, before the final.
Of the whole course grade. Your syllabus says this, for example “Final exam 20%”.
90% is the lowest A on the common US scale, 80% a B, 70% a C.
To finish with 90%, you need on the final
110%
That is more than 100%. Without extra credit, the highest you can finish with is 88%.
| Grade you want in the class | 90 |
|---|---|
| Already earned: 85% × 80%your current grade times the part of the course that isn't the final | −68 |
| Points the final has to bring | 22 |
| ÷ weight of the final (20%) | 110% |
| With 100% on the final you finish with | 88% (B+) |
| With 0% on the final you finish with | 68% (D+) |
| To finish with | Score you need |
|---|---|
| A (90%) | 110% (over 100%) |
| B (80%) | 60% |
| C (70%) | 10% |
| D (60%) | Any score |
How this is calculated
Your course grade after the final is a weighted average: current grade × (1 − weight of the final) + final score × weight of the final. Solved for the final score: needed = (goal − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight, with the weight as a decimal.
Example: you have 85%, the final counts for 20%, and you want 90%. The part before the final is worth 80% of the course, so 85 × 0.8 = 68 points are already yours. You need 90 − 68 = 22 more, and the final can give at most 20. 22 ÷ 0.2 = 110%. Without extra credit that goal is out of reach; the best you can finish with is 68 + 20 = 88%. With a goal of 80% instead, you need (80 − 68) ÷ 0.2 = 60%.
What the calculator assumes
- Your current grade already includes the weights of everything before the final.
- Nothing is rounded. Many teachers round, for example 89.5% up to 90%; your syllabus says how yours does it.
- The letter grades in the table use the common US scale: 90% is the lowest A (an A−), 80% the lowest B, 70% the lowest C and 60% the lowest D. Schools set their own cutoffs.
If your class counts points, the final's weight is its points divided by all points in the course: a 200-point final in a 1,000-point course is worth 20%.
To work out your current grade from homework, quizzes and tests with different weights, use the grade calculator.
Questions people ask
How do I calculate what I need on my final?
Needed score = (goal − current grade × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight, with the weight as a decimal. With 85% now, a final worth 20% and a goal of 80%: (80 − 68) ÷ 0.2 = 60%.
What if I need more than 100% on the final?
Then the goal is out of reach without extra credit or a curve. Your best possible grade is your current grade × (1 − weight) + 100 × weight.
Can I fail the final and still pass the class?
It depends on the weight. With 80% now and a final worth 20%, a 0 on the final leaves you at 64%, a D on the common scale. The calculator shows your grade with a 0 and with a 100.
What does “the final is worth 25%” mean?
25% of your course grade comes from the final and 75% from everything before it. A 100% on the final adds 25 points to your grade, a 0 adds none.
What do I need on my final to get an A?
With the common 90% cutoff: (90 − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight. With 88% now and a final worth 25%: (90 − 66) ÷ 0.25 = 96%.