Final Grade Calculator

This finds the score you need on your final exam to reach your target grade, given your current grade and how much the final is worth.

Planning the score you need on a final

A final exam calculator answers a question every student asks near the end of a term: what do I actually need to score to finish where I want? The math depends on three things, your current grade, the grade you are aiming for, and how much the final is worth in the overall course.

The final weight is the lever. A final worth ten percent can barely move your grade, so even a perfect score may not be enough to climb several letter grades. A final worth forty percent gives you far more room to recover or, just as easily, to slip.

If the calculator returns a number above one hundred percent, your target is simply out of reach with this exam alone, and it is better to know that early. If it returns a low or negative number, you have already secured your goal and can plan your effort accordingly.

The formula

needed = ( target - current x (1 - weight) ) / weight

Worked example

Current 78%, target 90%, final worth 30%. Needed = (90 - 78 x 0.70) / 0.30 = 118%, which is not reachable - so 90% is out of reach here.

How to read your result

If the needed score is over 100%, your target is not reachable with this final alone. If it is negative, you have already secured your target.

Frequently asked questions

What is the final weight?: The percentage of your total course grade that the final exam counts for, often stated in the syllabus.
What if I have multiple remaining assessments?: Combine their total weight as the final weight, and treat them as one block.
Is extra credit included?: No - add any extra credit to your current grade first.

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