Final Grade Calculator: What Do I Need?
Find the score you need on your final exam to reach a target grade, from your current grade and the final's weight or points, with a table for each letter.
Score you need on the final
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Score needed for each letter grade
| Letter | Course grade | Needed on the final | Points |
|---|
Letter cut-offs follow the common US scale. Enter your own cut-off above if your class uses a different one.
What if I score…
How to use it
Enter your current grade in the class, the course grade you want, and how much the final exam counts. The weight is usually in your syllabus as a percentage, for example “Final exam: 25%”. The calculator shows the score you need, what you would end up with if you aced or skipped the final, and a table with the score needed for every letter grade. Use What if to see where a particular exam score would leave you.
If your class counts points instead of percentages, switch to Points and enter the points you have earned so far, the points possible so far, and how many points the final is worth.
The formula
Your course grade is your current grade weighted by everything except the final, plus your final exam score weighted by the final:
course = current × (1 − w) + final × w
Solving for the final gives the score you need:
final = (target − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w
With a current grade of 88%, a target of 90% and a final worth 25% (w = 0.25), you need (90 − 88 × 0.75) ÷ 0.25 = (90 − 66) ÷ 0.25 = 96%.
In points mode, the course total is the points so far plus the final’s points. The points you need are target × total − points earned. With 412 of 500 points and a 200-point final, a B (80%) needs 0.80 × 700 − 412 = 148 points, or 74% of the final.
Reading the result
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| A score from 0% to 100% | The minimum you need on the final |
| More than 100% | Not reachable without extra credit or a curve |
| Guaranteed | You reach the target even with 0% on the final |
The needed score is rounded up to the next hundredth, so it is always enough: 89.333…% is shown as 89.34%, because 89.33% would leave you a fraction short. Your teacher may round the course grade, in which case a slightly lower score could still work.
Things to check
- The formula assumes the final is the only work left. If homework or other exams are still to be graded, work out your current grade with the grade calculator and treat everything left as part of a combined “final”.
- Use your current grade exactly as your gradebook shows it. A rounded figure can shift the answer by a point or more when the final’s weight is small.
- Some classes replace the lowest test score with the final, or require a minimum score on the final to pass whatever your average is. The calculator can’t know those rules, so read your syllabus.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need on my final to get an A?
With the usual 90% cut-off, you need (90 − current × (1 − w)) ÷ w, where w is the final’s weight as a decimal. For example, 88% now and a final worth 25% needs 96%. The table shows every letter grade at once.
What if the calculator says I need more than 100%?
That target is out of reach without extra credit or a curve. The calculator shows the best course grade you can still get with a perfect final, and the letter table shows which grades are still possible.
What does "guaranteed" mean?
Your grade stays at or above the target even if you score 0% on the final. That assumes skipping the final is allowed; some classes fail anyone who misses it.
Are my grades uploaded or saved?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser, nothing is sent to a server, and nothing is kept after you close the page.